Barbs and Backlashes

Tomorrow is the opener of our Nebraska spring shotgun turkey season.  Yessssssss!  Actually, many Nebraska hunters have been actively hunting spring toms since March 25 with bow, crossbows and arrows.  And beginning last Saturday youth permit holders could get after ’em with a shotgun.  But, the next time the sun rises, it will be “on” for the rest of us. My kids and my hunt started a couple of weeks ago now.  To be successful, we have learned to spend …

I blog about fish and fishing, most of the time.  I try at least once in awhile to maybe pass along some tips or ideas that might help folks catch more fish, or catch & release a big fish.  I have one of those in mind today, but I am going to warn that this is going to ruffle the feathers of some of you. . . . I spend a lot of time on the water, observe a lot …

I am going to “harp” on this subject again–Wear Your Life Jacket!  This is the time of year when we get some warm weather, a warm afternoon, and everyone wants to be on the water fishing.  Or, it is time to get the boat out of storage and on the water for the first time.  Every spring I see lots of folks on the water and more often than I would like to admit I see men, alone, fishing or maybe just …

It is spring and love is in the air for many of Nebraska’s creatures.  I have been in the field helping collect walleye eggs for our walleye stockings the past couple of weeks (Easter Egg Hunt), so I know it is time for the walleyes to be doing their “thing”.  I am also a bona fide spring turkey hunting addict and I am very aware that our turkeys are well into their mating season too–the toms are strutting!  In the …

In the past few weeks I have blogged about some of the springtime field work that occupies the fisheries staff of the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (e.g. Piking, Easter Egg Hunt).  I cannot tell you everything our fisheries workers are doing, just know that spring is a very busy time.  But, I do have another activity that I want to tell you about. . . .We have crews on the Missouri River collecting broodstock pallid sturgeon as well!  Even …

If you are one of our youth fishing instructors, you have already received this.  If not, that is OK, the rest of you can read it too! Here is a cleaner, sharper version if you would rather read this, Spring 2015 Newsletter . And once again let me put out the plea:  We can always use more help, get involved, Become a Youth Fishing Instructor.  For those of you who have already joined the ranks, THANK YOU!

Some of you will recall my blog post from a week ago about taking quality fish pictures, Hero Shot. Today I must come clean and admit my fish-photo secrets have been revealed. “Busted!” Never fear, you can have your own “fish fingers“. Have a great weekend, everyone!

It is that time of year again and Nebraska fisheries workers are on their annual Easter egg hunt–for walleye eggs.  If you missed this, here is the official news release: Game and Parks Commission to begin Walleye Egg Collection LINCOLN — The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission plans to begin collecting adult, spawning walleyes in late March. The Commission plans to collect approximately 76 million eggs to meet the 2015 stocking requests. Anglers should be aware that Game and Parks …

It has been long-awaited, but if you go to the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resource District’s website you will find this news! Prairie Queen Recreation Area Opening Set for March 31st I have often said that I wish all reservoirs built 30+ years ago were built the way we can build them now when given the chance to partner with a dam-building entity like the Papio-Missouri River NRD.  Simply put, reservoirs can be built with water quality, fish, anglers, and aquatic habitat in …

It is Friday and time for a little fun. . . . I joke this time of year that the weather gets nice and everyone considers themselves to be a fisherperson.  Folks that may not pick up a rod & reel the rest of the year have an undeniable itch to go fishing when we get a nice, warm, spring afternoon.  That is great! What kind of a fisherperson are they? How many of those different stereotypes have you met? …