Name: Cooper Rodman
Age: 26
Birthday: December 19
State: Iowa
Region of State: Northeast
Day Job/Career Field: Meat Specialist (Meat Cutter) and Substitute teacher
How Did you get Started in Fishing?
By being taken as a small child and it is something that just stuck.
How Long Have you been Fishing?
Since I was a little child. Some of my earliest memories are fishing with either my dad or grandpa.
How Often Do you Fish?
4-5 times a week
What are your Ideal fishing conditions?
I love fishing in the rain or when the sun is coming up or setting during that golden hour of the day because of the sheer beauty of the senory around me.
Who do you fish with?
Usually alone but my favorite times are when I can get out and fish with my dad.
Where do you fish and how long have you been fishing?
Mainly all over Iowa, but has expanded to the Midwest. I have been fishing Iowa my whole life.
How many months out of the year do you fish for?
Usually all 12.
How many times a week do you typically get out to fish?
4-5 times a week.
What time do you go out fishing in the morning and what time do you get back?
Sun up to sun down. Spending all day on the water, when I have the time.
How do you target a new area?
Depends on what I am targeting, but if I am targetting bass I am picking up a jig that I can use to swim or bounce off the bottom.
What’s your go to fishing setup?
Favorite Defender LunkersTV Edition 7’5″ Medium Heavy paired with Abu Gracia Revo X lined with 15lb Fluorocarbon.
Do you have any additional sponsorships/pro staff/feild staff/ambasador/etc?
Woo Tungsten
Keep It Reel Fishing
What is your favorite Style of Fishing?
Flipping and pitching into shallow cover for bass. Throwing larger streamers for trout on the fly rod.
What is your favorite time of the year to fish?
Spring – usually around May here in IOwa.
What is your favorite Body of water to fish ?
This was a tough choice but I settled on Lake Fork even though I have only fished it once.
Whats your favorite species to target? Why?
Smallmouth because they have a fight in them like no other fish. Trout because they are by far the most challenging fish I have ever targeted.
What Species do you target?
Largemouth, Smallmouth, and Trout.
What is the biggest fish you’ve ever caught? (Or your PB of your favorite species)
6.5 pound Largemouth.
Do you own and operate your own boat/kayak/canoe? If so for how long?
Been fishing from a kayak the past 4 years.
What kind of boat/kayak/canoe do you fish on? Describe it briefly.
Hobie ProAngler 14 equipped with a Humminbird Helix 9 and PowerPole Mirco Anchor
How far from shore do you fish (If fishing offshore)?
Don’t fish offshore.
Have you won any tournaments (local, Club, State, National, Online, etc)?
Lake Belva Deer within my Iowa Kayak Anglers series.
Do you fish with any clubs/teams/tournaments?
Iowa Kayak Anglers
Kayak Bass Fishing
Both different tournament series
Do you have any fishing horror stories (Hook in the eye, boat motor dies 2 miles offshore, had to be rescued on a fishing adventure)?
The worst I have ever had happen, knock on wood, was prespawn fishing last year and I put one of my jerkbait hooks in the top of my foot. I was the only one on the lake at the time so I had to rip it out myself.
Do you have any funny fishing Stories?
Every time I set the hook into a tree thinking it’s a fish!
Tell us something unique about yourself.
Currently turning my blog into a book (blog is linked in my Instagram).
Anything else you’d like others to know about you?
Trying to start guiding for trout in Northeast Iowa so, if you are ever in Iowa and are looking to hook up with some trout look me up at 12:10 Fishing on Facebook!
Social Meida:
Instagram: @c_rodman
