Fishing

By Jeff Kurrus Fall stockings of put-and-take rainbow trout draw anglers out of the house for a holiday season meal, but where this autumn ritual gets really interesting are those lakes where top-notch fisheries already exist. There, you’ll have no idea what’s fighting on the other end of the line. Lakes Grove Lake — The trophy northern pike in this northeastern Nebraska lake near Royal are just as excited about fall trout stockings as anglers, and as they put on …

The low-water dock at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area’s Martin Bay was pulled out of the water Nov. 14 for repairs. The lake’s only remaining low-water dock is at Diver’s Bay along Burma Road. Boaters still may launch their boats at any location but should proceed with caution as sandy beaches can be soft. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission asks boaters to use their best judgment when launching and to be cautious of underwater hazards as they utilize the …

If you have not already, you will be hearing about this: New, Improved Permit System Coming Soon Nebraska Game and Parks is pleased to announce that changes are coming soon to our permitting system! Our goal is to make buying permits easier and more convenient. We wanted to make you aware of these changes in advance; they will affect how you buy your 2023 permits. Next week, you will receive an email with information on how to locate your online …

Updated 11-10-22 Yankee Hill Wildlife Management Area’s boat launch access will reopen Nov. 10 after several improvements were completed. Improvements include: erosion under the boat ramp has been repaired and rock riprap has been placed along both sides of it to prevent future erosion from occurring, rock riprap was added to the sides of each breakwater near the boat ramp, rock was added to the walking surface of each breakwater, concrete repairs were made to the restroom, a vegetation barrier …

Yep, I purposely posted that title.  Got your attention, didn’t I?  Now let me tell you the story. . . . Got a message last week.  Person asked if there were blue crabs in Nebraska? My answer was short and easy, “NO, there are NO crabs found in Nebraska.” Then I got the photos.  They were taken on the shoreline of an urban reservoir: Take a closer look: Yep, look like blue crabs to me. Now you know why I …

I probably should have blogged about this last month during the paddlefish snagging season.  Sorry, I did not get around to it then, but I am not going to miss this opportunity to highlight a Nebraskaland story you should check out. One of our Missouri River fisheries biologists, Kirk Steffensen, wrote a story on paddlefish and our Nebraska paddlefish fishery on the Missouri River.  I know the fish, that fishery and its history will be of interest to a lot …

Fridays I try to lighten up a little bit.  Definitely been the kind of week where I could use some levity at the end of it. Folks are just so sensitive. . . . I love funny commercials, especially fishing commercials.  Ugly Stik has had some good ones over the years.  I cannot speak about their reels, but I have an Ugly Stik rod, have had it since I was a kid.  I am not going to tell you I …

Fall has been “on” for several weeks now.  If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that means I have been fishing, hard.  I probably fish as hard or harder in the fall than I do any other time of year, especially any other time of open-water fishing. What does that mean?  Does it mean I am on the water sunrise to sunset, three, four, or five days a week?  I wish, but not hardly. Don’t …

Again, I know this news will not be of interest to many, but there have been questions going around, and I want to get this out: Fishing salvage allowed at Standing Bear Lake ahead of improvement project Standing Bear Lake will be drawn down this winter to make way for boat ramp repairs, access and habitat improvements, and fisheries renovation at the Omaha water body. Public fish salvage will be allowed. From Oct. 29, 2022, to March 31, 2023, anglers …

Standing Bear Lake will be drawn down this winter to make way for boat ramp repairs, access and habitat improvements, and fisheries renovation at the Omaha water body. Public fish salvage will be allowed. From Oct. 29, 2022, to March 31, 2023, anglers may salvage fish from the lake for human consumption by legal methods. Length limits will be rescinded during this period, but daily bag limits remain in effect. Find information on bag limits in the Fishing Guide at OutdoorNebraska.gov/Guides. …