Conservation

Just a reminder for the weekend, if you are in the North Platte area tomorrow, you might want to swing by Lake Maloney and check this out! Mostly we just have fun doing all things carp!  I know, I know, common carp are not my favorite fish either, but they are a challenge to catch, can be a lot of fun, and can be good eating too!  Don’t believe me?  Show up at Lake Maloney tomorrow and you just might …

I have been a few places the past couple weeks, need to give you a little report on what I have been seeing on the water. . . . Reservoir White Bass I had a couple of evenings on Calamus Reservoir and as is often the case there, on one I got stormed out.  I will fish in about any conditions except when the lightning starts flashing.  I have been on Calamus enough times with thunderstorms approaching to know that …

GERING, Neb. – Participants of the Wildcat Hills Bioblitz at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area near Gering observed 141 species of plants, animals and insects Friday night and Saturday morning, July 7-8. About 70 volunteers became “citizen scientists” in taking a survey of the area from 1 p.m. Friday to noon Saturday. Amber Schiltz of the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies said good fortune came to the event from the start as a wild six-lined racerunner, a small lizard species, …

Recently I found a story on-line about bass fishing, that would be black bass, largemouth, smallmouth, spotted, in Nebraska.  It was published on Bass Resource, and it is right on when it comes to some of the bass fishing opportunities in Nebraska.  Take a few minutes to read the article, Cornhusker Largemouths. I have always said that Nebraska has some excellent black bass opportunities, but anglers need to keep in mind that our best largemouth bass habitats are for the …

I really have nothing to add.  Hope you get out and make some memories this weekend!

Never in my outdoor life have I ever endured so much negativity, so much criticism, and taken so much flak for an action. It all was the result of a photo and video I shared recently on my personal social media accounts. Both were of a large, master angler-sized flathead catfish that I caught in an eastern Nebraska sandpit lake and then duly released back into it. Here are the photo and short video clip shot by my fishing partner, Rich Berggren of Waterloo, NE. Alright, I know what you’re thinking: “Nice fish, good job on the release,” …

A couple weeks ago I had a little fun with a story I read about researchers getting crayfish drunk, And Now Even Our Crayfish Are Drunk!  Sometimes I wonder if anyone appreciates my pointy-headed sense of humor?  Previously in my blog, I have warned that fish biologist types tend to be a little warped. Hey, I resemble that remark! Then I got to thinking, there is some serious crayfish biology I can tell you about, should tell you about . …

Update: This version changes the date of a Family Fishing Event in Broken Bow to July 21 and adds a Fishing is Fun Event at Victoria Springs SRA on July 22. LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in July. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes. July 1 – Archery fishing of game fish is allowed …

Happens every year about this time, I hear reports of folks catching “blue” catfish, here, there, lots of different waters.  Problem is, they really ain’t blue catfish.  They are just big ole male channel catfish getting ready to spawn.  So, if you will bear with me playing the role of pointy-headed fish biologist, again, for a bit, let me give a little lesson in fish identification. . . . We have three large catfish species in Nebraska waters, channel, blue …

I want to call attention to some news from the past week.  Let me repeat the news release here: Low water levels at Ice House Pond on Fort Robinson State Park CRAWFORD, Neb. – A broken dam board in the outlet structure at the lower Ice House Pond on Fort Robinson State Park caused the water level to drop about 10 feet during the weekend. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has been in the process of designing aquatic habitat …