It has been a while since I have done a state record update. I usually do an update about this time of year, and usually I have some spearfishing and bowfishing records to report. This time I only have one. . . Daniel Nelson of Ogallala took a 1 pound 12 ounce redear sunfish by underwater spearfishing back in June. That fish was taken from a private pond in Keith County. Congratulations, Daniel, your state record certificate will be coming …
Read More »Go to School, Join a Club!
Many of you were aware of and participated in our Take ‘Em Fishing challenge this past year. Obviously, this was another way to encourage more folks, new folks, to discover angling and get hooked on it (pun intended). Recruitment of new anglers is important for the sake of the sport and for the sake of our fisheries resources! I have also always been a proponent of fishing organizations as a great way for anglers to meet other anglers and learn …
Read More »What Personality is your Crayfish?
Many times I have blogged about some serious behavioral issues in our aquatic biota, stoned fish, and crayfish that are getting drunk because they are anxious. Recently, I have been made aware that our aquatic critters may not have behavior issues as much as they have personality disorders: Mighty 4-inch crayfish can be bold or shy These revelations from research leave so many questions swirling in my head: First, why did I do the boring research I did back when …
Read More »Why You Won’t Throw a Big Bait
I have been blogging for a number of years now. Many topics come around seasonally year after year, and I am always reluctant to offer up “re-runs”. Then again, one way to learn something is through repetition. . . . So, I am going to return to a topic I mention pretty much every autumn, but maybe use a different approach this time. . . . I have often said that I am a believer in big baits for big …
Read More »Fishing Regulation Changes 2020
There was a meeting of the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission last week in Omaha. Here is the fish part of the news release that dropped after that meeting: Commission adopts changes to sport fishing orders LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission amended sport fishing orders at its meeting Oct. 18 in Omaha. The amendments, which pertain to daily bag limits, possession limits, length limits and open areas and take effect Jan. 1, 2020, are: — The …
Read More »Harlan Spillway Fish Salvage
By now you may have seen pictures and information on FaceBook about the recent salvage of fish from the spillway below Harlan County Dam. Yes, I am going to repeat some of that here to spread it around even more, and offer some comments as well. . . . Water is drained from the spillway below Harlan County dam once every twenty years or so. That draining is necessary for inspection and repairs. When that water is drained, fish present …
Read More »Youth Fishing Instructor Workshop, Oct. 20
Yes, I have blogged about this before just recently, but the second of these workshops is coming up and we want to get the word out again: Become a certified youth fishing instructor this fall LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will certify youth fishing instructors in Lincoln and North Platte this fall. Workshop participants will receive training and tools to conduct youth fishing clinics. These volunteers will have access to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission loaner …
Read More »Raccoon Racing
My older cousin Robin often jokes that he taught me everything I know. He is right, at least in part. The problem is some of the things he taught me are not of much use. I was reminded of one wise gem I learned from him when I saw several raccoons run across the road in front of my pickup one night this week. . . . Fur prices in recent years have been very much up and down. If …
Read More »Thank You!
Our Take ’em Fishing challenge has been completed, all the prizes have been distributed. Let me share a few statistics with you: We had 4,270 entries from 3,547 people. Most participants just entered once, but some entered multiple times. The most entries by one person was sixteen. Forty-four percent of the entries were for first-time anglers. Of course, most of those first-timers were kids, but some folks took their spouses and 4% even took a brother or sister! Twenty-four percent …
Read More »Fall Trout Stockings 2019, The Rest
Finally have the rest of the list for the rest of our fall, put & take rainbow trout stockings in urban and parks waters around the state: Stocking Date Location Number Comments Week of Oct. 7 Scottsbluff Zoo Pond 900 Carter P. Johnson 2,500 Ft. Robinson Niobrara State Park Pond #2 1,000 Niobrara State Park Crystal Cove 4,500 South Sioux City Fremont #2 5,000 Fremont Lakes Ta-Ha-Zouka 1,500 Norfolk Pawnee Park West 1,500 Columbus Bowling 400 Lincoln Holmes 3,000 Lincoln …
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