Barbs and Backlashes

By now you may have seen pictures and information on FaceBook about the recent salvage of fish from the spillway below Harlan County Dam.  Yes, I am going to repeat some of that here to spread it around even more, and offer some comments as well. . . . Water is drained from the spillway below Harlan County dam once every twenty years or so.  That draining is necessary for inspection and repairs.  When that water is drained, fish present …

Yes, I have blogged about this before just recently, but the second of these workshops is coming up and we want to get the word out again: Become a certified youth fishing instructor this fall LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will certify youth fishing instructors in Lincoln and North Platte this fall. Workshop participants will receive training and tools to conduct youth fishing clinics. These volunteers will have access to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission loaner …

My older cousin Robin often jokes that he taught me everything I know. He is right, at least in part. The problem is some of the things he taught me are not of much use.  I was reminded of one wise gem I learned from him when I saw several raccoons run across the road in front of my pickup one night this week. . . . Fur prices in recent years have been very much up and down.  If …

Our Take ’em Fishing challenge has been completed, all the prizes have been distributed.  Let me share a few statistics with you: We had 4,270 entries from 3,547 people.  Most participants just entered once, but some entered multiple times.  The most entries by one person was sixteen. Forty-four percent of the entries were for first-time anglers.  Of course, most of those first-timers were kids, but some folks took their spouses and 4% even took a brother or sister! Twenty-four percent …

Finally have the rest of the list for the rest of our fall, put & take rainbow trout stockings in urban and parks waters around the state:  Stocking Date Location Number Comments Week of Oct. 7 Scottsbluff Zoo Pond 900 Carter P. Johnson 2,500 Ft. Robinson Niobrara State Park Pond #2 1,000 Niobrara State Park Crystal Cove 4,500 South Sioux City Fremont #2 5,000 Fremont Lakes Ta-Ha-Zouka 1,500 Norfolk Pawnee Park West 1,500  Columbus Bowling 400  Lincoln Holmes 3,000  Lincoln …

Broke a fish off this week.  It does not happen often, last one I can remember was a BIG fish a couple years ago.  Fought that fish for twenty minutes, could feel it going deep, line rubbing on something.  Knew it was not going to end well. This time I set the hook, good fish.  Will never know how good because the rod bent over and there she was, gone. I have had a headache ever since. Oh I know …

Without a doubt, one of the most common questions I am hearing right now is “when are the trout going to be stocked?”  Seems like everyone is wondering about the fall stockings of catchable-size rainbows in urban and parks waters around the state. Those stockings occur about the same time every year, and that time is October, usually mid-October.  I do not have the full schedule yet for this fall’s stockings.  We are still working out some logistics and honestly, …

Today is the eve of our 2019 paddlefish snagging season.  Most have probably already seen this news release, but this is a good time for a reminder: Paddlefish snaggers should be cautious with high flows below Gavins Point Dam LINCOLN, Neb. – With paddlefish snagging season set to begin Oct. 1, dangerous conditions will be occurring on the Missouri River below Gavin’s Point Dam due to high water releases. Outflows from Gavins Point Dam will be at or above 80,000 …

Tomorrow, September 29, is National Hunting and Fishing Day.  Governor Ricketts signed a proclamation this week recognizing that here in Nebraska. I have always thought that a national hunting and fishing day is especially appropriate for Nebraska because we have some great opportunities for a variety of fish and game.  We are the mixed bag capital!  Fall is a great time to “combo up” and do both, hunt and fish. Need an example?  One of my co-workers here in our …

A couple of weeks ago I gave a “heads-up” that we were finally getting some cutthroat trout stocked in Nebraska waters again.  Many anglers have been looking hard for a cutthroat to complete their Trout Slam.  At that time, the first of those stockings was made in the White River southwest of Ft. Robinson.  We have stocked a few more thousand of those fish since then, here is the complete list: White River 1,000 Wood Reserve Ponds 600 Middle Fork …