Barbs and Backlashes

Have a learning opportunity I want to publicize: Ponca SP hosting beginner fly-fishing, fly-tying class Anglers can learn the basics of fly-fishing and fly-tying at a workshop April 27 at Ponca State Park. This workshop, hosted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and taught by members of the Cornhusker Fly Fishers Club, will prepare participants to catch trout and panfish this spring. The event will take place 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Education Center. The cost is $25 per …

Sometimes you just need to pull over, put it in park, and de-stress for a little bit.  Of course the best way to do that is by spending time on the water.  Regrettably, some days a person cannot do that. On days like that, when the next best thing will have to do, why not just take some time to watch some trout rising?! The great thing about that video is that it is over an hour long!  Take as …

I have posted a series of blogs on hybrid fish.  Hopefully, those have increased awareness of these fish in our waters and provided some tips on fish identification.  Want to return to that series today. . . . First, let me define some terms.  If you looked at the title, I used a pointy-headed term, the family name for the pike family, esocids.  Members of the pike family found in Nebraska would be grass pickerel (specifically a subspecies of redfin …

Want to mention a couple of things today, both of them related to walleyes. . . . First of all, we are in the middle of our annual walleye egg collections.  If you have been on Sherman or Merritt reservoirs, you likely have, or will see our crews, and nets.  If you want some more idea of what they are doing, may I suggest an old blog post, Walleye Spawn. If you see the nets in the water, please avoid …

Stumbled onto a fish story I enjoyed reading.  If you have some time this weekend, you might like to read it too: Muskie Stealing Preacher Unfortunately, people can get crazy when it comes to catching fish, especially big fish. Muskies on set lines???!!!  Like I said, some people get crazy. If you need an excuse to read the story, make sure you see the photo of the fish mount at the end.  What a beaut!  Ha. Just another example of …

Chances are you have heard about the solar eclipse coming next Monday, April 8.  If you were around these parts seven years ago, you experienced a total solar eclipse right here in Nebraska.  This time, Nebraska is not in the path of totality.  That don’t mean nothing.  It still should be a spectacular event.  All of Nebraska will be able to see at least 60% coverage of the sun.  Go HERE for a map that displays the extent of the …

Going to mention something today which many of you are already aware.  On the other hand, I know that not everyone knows because I continually answer questions about it. You know about the annual Fishing Forecast: For those of you who are interested in a little more information, information specific to individual waterbodies, make sure to check out our Sampling Summaries. I will always tell you that the fish population sampling that fisheries biologists collect are indices.  Any one year’s …

Do not know that I have a “mix tape”.  Nevertheless, I do have a few fishing-related songs that I like to listen to.  Some of them may be a little obscure, some of them corny. . . . Good subjects for a weekend blog post. This one pretty much nails it, especially for the weekend: Hope you get a chance to do the same this weekend!

You can catch any fish that swims on a jig.  Moreover, if you learn to be a good jig angler, you will flat out be a good angler, period. Those statements are a little misleading as especially in today’s angling world jigs come in an infinite variety of shapes, styles, actions, colors, bodies, tastes, etc.  They all work in the right place at the right time.  Like any bait or lure they are all just tools–use the right tool for …

I hope you were able to sit in on at least one of our public Fisheries meetings last week.  If you could not, never fear, we have ’em on tape! Before I post the links, let me say this:  If you fish in Nebraska, you should take the time to watch at least one of these videos.  If you get around the state and fish a variety of waters, you might want to watch ’em all! First one was southeast …