Barbs and Backlashes

Most years, I would have posted my obligatory reminder about ice safety by now.  With the mild weather we have had so far this late fall/early winter, I have not said anything yet, well, because we just ain’t got ice.  I will continue to drop farther into a foul mood each day I do not ice-fish at this point. Even now, I am not sure about the ice conditions throughout the state.  I have heard a few whispers of some hardcores …

I made an amazing discovery the other day.  I discovered that they actually have coloring books for adults!  I thought I had outgrown coloring books years ago, but apparently not.  Maybe the rest of you knew about adult coloring books all along, but I just found it.  My daughter again rolled her eyes at me when I marveled at this discovery.  Honestly, I did not know. Not that I am going to be coloring in a coloring book again.  No, in spite …

I will readily admit to you that I very much wish we had enough ice to be fishing on right now.  I L-O-V-E to ice-fish!  I am warning you, the longer this winter goes without ice, the grumpier I am going to get. But I have learned that sometimes life gives you lemons and you just have to make lemonade. . . . A week ago I posted a little review of what has been a great, long, and very …

Here is the recent youth fishing instructor newsletter,  And if you want to see a version with better definition, Fish Tales Holiday 2015 . Again, I post this here in case some of you are interested in helping us with our Youth Fishing Program.  And, I do it to once again say a big “Thank you” to all of our volunteers–Thank You, and Happy Holidays!  Fish On!

It is Friday.  Time for a little off-the-wall humor from Hank Patterson, “your fly-fishing guide”. . . . “Snap it!” Have a great weekend!

Ran into a fellow pointy-headed fish biologist yesterday who has since moved on to bigger and better things in another state.  But, he stills comes back to Nebraska to do some hunting!  He asked me how my fall has been and that got me to thinking that I should give a little review.  It has been a good fall, mild, warm, long, lots of fish. . . . I love fall fishing.  I fish H-A-R-D in the fall; it is …

The new year is just around the corner and there will be some new things you should know.  I want to point out the role we all play in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species.  That role will include some additional funding to aid in those efforts” Boaters to Help Nebraska Fight Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species LINCOLN – Boaters in Nebraska, starting in 2016, will help the state’s effort to prevent the infestation and spread of Aquatic Invasive …

Big fish fascinate me, especially big, bad, top-of-the-food-chain, apex predator fish!  So, I hope you do not mind my sharing news about another one that was caught in another state again this past week.  A couple weeks ago I blogged about a big muskie caught from Mille Lacs in Minnesota, on a fly rod,  World Records! Well, if you thought that was a big fish. . . ain’t nothing.  Check out this one caught from the same water! Here is …

If you have followed my blog for awhile, you might remember that my family and I usually spend the long Thanksgiving weekend back home “out west”.  We spend lots of time with family, do a lot of feasting, game-playing and laughing, but also slip out to enjoy some time on the water and in the field while we are there.  The Thanksgiving weekend is a great time for us to combo up on both hunting and fishing, and this year …

Short, quick blog today.  I just want to mention a couple of updates on projects that are underway right now. . . . Conestoga Reservoir Our long-awaited Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation project at Conestoga Reservoir near Denton finally got underway this fall.  Now this project is going to take some time, work will probably be ongoing over this entire next year, but water levels are low enough that progress is already being made this fall.  Now, I do not understand all …