Barbs and Backlashes

The Seven Fish guys teamed up with one of our fisheries biologists to do a video on what EVERY boater should do when taking their boat out of EVERY body of water: That is a great reminder, and yes, you can expect me to continue to hammer on this message every chance I get.  We all must do our part!  Your fishing, my fishing, depends on it!

Nebraska is a place where we experience all four seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall.  Sometimes we experience two or more of those seasons within a 24-hour period. Most of the time the transition between seasons is much more gradual, much more subtle.  If you only fish a few times a year, your transition between seasons may be abrupt–spring on one trip, summer the next.  But, if you spend a lot of time on the water, if you pay close …

Been awhile since I have given an update on the state record applications that have crossed my desk. . . . It has been the time of year when we see some activity for underwater spearfishing state records, so let me start there: The first to cross my desk was a bigmouth buffalo speared by Mike Ban from Colorado.  Mike was diving on a private sandpit in Dawson County when he speared his 30 pound 7 ounce buff. Mike’s fish …

I have some roots in North Platte, graduated from high school there.  This headline from the ole hometown newspaper caught my eye: Driver hit with Taser after threatening deputy, holding frog hostage Obviously, there is some funny stuff going on back in Flat Rock–holding frogs hostage!  What is this world coming to?  Here’s the whole story as reported in the North Platte Telegraph: A man rolled his car, then held an amphibious bystander hostage during an altercation with a deputy …

Fish have been displayed at the Nebraska State Fair almost since there was a state fair.  We know live fish were displayed at the State Fair back in 1885, and they have been there almost every year since.  This year is no exception as fish were collected from all corners to the state and hauled to the state fair last week.  Fish are collected primarily by electrofishing, hauled on pickups and then displayed for the duration of the fair in …

I am fully aware that there are 1,338 videos on YouTube demonstrating how to fillet a fish.  Well, make it 1,339: Keep in mind that video was made with the idea of keeping it simple for someone who might not have done it before.  I know there are a lot of variations, a lot of tricks and a lot of preferences that go beyond the basics.  You likely have a better way of doing it!  I also know that many …

Found this video on the interwebs this week.  Love it! I have not been where the young man in the video has been, but his story truly is an inspiration.  If you fish, you share that passion, and in many ways it defines our lives. I never will completely understand people who do not fish. Have a great weekend, and of course, GO FISH!

I actually escaped the office a week or so ago and helped with some field work!  I got to smell fishy again! Mostly I just want to show you some pictures of the fish we were sampling, flathead catfish at Branched Oak Reservoir.  However, I realize there might be some who read this and want more information, so let me recommend a previous blog if you want to know why we were doing this sampling:  Branched Oak Flatheads. Once again …

Gonna start this blog with a news release, like I often do, but then there is more to the story. . . . Major fish die-off investigated at Olive Creek Lake August 17, 2018 LINCOLN, Neb. – Low oxygen levels have caused a major die-off of fish at Olive Creek Lake, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The remaining fish population is suspected to be small. The die-off was reported by the public and investigated by Game and …

Gonna take a break from my usual Friday blog material. . . . Yes, I am all about fishing, almost all the time.  I am also all about Nebraska, all the time.  I’m born and bred Nebraskan, my blood runs red, it is home, I love it. Someday I am going to write a blog about the Nebraska sandhills.  I have not done it yet because I am afraid I cannot capture my thoughts in words.  There have been a …