Barbs and Backlashes

Lord knows the recent fisheries management work at Wehrspann Reservoir in west Omaha has been THE topic of discussion this week.  I want to add this update. . . . Our field biologists that did the treatment went back today to see how things looked.  As you can imagine they discovered hundreds of thousands of dead shad.  How many?  I cannot tell you an exact number or even an estimate.  But, there are photos floating around the internet and here …

I wanted to blog about this today, waited for the news release to be published, and now am finally getting around to it after answering questions about it all day long! Gizzard shad targeted for removal from Wehrspann Lake LINCOLN – The chemical rotenone has been applied at Omaha’s Wehrspann Lake in order to remove gizzard shad. Gizzard shad are susceptible to a low dose of rotenone while fish such as largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish and crappie are less …

No matter what kind of fish you pursue, you likely have a tackle box that contains a variety of soft plastic baits, “rubber” worms, grubs, crayfish, flukes, swimbaits, etc., etc.  Those baits are very effective and most anglers use them at least part of the time.  Some of us use them A LOT!  In the course of a day on the water, especially if fish are being caught, those plastic baits will take some abuse and need replacement.  So, then …

It is late November again and time to head out the door for Grandma’s house for the annual Thanksgiving feast.  This year I started doing some research on the origins of Thanksgiving, but I did not go far before it made my head hurt.  Like many things related to history, there is some debate as to origins, exact times and places, etc., etc.  In addition to the United States and Canada, there are some other places that observe thanksgiving holidays, …

There is a little pond at Platte River State Park.  It is open for catch & release fishing for kids and adults fishing with their kids.  As my kids were growing up, we took advantage of that fishing opportunity as much as possible; there were, and still are, some big Bluegills and Channel Catfish and lots of Largemouth Bass swimming in the Jenny Newman pond (Growing Up Jenny Newman). This fall it is time for the ole pond to get …

You know what they say, “All fishermen are liars except you and me, and sometimes I wonder about you.” Yep, you have to ask the right questions, but even then we can be really vague with our answers: Seriously, the mental approach to fishing fascinates me.  I have found it very interesting that some of the best professional and tournament anglers intentionally avoid getting fishing reports from a body of water they intend to fish.  In fact some of the …

Time again for an update on the state record “front”.  I have a handful to tell you about, plus another close call.  This time most of the activity has been in the bowfishing category, but I have one underwater spearfishing record to report, and one rod & reel record. . . . Rod & Reel Nine-year old Alex Weinrich from Pierce was fishing up on the Missouri River in Cedar County on October 14 when he reeled in a new …

A couple weeks ago I noted that fall is a busy time for our fisheries division field biologists (Standard Surveys).  I believe by now most of that field work has been finished, and now there will be some processing of samples and data followed by some report-writing in the coming winter months. Last week I got an e-mail from Dr. Kevin Pope at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln reminding me that some of the students there got their hands fishy while …

Yes, tomorrow is a holiday for all of us at the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission.  Make sure you thank a veteran tomorrow! Thank you all, appreciate everything you, and your families, have done to preserve our freedom! I am betting most of you have a friend or family member who is a veteran and maybe you can do a little more to show them some appreciation, maybe take them fishing or hunting! And then the day after tomorrow, Saturday, …

There is nothing worse than losing a big fish: “Sorry Hunny, that fish is gawwn.” Ouch, afraid to say, I know the feeling, so do you. That video advertises good line; equipment failure certainly is one reason you can lose a fish. . . . So is operator error.  But, I would say that other than those excuses, which would be good blogs for another day, the biggest reason fish are lost is because the hooks were not sharp!  Sharp …