Barbs and Backlashes

I was sitting in the office last week when I got a phone call from a buddy.  He was fishing at Holmes Reservoir here in Lincoln and had just caught what he believed was a pacu.  Pacu are a fish that live in the jungles of South America.  He wanted to know if I wanted to see the fish and of course I said “Yes!  Bring it over.” In twenty minutes or so Val was at my door holding a …

Last week I blogged about the public open house for the upcoming Conestoga Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation project.  Anytime we have a meeting or open house we realize that only a certain number of folks will be able to attend.  For those of you who could not make it, I want to provide you with some of the facts from last week’s open house.  Here is the fact sheet that was available last week: And here is a preliminary conceptualized map …

Slow down! Hooked myself in the ear once.  NO, I was not using a Quantum reel at the time.  It was my own stupid fault, I was goofing around while making a cast, felt something smack me in the back of the head, and then there was the weight of an artificial lure (an old Bomber by the way) hanging from my ear. My Dad extracted it with his pocket knife.  I don’t think there are many nerves in a …

In my work I meet a lot of people (many of you will have to forgive me, because I cannot remember everyone; never hesitate to remind me if you have met me before).  Most of the folks I interact with are Nebraskans and of course are fishermen and fisherwomen.  I was talking to one last weekend.  He started showing me fish pictures, and then commented that I probably get tired of seeing fish pictures.  Are you kidding?  I love seeing …

We are starting a major Aquatic Habitat Rehabilitation project at Conestoga Reservoir west of Lincoln this fall.  Access to the area has been closed and the water level is starting to drop.  We are hosting an open house on Wednesday night, come out and learn about the project! Public Meeting Scheduled for Conestoga Aquatic Rehabilitation Project September 18, 2013 LINCOLN, Neb. – There will be a public informational meeting Sept. 25 in Denton regarding the upcoming aquatic rehabilitation project at …

If you are in the area and are not doing anything this weekend, Council Bluffs Bass Pro Shops fall fishing event. . . Those 1:00 p.m. seminars, this first weekend, might be presented by someone you know (wink). Stop by and say “Hi”.

Have you ever been in a place that left you speechless?  A place where you almost literally stood there with your jaw on the floor?  A place that took your breath away? Several examples come to my mind:  Memorial Stadium on a home football Saturday is certainly one of those places.  Yes, I am a huge Husker fan, and recently had the same reaction when I walked into the new Husker volleyball arena in the remodeled Devaney Sports Center.  My …

Last week our fisheries personnel along with help from a bunch of other folks applied rotenone to Willow Lake (the Willow Lake in Brown County).  Willow Lake has been an excellent largemouth bass and panfish fishery over the years, but recently has been dominated by black bullheads and common carp.  Those species not only are less desirable to anglers, they also degrade water quality and habitat and are a detriment to all other fish species.  When that happens the quickest …

I have often joked that all of my best hunting, fishing and trapping spots are guarded by ticks, mosquitoes, itch-mites, owls, wild hogs, rattlesnakes, sasquatch and mountain loins.  Those critters are stocked in strategic locations to keep the competition away. Don’t believe me?  Well, there have been some curious reports in the news lately: Bigfoot Sighting Bigger, badder rattlesnake at Burchard Lake I have blogged frequently about the fishing at Lake Wanahoo and now a sasquatch is roaming nearby. Since …

You all know that I love to travel Nebraska, fish a variety of waters, catch a variety of fish, hopefully big ones, and tell you all about it.  Yep, I am going to do that again here, but this time with a little different twist. In spite of what you may think, I am not traveling the state all the time.  Like most folks, much of the time I am working out of the office, at Game & Parks headquarters …