How To

Story and photos by Gerry Steinauer, Botanist I began foraging as a youngster in small-town Millard in the 1960s. On July mornings, my sister Teri and I would hoof it down to Grandma’s house to pick luscious raspberries from fence line bushes, and when playing along the local creek, my friends and I often snacked on plump, ripe mulberries. Now much older, I still pluck wild fruits whenever the opportunity arises and strategically stock our shelves with enough jars of …

I hesitate to post a blog with fly-fishing tips or advice.  Believe me, I am far from being any kind of fly-fishing expert.  I do however know a guy who guides fly anglers in Montana and have learned a thing or three from him.  He is my nephew.  From my time whipping fly rods in the air and drying off a few, I know this is true.  Write it in stone: Oh, by the way, some of you quit reading …

I see the date on this is NOW.  Better spread the word. . . . Grove Trout Rearing Station to close temporarily for maintenance The Grove Trout Rearing Station near Royal in Antelope County will close to visitors June 20-21 for maintenance and inspection of the diversion pond. “While the maintenance takes place, staff will be using heavy equipment, and public safety is taken into consideration for this closure,” Fish Production Manager Joe Cassidy said. “Recreationists and anglers may experience …

Ahhh … Leisurely floating on one of Nebraska’s many scenic rivers or streams in an inflated inner tube is a cool, refreshing, relaxing, way to enjoy a hot summer day with family and friends, isn’t it? A small group of tubers take a rest break on their float trip amid the beautiful scenery of the Calamus River near Burwell in the Nebraska Sandhills. Photo courtesy of NEBRASKAland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Oh, yeah! Tubing on a Nebraska river or …

It is Friday.  Another weekend is upon us.  For many of us, that means at least a little time on the water!  We need it!  We have earned it! You know I have a ton of fish pictures.  I keep taking them, but I love seeing fish pictures from others too.  I never get tired of them. Saved a quote from a wise fishing friend about all those fish pictures, those “hero shots”: The “Hero Shot” pose is a standard …

Some of you are going to wonder about me when you read this blog post.  A few more of you will dismiss it because you will think it has nothing to do with fishing.  It does, I promise.  Dare you to keep reading. . . Recently, I spent some time with my daughter and son-in-law watching birds or “birding”.  Oh sure we did it with some chuckles and jokes along the way, but honestly we had a lot of fun.  …

I realize that we are past Memorial Day and way past the “start” of boating and fishing season.  You may have seen these reminders before, but if they are reminders, is there ever a bad time to be reminded?  Or, to be reminded again? Many of you while you are fishing will be in a boat.  So. . . . Boat safe with these 10 safety tips Follow these 10 tips reduce the risk of incidents and help ensure a …

Okay, here’s the scenario. Say you’re a deer hunter and you hunt on your mom’s land. Your mom owns 160 acres of farm land in southeast Nebraska. Therefore, she is what is called the “qualifying landowner,” a.k.a. the QLO of the property. She does not hunt, has never held a landowner deer hunting permit and does not purchase landowner deer permits herself. However, with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s (NGPC) new permit system, she must have an account established …

A week ago I blogged that nobody catches fish all the time, Fishing not Catching.  Good anglers know there is much to learn, even on those trips when no fish are caught.  Maybe especially on those trips? For many of us it is a life-long learning process.  I smile at this internet thingy.  Folks ask a question or three on the interwebs and think they know everything they need to about catching fish.  Sure, you can learn a lot from …

If you have read my blog for a while, you know that I get side-tracked from fishing every year when the turkeys are gobbling.  Spring is a great time in Nebraska’s outdoors except for one thing:  There is so much to do and so little time!  Once I finally satisfy my spring turkey addiction for a while, I wander around picking mushrooms: I did not have a good mushroom year.  I think it has been too dry. Then, as I …