How To

Yes, the stinkin’ coronavirus is still around, but we are planning to have ice-fishing workshops anyway! Virtual Discover Ice-Fishing events scheduled in January LINCOLN, Neb. – Anglers can learn the basics of ice-fishing or pick up a few new tips from experienced anglers at virtual Discover Ice-Fishing clinics in January. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska Fish and Game Association will host classroom clinics via Zoom on Jan. 16 and Jan. 19. Due to COVID-19 concerns, there …

I guess some folks like to make resolutions for the new year.  I have never been one for doing that, why wait until some arbitrary date on the calendar?  “Just Do It”! But, a couple of co-workers and I had this discussion concerning our outdoor pursuits.  Many of us are very serious about our time in the field and on the water, and we are always trying to improve our skills.  Setting some goals or resolutions would be a great …

It is that time of year again.  Several have been asking about the annual fishing forecast. It is ready!  You can see it online, 2021 Fishing Forecast. I will always tell you that fish populations are dynamic, always changing.  Over time hot fisheries cool off and other fisheries heat up.  That is why the annual Fishing Forecast is so useful.  You better believe I am studying it, I do every year.  I hope you do too. Our demand for hard …

Ice fishing. Tis’ the season for it. I sure enjoy ice fishing but admittedly I don’t do much of it. I don’t quite have all the equipment needed for it. So, I guess you would consider me an amateur ice angler. Nevertheless, when there’s an invitation to go with seasoned veterans of the hard water fishing lifestyle for a day, you can bet that I will jump at the opportunity. Such was the case a couple years ago in January …

I am outta the office for the holidays.  However, that does not mean that I cannot post up a blog now and then. Merry Christmas from my family and our neighbors Margo and Todd! Hope you get a subscription to the Jelly of the Month Club! By the way, one Christmas I did get a subscription to the Jelly of the Month Club.  It was great! Now, before any of you go ballistic, the gift was not a bonus from …

I know some of you have wondered if we were ever going to send out Trout Slam certificates and pins again?  We are, they will be coming soon.  Not making excuses, but we do those things in batches and as long as I was receiving Trout Slam entries this fall, I thought we should wait to do the next batch.  So, sorry to take so long. There will be twenty more anglers receiving Trout Slam certificates and hat pins.  You …

I truly love wild turkeys and it’s no secret that I am a hardcore wild turkey hunter. I hunt wild turkeys in spring, fall and yes, in winter. I believe hunting the wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) in the various seasons makes you a better, more knowledgeable, well-rounded turkey hunter and outdoor enthusiast because you gain intimate knowledge of the bird’s behavior. I know what you’re thinking. What kind of crazed hunter sets up for wild turkeys in the frigid, snow-covered …

Getting towards the end of the year and some folks like to look back, review what kind of year it has been.  If you are an angler, you like to do that and remember the fish you caught. I could do that, but a year is such a long period, and I fish really hard in the fall.  So my review is not going to be all of 2020; just the past few months–the best open-water fishing of the year. …

Been a while since I gave an update on state record fish.  We usually do not see a lot of state record activity during the fall, but we have seen some this year.  Let’s go back to late August for the first one I want to tell you about: Surface Spearing Matthew Wiederholt of Phillips speared a silver carp on the Platte River in Hamilton County on August 29th.  His fish weighed 10 pounds 7 ounces, and was 31 1/4 …

I fish twelve months out of every year; open-water or on ice I will be fishing.  However, when we get this late into the fall/early winter I am kind of passing time waiting for ice.  Once the calendar turns to December, ice cannot come soon enough. I am still fishing open water while I am waiting, but the water is darned cold now.  That makes things challenging.  Fortunately, trout are cold-water fish, and fortunately, we have some great trout fishing …