Fishing

Wagon Train State Recreation Area lake will be chemically renovated Aug. 10, weather depending, to remove the existing fish population. Activities at the rec area, about 2 miles east of Hickman, will be limited that day. The rotenone treatment is aimed at eliminating common carp, white perch and gizzard shad, which are detrimental to aquatic habitat and water quality. Because rotenone is a restricted-use pesticide, day-use areas and the swimming beach will be closed during the chemical application, and no …

I have commented before that when you spend enough time in the field or on the water, you will see some unusual things.  Pointy-headed fisheries biologists handle thousands of fish.  Sure, we see some exceptionally large specimens and occasionally we see some other oddities. Unusually-colored fish get a lot of attention.  The “interwebs” often have photos of oddly-colored fish or fish with other weirdness.  I believe part of the reason for the occurence of those oddities is fish produce so …

Yes, I am going to be “lazy” with this blog post.  My buddy Greg Wagner’s recent blog post was about topwater baits.  It reviews many things I said in a blog post a few years ago (Top Edge) plus adds additional information.  This is an excellent time of year to review topwater baits and their use.  This is “topwater time”.  Please follow the link: Get on Top with Top Water Lures Choose the right topwater for the situation you are …

This notice from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was recently brought to my attention: Nominate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands in Need of Better Public Access The John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, signed into law in 2019, includes a provision intended to increase recreation access to public lands. Section 4105 instructs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal land management agencies to develop and publish a priority list of public lands where public …

I have a million sunset photos.  Oh sure, quite a few sunrise photos too, but far more sunsets.  There is just something about that time of day, the sun, the colors, the water, the quiet, often the fish biting, I just cannot resist taking another one.  At the time the photo was taken, I might have felt the same, but every sunset/sunrise is different. For my Friday blog posts, I have thought about just posting sunset pictures.  If I did …

This news release went out recently: Mayflies a natural phenomenon that passes quickly at Lewis and Clark Lake They’re almost here. The annual emergence of mayflies at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area near Crofton means the insect soon will be plentiful near and around the lake as they swarm to lights from the marina, cabins, facilities and campers. Nebraska Game and Parks asks for patience during the aquatic insect’s short-lived emergence period, which typically occurs in July or August …

Chug bug. Jitterbug. Hula popper. Creek chub knuckle-head. Zara spook. They all have very creative names and designs by the companies that manufacture them. They imitate every conceivable critter that could be on, around or just under the surface of the water in a wild environment from baitfish or bugs to mice or lizards to frogs, toads or even small flying mammals. They are the “go-to” fishing lures of summer. They are top water lures or surface lures, some call …

Swung by the Gracie Creek Pond on the north side of Calamus Reservoir recently.  For those of you that might not know, there is a little pond there where highway 96 crosses Gracie Creek.  The water from Gracie Creek is cold enough to support trout, so we frequently stock catchable-size, 10-inch rainbow trout into the pond.  There is easy access there including an accessible fishing dock and it is a popular fishing spot. Unfortunately, cold water is not the only …

Recently, I was asked to be on the Great Plains Outdoors podcast.  That is something I like to do–ramble on about Nebraska and Nebraska fishing for an hour.  Now, I sure do not expect you to listen to it, but if you are interested, if you have an hour to burn, you can “tune in”: Nebraska Fishing with Daryl Bauer and Grandpa Fish We had some fun with it.  I believe I may have told them a thing or three …

By Tim McNeil It’s always wise to keep your garage door closed and locked at night. And not just at night, but at all hours of the day. Larry Dendinger knows there’s wisdom in safeguarding home possessions and personal safety, but he runs a 24-hour-a-day, seven-days-a-week business from his garage. His garage door is always open. Dendinger, 75, owns L&A Bait in southwest Omaha. It’s not the first bait shop he’s owned — Dendinger is an accidental bait store owner. …