Fishing

Though we are in uncharted territory with COVID-19 regarding advisories and mandates, truly there is no better place to gain easy personal solitude or social distancing from the virus than in nature! All state park area grounds are open! They are not closed! They remain open to you for all sorts of outdoor pursuits – Sightseeing, picnicking, running, hiking, biking, camping, wildlife watching, fishing, mushroom hunting, etc. The Cowboy Trail is also open for use. Enjoying time in our state …

We currently are in what I believe to be one of the hardest times of the year to catch fish–early spring.  Do not get me wrong, there are some great fishing opportunities now.  However, the water is still very cold and the weather is very schizophrenic.  Whatcha gonna do? Well, for starters, my buddy Greg ran a blog this week on 7 Key Early Spring Fishing Tips.  Check it out.  A lot of Greg’s blog included “stuff” I have said …

I know everything you are hearing about right now relates to the coronavirus.  I also know that some of that news changes not only by the day, but by the hour.  I wish I could avoid that topic all together, but that is not the case now.  So, let me share with you some coronavirus information as it relates to our outdoor recreation.  This news release just went out: Commission takes measures to keep staff, public safe in response to …

There are green shoots of grass growing in the front yard of my Omaha lawn. The sandhill crane migration is nearing its peak in Nebraska’s central Platte River valley. Wild turkeys are entering their breeding phase on our family farm in southeast Nebraska. Oh, and what about the fish that swim where I fish? Hmmm … Are they biting? Spring. It may or may not be here on the calendar just yet, but the time for early spring fishing has …

I do not know what to blog about today.  The past couple days have been unlike anything any of us have ever experienced.  Many of us are wondering what is going to happen next???? Under “normal circumstances” I would tell you to GO FISH! Unfortunately, it is March and you know early spring in Nebraska means crazy weather changes.  This weekend looks cold and wet, snowy. If we get stuck indoors for very long, or God forbid, quarantined, I am …

Last adventure report I called that I might not be done ice-fishing yet. I was not. Made it to more northerly parts of the state last week and crawled onto the ice one last time.  Believe me, my partner and I spent as much time checking to make sure we could get on and off and go where we wanted, as we did fishing.  Neither one of us ventured anywhere without the spud bar, ice picks and life jackets. You …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The trout lake at Two Rivers State Recreation Area (SRA) in Douglas County will open for family fishing beginning March 14. Nearly 13,000 11-inch rainbow trout have been stocked in preparation for the opener. “Nebraskans eagerly await the annual opening of the Two Rivers trout lake and spring trout fishing in general,” said Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors with your family and …

Last month some of our wildlife biologists and fisheries biologists teamed up for a little project.  Many of our wildlife areas could use some cedar tree thinning.  Dropping them in the water will attract fish.  The recent effort I want to tell you about was done at East Gothenburg interstate lake.  Here are a few pictures: Those cedar trees will be in the water now, and there will be fish in them!

The news release went out earlier this week, so let me spread it around some more: Rainbow trout stockings scheduled this spring LINCOLN, Neb. – Catchable-size rainbow trout are being stocked in city ponds and lakes across the state by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. These stockings will enhance fishing opportunities this spring, especially in urban areas. Trout fishing also is a great way to introduce children to fishing because simple and inexpensive equipment may be used. The stocked …

I am very sure not a single Nebraskan will ever forget 2019.  In fact this month of March is going to remind many of us of unpleasant memories. I have blogged several times about last year’s flooding and its impacts, but I want to return to the subject one more time.  Many of our fisheries resources were impacted by last year’s flooding, and yes, recovery is going to take some time. Recently, Eric Fowler published a comprehensive story on the …