How To

I will always tell you that May and June are two of the best months to fish open water in Nebraska.  It does not make any difference what species of fish you want to catch, what waterbodies you want to fish, during May and June, “do not pass “GO”, do not collect $200″ just GO FISH! If you look at your calendar right now, you will note that we have entered the last half of June, 2019.  As we progress …

Just found this video from Simms.  LOVE IT! https://youtu.be/Ou_jwttk3vk We have discussions around the office here all the time about how we can get more people “hooked on fishing”.  If people lived their lives well, fished it well, we would not have those discussions. Entirely appropriate for this Father’s Day weekend.  Hope you and your dad, you and your kids, have fished it well!

Growing up in North Platte I discovered that the borrow pits along Interstate 80 running through Nebraska provide some really good fishing.  Between my career as an angler and my “real” job as a pointy-headed fisheries biologist, I have worked on or fished pretty much every one of the interstate lakes, from Grand Island west to Sutherland.  Most of those lakes offer excellent fishing for largemouth bass, bluegill and some channel catfish, and, depending on the pit, a variety of …

Nebraska’s Aquatic Habitat Program has been in existence for over twenty years now.  That program with funding dedicated solely to the enhancement of water quality and aquatic habitat was the first of its kind anywhere in the United States, and it has and continues to accomplish a variety of projects on waterbodies from one corner of Nebraska to the other.  Nebraska fishing is better today because of the Aquatic Habitat Program!  Up until now, much of that work has focused …

Last weekend I watched a guy pull over so he could rescue a turtle that was in the middle of the road.  Once he had the turtle in hand, he walked to the side of the road where the ditch was full of water and dropped the turtle, a painted turtle, splash, back in the water. What if the turtle did not want to be in the water? What?  Has my pointy-head finally gone crazy?  Everyone knows that turtles live …

Most of you know that I am all fishing, all the time, but I love to hunt and trap too.  I seldom go more than a few days without drying off a fish or two, but in the spring when the turkeys are gobbling, I get distracted.  This spring has been no exception.  I spent as much time as possible listening to my favorite birds gobble from ridge tops, fields, and canyon bottoms.  When the time is right, often in …

Do you want to keep that big fish on the line? These three knots will help. Practice before you go so you are familiar with them. By Larry Pape, Fisheries Education Specialist The Improved Cinch Knot This is the most commonly taught fishing knot and can be used on monofilament line to attach a hook, lure, or swivel. The knot is simple to remember and the line retains nearly all of its strength. 1. Thread the loose end of the …

We have five state fish hatcheries in Nebraska.  In any given year those hatcheries will produce over 30 million fish, around 30 different species, and those fish will be stocked literally from one corner of the state to the other.  More than 250 public waterbodies will be stocked each year.  If you are interested in what is stocked where, when and how many, you can see all of our fish stocking database.  By the way, that database includes fish stockings …

Nebraska’s public waters have enthralled me for more than 30 years. I first picked up a bow in 1988, and very quickly, bowfishing became a lifelong passion. Stalking a fish, unleashing an arrow and hoping for the best – the thrill is similar to hunting. I will always choose fishing with a bow over a rod and reel. Another reason why I love bowfishing so much – bowfishers still account for a small percentage of anglers in Nebraska, which means …

Our Nebraska spring turkey season is about to wind to a close.  It was several weeks ago that I blogged about one of my hunts this spring (Turkey Down!).  I was by myself on that hunt; according to my spring turkey hunting scrapbook it has been twelve years since I took a tom while hunting by myself.  A lot of feelings and thoughts run through my head, especially while hunting alone, I want to get some of them down “on paper”. …