Barbs and Backlashes

This is a busy time of year for me.  A big reason for that is everyone wants to talk fishing right now!  For some it is one of the symptoms of “spring fever”, for others, like me, we are just ready to talk fish and fishing all the time! I will be talking walleyes this weekend.  One thing I know is true, Have a great weekend, GO FISH!

You know that I am always getting up on a “soap box” to  promote catch & release fishing:  It is a fact of life for sport anglers nowadays.  You will either be required by regulation to release at least some of the fish you catch or you will choose to voluntarily release some of your catch; it is important for developing and maintaining quality fishing..  I believe the best practice is what has been termed “selective harvest”–choosing to harvest a few …

I have an interesting news release I want to share with you: Now I know this open house, this particular fish passage project, is not going to be of great importance to many of you unless you are familiar with the Cedar River particularly in the Spalding and Ericson area.  But, I am betting that very few reading this have even considered that there might be a need for fish passageways on Nebraska rivers and streams.  No, we do not have migratory …

The big sport show in Omaha is this weekend! Here is the “sneak peak” video: The only thing missing from that is a couple of “clowns” in funny hats like Greg Wagner and me! We will be there! If you are in the area for state wrestling or just want to make a trip to see the sport show, Greg and I will be hanging around the Game & Parks booth all weekend.  Stop by, say “Hi”, tell us a …

At some point every winter our ice leaves and we typically are left with at least a few days if not weeks of “‘tweener time”–water is not hard enough to walk on, but still too cold for most fish to be very active.  I have some fishing strategies for those times and would tell you I will spend at least some time on the water every month of the year, but I still end up with some time between the …

I realize not everyone will be able to attend, but if you are in the York area and you want to talk fishing. . . . York Adopt-A-Pet Fishing Seminar I will have a program on walleyes in Nebraska reservoirs, which waters will be hot this year and some ideas on walleye movement and behavior in Nebraska reservoirs throughout the year.  Come on out if you can make it, do not be afraid to ask questions, and plan to learn …

The calendar has rolled around again, and it is that time of year–Yep, time for the skunks to mate. Why else would Valentine’s Day be scheduled for this time of year? Afterall, the greatest lover of all time was a skunk, Pepe LePew! By the way, the old Looney Tunes were and still are the greatest cartoons of all time.  I still watch them. . . and laugh! You should also know that some of the most irresistible perfumes use skunk …

I want to take a trip back to the trap line for this blog post; actually not my trap line, but my nephew’s.  A few weeks ago I was out west for a weekend and had a little time to check out some of the fur my nephew had caught this trapping season, his first.  What he really wanted to show off was one of the raccoons he trapped, something rather unusual. There are several hundred thousand raccoons taken in …

Last Friday I blogged about a new bait that Rapala will be releasing this spring.  Today I want to tell you about some other baits, some hand-made baits crafted right here in good ole Nebraska! I have met Bob Sturgeon; he makes Angry Sturgeon Lures.  Those baits are made right here in Nebraska and they are beautiful baits.  Bob does outstanding work! Go to their web page and take a look, you will see that these are not your typical crankbaits.  Actually, …

Following the Super Bowl, which I thought lacked in creative commercials, I was lamenting to my family that I had not seen any good fishing commercials this year either.  I have thought that many of the Rapala commercials over the years have been particularly creative and entertaining. Then I got an e-mail with this video.  I think they are taking a different path this year. . . . That is pretty gutsy, calling the shot.  We will see how that …