Nebraskaland Magazine
Been a while, too long, since I have given an update on our Nebraska Trout Slam. I am sure most will remember, but in case you do not, follow the link to learn what a Nebraska Trout Slam is. Briefly, it is catching one of each of the four species of trout found in Nebraska; brook, brown, cutthroat and rainbow. Get that done, register your catches, and you will receive a certificate and hat pin.
According to my latest ciphering, we have had 65 Trout Slams completed. I did NOT say we have had 65 anglers complete the Trout Slam because we have had five anglers complete it two times each, and a couple of “show-offs” have completed it three times already! (Yes, I am jealous.)
We have had 173 anglers enter fish for their Trout Slam. That means a bunch of us are still working on it.
Almost 480 trout have been entered, 176 rainbows, 122 browns, 96 cutthroats and 82 brook trout. Eighty percent of all the trout entered have been caught and released!
Rainbow entries have come from twenty different waters around the state. Cutthroats have been caught from nine different waters, browns from eight streams, and brookies from seven different streams.
Anglers submitting Trout Slam entries submit photos of their fish. So, we have a bunch of trout photos. Let me share some that caught my eye. . . .
Jacob Patterson took some great photos:
His brook trout was not quite as big, but still a great photo!
Scott Buss got after it early this year. His photos caught my eye too:
Again, Scott’s brook trout photo is a little different “format”, but still a beautiful fish. I am including it!
I gotta say Scott takes great fish photos, and I am getting into a habit of using them (e.g. Sunfishing).
“Congratulations” to all who have completed their Trout Slam!
Keep after it, to the rest of you! You can take as much time as you need. The summer ‘hopper bite is upon us!
Again, if you are not familiar with trout fishing in Nebraska or the Trout Slam, check out the link at the beginning of this post. There are some excellent reference materials there.
Two species are all I have caught so far; brown trout and a rainbow. Although, I got a dandy rainbow last fall:
I have caught all of our trout species before, just have not done it since we started the Trout Slam. Normally, my travels would have taken me to parts of the state where I could complete my slam by now, but you all know this year has been anything but “normal”. I hoped to “get around” more than I have.
All that means is that I have not officially completed my Trout Slam, yet. I ain’t quitting!
