Conservation

My buddy and co-blogger Greg Wagner posted a great blog on catch & release again last week.  I know a lot of people see his “stuff”, but I want to spread it around even more.  So, yes, again I am being lazy, Greg already did the work, all I am doing is suggesting you follow the link and READ IT! Release Big Catfish Unharmed Greg does a great job explaining why the release of fish, especially big fish is important.  …

Story and photos by Renae Blum It had been a slow year so far. But not at this moment. Joanne Langabee calls out, “I’ve got an orange and a blue!” Her companion, Holly Hofreiter, responds almost immediately: “I’ve got a Peck’s” — short for Peck’s skipper. One butterfly after another materializes from the prairie grasses at their feet, just seconds apart, but the women aren’t fazed. They continue calling back and forth in a kind of butterfly shorthand, identifying new …

There was a recent news release on some boat access improvements being done at Enders Reservoir.  I want to share that around: Boat launch improvements underway at Enders Reservoir SRA Boating access improvements at Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area in southwest Nebraska have begun and are expected to last through the fall. Public access will be affected. Phase 1 of the project will restore boating access to Area A by extending the boat ramp. Other planned amenities here include Americans …

Let me have a little fun with my fellow fly-fishers today: I have heard enough negativity for one week, so before you start sending me more hate mail. . . LIGHTEN UP! My philosophy has always been to “use the right tool for the job”.  There are some fishing situations when a fly rod is absolutely the best tool!  In that case, HAND ME THE FLY ROD!!!! But, they really are just bobbers. Ha. Have a great weekend, GO FISH, …

It has been a while since I have done a Trout Slam update; here it is: We have had 15 Trout Slams completed so far in 2022.  Fourteen different anglers have completed the Trout Slam this year; one angler has completed it twice this year.  Of the fourteen anglers that completed a Trout Slam in 2022, seven of them have completed at least one Trout Slam previously.  Four of those “repeats” completed their second Trout Slam (Kurt Seevers, Justin Bignell, …

I have a news release I want to share: Wagon Train SRA lake to be chemically renovated Aug. 10 Wagon Train State Recreation Area lake will be chemically renovated Aug. 10, weather depending, to remove the existing fish population. Activities at the rec area, about 2 miles east of Hickman, will be limited that day. The rotenone treatment is aimed at eliminating common carp, white perch and gizzard shad, which are detrimental to aquatic habitat and water quality. Because rotenone …

Why do some people get perplexed when they see someone release a massive, master angler-sized catfish? After all, catfish, even the larger ones, sure taste good, don’t they? So why is it every time we see an angler report or a social media post mention or show a picture of a large catfish they have put back in the water, a spirited discussion most likely ensues over what should or should have not been done with that whopper? So how …

I have commented before that when you spend enough time in the field or on the water, you will see some unusual things.  Pointy-headed fisheries biologists handle thousands of fish.  Sure, we see some exceptionally large specimens and occasionally we see some other oddities. Unusually-colored fish get a lot of attention.  The “interwebs” often have photos of oddly-colored fish or fish with other weirdness.  I believe part of the reason for the occurence of those oddities is fish produce so …

Yes, I am going to be “lazy” with this blog post.  My buddy Greg Wagner’s recent blog post was about topwater baits.  It reviews many things I said in a blog post a few years ago (Top Edge) plus adds additional information.  This is an excellent time of year to review topwater baits and their use.  This is “topwater time”.  Please follow the link: Get on Top with Top Water Lures Choose the right topwater for the situation you are …

This notice from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was recently brought to my attention: Nominate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands in Need of Better Public Access The John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, signed into law in 2019, includes a provision intended to increase recreation access to public lands. Section 4105 instructs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal land management agencies to develop and publish a priority list of public lands where public …