Barbs and Backlashes

The ice fishing season is just getting started in Nebraska; in fact some waters are NOT safe yet, but without a doubt anglers are hitting the ice where they can throughout the state.  I love to ice fish as much or more as the next guy and there are lots of reasons for that.  I absolutely understand that some fried fish are definitely part of the ice-fishing experience, and may it always be so!  Fresh fish caught from local waters …

Going to call attention to another blog/article in my blog today.  Yes, some of you will have already seen this in NEBRASKAland magazine or on the internet, but again this deserves to be seen by as many folks as possible, so I hope to call even more attention to it. The current issue of NEBRASKAland has a story entitled “Ice Fishing:  Search for the Heyday”.  Mostly, it is a story about one of the best ice anglers I know, and …

I have already suggested some things to do during this “‘tweener time” while we wait for safe ice.  Naturally, one thing we like to do as anglers is reminisce about past trips, past successes, big ones caught.  That reminiscing could include years past or just the current year, but for me, this time of year, I like to look back over the fall fishing that I just finished. I fish hard in the fall, as much as possible.  It is …

I am not going to pretend to know when we will have safe ice.  If I did know, I would still tell you that it is up to YOU to be sure that it is safe every time you walk on the ice.  I am not going to take someone else’s word for it and you should not either.  You have to make that call yourself. I will tell you that we are getting close to seeing safe ice, but …

I am not going to tell you when we are going to have safe ice.  I learned a long time ago that you cannot point to a day on the calendar and say that will be when you can start ice fishing.  You have to check it, make sure it is safe, every time (topic of a lot of past blog posts, and will be for future posts). However, I do know this:  It is time to get ready, time …

Took an extra day off over the long Thanksgiving holiday and missed the weather and bad roads coming home.  Need to catch up with another blog post. . . . I “called my shot” a bit last week expecting that I would spend some time both hunting and fishing with family over the long weekend.  We feasted, played games, enjoyed the time together and yes, hunted and fished. It always feels good to go for a little walk after the …

You all know I love to fish, year-round, love it all.  I love to ice fish, but have to admit my fall was really good this year and I hate to see it come to an end (updates and pictures coming in other blog posts, soon).  Yes, I was still fishing open water this past week; yes, my son and I did really well, but I am thinking that may have been about the end of it for this year. …

Like many of you, I will be heading out the door for “grandmother’s house” for a weekend of feasting and family.  I will also try to sneak away to walk off some of the feasting and see if I might rustle up a few of these: The extended Thanksgiving weekend is also a great time to combo up–some late fall fishing along with hunting.  Maybe I can dry off a few of these: Or some of these, have to see …

You all know that I like to show off pictures of some of the exceptional fish our field fisheries biologists sample throughout the state.  I learned a long time ago that people are fascinated by big fish, and of course anglers love to know those fish are swimming out there in Nebraska waters. Yes, stewardship of the state’s sport fish fisheries is very important and we spend a lot of time sampling a wide variety of sport fish in lakes, …

I am never very crazy about polls or questions inquiring about “favorite fish”.  Every fish can be fun to catch and there is something unique to appreciate about every species.  Discussions on the topic invariably include descriptions of how various species fight when hooked, and those perceived to pull the most, hardest, or jump out of the water the highest rank high on every angler’s list. I love all of that, I love the thrill of having a fish on …