Fishing

It has been a few months since I gave an update on our Trout Slam recognition program .  With the weather cooling, one of the best times of year to catch our cold-water trout lies ahead of us.  So, let me see if I can pique your interest to get out there and explore our trout waters. Entries during the summer slowed to a trickle, and there were several weeks where I did not see any entries at all.  I am …

I am going to put a combination of updates in my blog post today.  These are going to include news items for waterbodies from one corner of Nebraska to the other, so if you fish in Nebraska, something in this blog post is going to include a waterbody you fish. Box Butte Reservoir New boat launch opening at Box Butte Reservoir HEMINGFORD, Neb. — Construction is wrapping up for the upgraded boat launch facility at Box Butte State Recreation Area …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Catchable-size rainbow trout are being stocked in city ponds and lakes across the state by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. These stockings will enhance fishing opportunities this fall and winter. Trout fishing is a great way to introduce children to fishing because simple and inexpensive equipment may be used. A spinning or spin-cast rod and reel with a hook baited with a worm will work well. Add a split shot a couple of feet above the …

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The Lake Ogallala angler access area located in the northwest corner of the lake will be closed starting Monday, Sept. 24 to undergo restoration. The restoration project will address the existing shoreline protection structures and eroding sidewalks. The project is slated to be complete next summer. Once finished, the project will complement the new 125-foot floating fishing bridge that was installed in 2017, along with enhancing Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) amenities and angler access to …

Slamming car doors, shifting cargo, stumbling feet. Each has been unkind to my fishing rods more times than I care to admit. After a fly rod somehow broke while riding freely in my truck bed this spring, it was time to take action to keep it from happening again. Of course, many excellent rod cases are available from retailers. After some research, though, I found a simple design created from a favorite inexpensive building material – PVC pipe. Not only …

Got a chuckle out of this new Hank Patterson video this week: Now I will be the first to admit that since I was a grade school kid I have kept a log of all of my fishing trips, species, numbers, sizes, etc., etc.  So yes, I have an idea of how many fish I and my partners have caught.  If you want data, well, I have a pointy-head and I’ve got data! But, you know it really is not …

I was outta the office a week or so ago to help do some field work.  I got to help with some work on one of my favorite waters in one of my favorite parts of the state–Pelican Lake on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). I am not going to rehearse the details, or the merits, of the large Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation project that is ongoing on the Valentine NWR.  If you have been living under a soapweed and …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Lt. Gov. Mike Foley honored the state’s hunters and anglers on Monday during a ceremony in which he proclaimed Sept. 22 National Hunting and Fishing Day in Nebraska. For more than four decades, National Hunting and Fishing Day has recognized America’s hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation. National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated the fourth Saturday of every September, remains an effective grassroots effort to promote the outdoor sports and conservation. …

Many years ago when I was going to school training to be a pointy-headed fish biologist, I never dreamed I would be doing what I am doing now.  Yes, I am referring to blogging, communicating, writing and speaking, informing and educating; that is pretty much what I do all of the time.  A big reason I am doing that now, and something we never dreamed of years ago, is this interwebby thing.  Simply put, the internet is an extremely valuable …

I originally heard this story on a radio station, then found it making the rounds on the inter-webs: Market Shut Down for Putting Googly Eyes on Fish To Make It Look “Fresher” Apparently, after sitting around on a table in some stinky fish market, adding some “googly eyes” improves sales! See how much better it looks! Now why didn’t eye think of that? My latest walleye photo after dark was a little blurry, if I had added a googly eye …