How To

I noted a couple of weeks ago that when spring rolls around I actually get outta the office and do a little field work.  Even though the water is cold and the weather can be more wintry than springy, I look forward to it every spring!  One of those activities is the annual collection of walleye eggs that our Nebraska fisheries staff does around the state.  Walleye eggs are collected and fertilized in order to produce the fish needed for …

From all indicators, he absolutely loved it! That would describe my young grandson’s first fishing expedition. I loved it, too! So, have you, the avid angler, taken a youth or a newcomer out fishing? Hmmm … You should! Well, let me tell you that there continue to be incentives for you to introduce someone new or someone who hasn’t been out on the water in a while to the lifestyle of fishing. In fact, the incentives offered are part of …

Going to return to the March 2019 issue of Resource, the Nebraska Environmental Trust monthly newsletter: Restoring Native Mussels to Nebraska – submitted by Dean Rosenthal, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission Freshwater mussels in Nebraska have declined over timein Nebraska’s streams and rivers. Historically 30 specieshave been found in Nebraska waters. Of these 30 species, only 13 species have been identified as somewhat stable. To address this concerning trend, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission began putting in place a …

Going to forego my usual “light-hearted” material on my Friday blog post this week.  Got a couple of small news items I would like to circulate: Papillion’s Lake Halleck among waters stocked with trout LINCOLN, Neb. – Rainbow trout continue to be stocked in Nebraska’s urban waters to enhance spring fishing opportunities. The Grove Trout Rearing Station earlier this week stocked 1,200 trout in Papillion’s Lake Halleck and 1,200 in Nebraska City’s Steinhart Park East Pond. The Calamus State Fish …

When spring time rolls around, pointy-headed fish biologists get really busy.  I even get out of the office to help with all the field work that needs to be done this time of year. Most of you know that northern pike spawn right around the time ice goes out.  They will even spawn under the ice if we have a late ice-out, but if you are looking to collect a bunch of northern pike, that is a great time to …

There is no doubt that your morel mushroom hunting grounds along river bottoms and their tributaries in eastern and central Nebraska were greatly impacted by recent catastrophic flooding. This is the most widespread damage the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has experienced due to a natural disaster. In my 40 years with the agency and growing up near the Platte River, I have never witnessed any natural catastrophe to this magnitude. So, as an outdoor enthusiast, maybe you’ve been thinking: …

Who took you? Who got you started fishing?  Dad?  Mom?  Granddad?  Grandmother?  Uncle?  Friend? I am betting it was one of those folks, and I am betting it started with just one trip, maybe one fish, and you were fascinated and hooked for life (pun intended)! So, who are you going to take? Oh, I know, many of you reading this have already done that, likely have already introduced not one but several folks to fish and fishing.  But, in …

Shocks me how some people abuse their fishing equipment: https://www.facebook.com/fishd11/videos/1012006879009273/ Obviously, someone needs to spend more time on the water! At least he was not using his spinning reel upside down! Have a great weekend!  GO FISH!

I was out and about a little bit at the end of last week.  No, I do not have any fish to show; did note some turkeys in a few places. I drove by several bodies of water and here in southeast Nebraska the water clarity in almost all of our reservoirs is still relatively dirty.  Early in the spring every year I note that the first open water of the year is a tough bite because the water is …

So, your spring wild turkey hunting grounds along river bottoms have been flooded, huh? I am sorry to hear that. The turkeys may or may not return to those river bottom grounds on a consistent basis. More than likely, severely flooded areas probably will be void of birds this season. It might be a good idea to do your homework and plan your route for heading for the hills. But maybe you have never hunted the rolling hills, steep grades and …