Fishing

Like all anglers, I love big fish.  The bigger the better.  Big, bad, predator fish turn my crank. But, I also love the variety.  In fact I spend at least some time every year just tossing a small “bobber” and catching some sunfish. Does watching a bobber go under ever get old?  Or maybe I should ask, are you ever too old to not get excited seeing a bobber go down?  If you do, then you should quit fishing. Now, …

Quick blog post before I head out the door for a long Independence Day holiday!  The “4th of July” has always been one of our favorite holidays, if not THE favorite.  We love the time spent with family, the feasting, fun, and, of course fireworks.  We usually slip away for some fishing too! I have shared this quote before, from our country’s second president, John Adams.  Seems particularly meaningful to me this year: The Second Day of July 1776, will …

The July issue of Nebraskaland has a story about some of the improvements that have been done recently at Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala (Lake McConaughy Recreation Area, Big Changes at the Big Lake).  Let me focus more specifically on some of the angler access improvements done at Lake Ogallala.  Beside the Nebraskaland story, let me share some photos and details.  First, the photos: Colby Johnson is our regional park superintendent out in those parts, and he sent me most of …

I usually have an idea of what I am going to blog about for the next week or two.  But, what good would blogging be if you did not post the “hottest”, most recent, breaking information? Most of you know that we have had a couple of notable state record fish caught in Nebraska the past two weeks.  First it was a big flathead catfish, then a big hybrid striped bass.  I was joking with my supervisor yesterday that fishing …

Big Changes at the Big Lake Nearly everything about Lake McConaughy is big. At 30,000 surface acres, it is Nebraska’s largest reservoir, its dam is among the largest of its kind in the world, and its fish grow to trophy proportions, accounting for several state records. Even its nickname, “Big Mac,” reflects its size. Located 8 miles northeast of Ogallala, Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area is known to most Nebraskans and residents of neighboring states as a great place for …

Story and photos by Jeff Kurrus July is the perfect time to fish for largemouth bass. Because of the heat, boat traffic on non-ski lakes is often minimal and your chance to fish your favorite spots, especially in the middle of the day, increases as the temperatures do. Whether new to dog-day fishing or a sweaty, seasoned veteran, try a few of these techniques to increase your summertime success. Tip 1: Night “The night is where it’s at,” a longtime …

With all the cornonavirus “stuff”, I have not been able to spend any time meeting with any of Nebraska’s angler groups.  I do not get around to every meeting for every group, but usually drop in on at least a few.  However, this spring the Cornhusker Fly Fishers have done a couple of FaceBook Live meetings, and I was able to drop in on them. Last week the topic of discussion was bass.  Yes, specifically that would have been bass …

Many of you will remember our Take ‘Em Fishing contest last year.  We wanted to encourage our avid anglers to make it a point to find someone new, or someone who had not fished for a while, and get them back on the water.  Then all you had to do was snap a photo, submit it online, and you might win prizes including up to a fully-rigged boat! We are doing it again! Accept Take ’em Fishing Challenge for chance …

Got a good Orvis video to share with you.  It is appropriate for Father’s Day: If at all possible, take your dad fishing this weekend! You will never regret it. Let me dust off an old photo, one of a fishing trip long ago.  A trip to Lake McConaughy with both my Granddads and my Dad (the rest of the family too, but this is Father’s Day).  Wish we could do that again!

This time of year is great for exploring and discovering nature’s wonders that can go unnoticed when we don’t take time to slow down. On a recent afternoon walk around a pond, I noticed a huge school of baby bass swimming along the shoreline, hiding in the aquatic vegetation and, off in deeper water was a large, adult male bass working hard to ward off possible predators of this swarm of babies. After watching for several minutes, I had to …