How To

It’s that wonderful time of year when many of us adore cooking OUTSIDE of our kitchens.  Let’s face it, staring at those same, boring kitchen walls all the time can get a bit mind-numbing, not to mention heating up the house . Luckily, backyard barbecues and family camping trips are calling your name. An open-air, change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered. Whether it is over a sizzling grill, a flaming fire-pit, or a crackling campfire, the outdoor …

Just a reminder that this coming Saturday, July 16, is our “Carp-O-Rama” event at Lake Maloney south of North Platte. I have said it before, will say it again now.  We basically show up at these events and have fun.  Bring the kids and have fun with us!  If you do not have tackle, do not worry, we got that, and the Nebraska Fish & Game Association folks will have the bait.  We will offer some expertise too if you …

I have always said that one of the best places to hang out if you want a good laugh is a boat ramp on a busy summer day.  I have seen some pretty embarrassing things happen there, boats launched on the concrete instead of in the water, boats that would not come off of the trailer because the tie-downs were still attached, bad backing, water rushing in over the stern, etc., etc.  Practice makes perfect and there are a lot …

I know next to nothing about Milk Fish.  They are a marine species, live in the Pacific Ocean, tropical waters.  Apparently, they feed on very small food items, plankton, algae, larvae and eggs, maybe some bugs.  Milk Fish have had the reputation of being impossible to catch on hook & line because of their feeding habits.  Their prey is so small that it is hard to imitate.  But, then I watched this video, and it got me to thinking. . . …

“They connect us. They run through us. Our bodies are roughly 60 percent water. Newborn babies are 78 percent. Is it any wonder we are drawn to rivers, is it any wonder we want to return to them again and again?” –  Amy Souers Kober.  Floating one of Nebraska’s various water trails in the summer is great for so many reasons! You can do it for the adventure of going somewhere you’ve never been. You can do it to make connections and …

Anglers, if you have not seen it already, you MUST check out the July 2016 issue of NEBRASKAland.  Of course, as always, this issue is packed with lots of great information and great photography.  But, specifically what I want to call your attention to is a story by Jeff Kurrus on pages 58-63.  On those pages Jeff chronicles, mostly using photographs, the construction of Prairie Queen Reservoir near Omaha.  Seeing the Change at Prairie Queen consists of a number of …

We are in the middle of the summer and have already had some stretches of hot weather in Nebraska.  No doubt there is more of that in the forecast.  Believe me, I am not in a hurry to get out and fish hard during the heat and humidity, especially during the middle of the day.  But, I ain’t about to quit fishing either.  So, what is an angler to do?  How can we scratch some fish even during these “dog …

“There is delight in the hardy life of the open.” – Theodore Roosevelt. My, my we are all are so reliant on the ‘grid’ of modern technology. With computers, the Internet, Smart phones, IPads and even the computerized sensors and chips that make our motor vehicles run, every move we make it seems cannot be done without entering the technological sphere. Oh, and let’s not forget about the convenience of electricity either.  All of this high-tech gadgetry is a positive thing in our daily lives, right? But wouldn’t it be nice to disconnect and take …

I want to let you know about a little tool we just recently added to our Game & Parks webpage.  If you use the Missouri River for any kind of recreational activity, and that would be the Missouri River from one end of Nebraska to the other, you will want to spend some time exploring this: We have an interactive map displaying all of the public access to the Missouri River.  Here is the link, Missouri River Outdoor Recreation Access …

I will never tell you that fish are smart.  The biggest trophy you have ever caught in Nebraska has a brain about the size as the end of your finger.  I am afraid those of you who arrive home and announce that the fish “out-smarted” you after a catch-less day are setting the bar very low for yourself.  Yes, guys, I am talking to you. However, I will tell you that all wild critters have an incredible instinct to survive and …