Conservation

Heading out the door for the Christmas holiday.  I will be “out” more than “in” over the next week or two.  Will blog when I have a chance.  Hopefully, I will have some adventures to blog about! Until then: OK, full disclosure, that photo does not come from Nebraska.  I have to be honest with you, my Mom took the picture in her backyard in . . . Montana.  But, I thought it was a great photo, and the soapweed …

To make our wait for fishable ice even worse. . . here is what is waiting: I will always tell you that fish populations are dynamic, always changing.  Hot bites come and go, new ones burst on the scene.  Better do your homework.

Targeted conservation for ring-necked pheasants in agriculturally dominated landscapes By John Laux, NGPC Upland Game and Access Program Manager Similar to many surrounding states, Nebraska’s ring-necked pheasant populations have experienced long-term declines – a trend driven largely by continued habitat loss. Over time, changes in agricultural land-use (i.e. grassland conversion to cropland, “cleaner” farming techniques, less diverse crop rotations, etc.) have drastically reduced the amount of suitable pheasant habitat on much of Nebraska’s landscape. In recent decades, pheasants have responded …

I am trying to patiently wait for ice.  I am about out of patience.  Pretty much every day I check, double-check the forecasts and long-range forecasts.  It ain’t looking good. I am ready.  The tree is up. The lights are hung. Even the missletoad. I am ready for ice! And this is all we get: “70 degrees in November”????  It is even worse in December!!!!! Don’t tell me how great this weather is.  I am losing patience. Cannot come soon …

I promise, we have not forgotten about Trout Slam certificates.  Quite a few entries came in this fall; time to get a batch of certificates sent out and time to give you an update! There will be sixteen certificates sent out to fifteen different anglers.  Ten anglers completed their first Trout Slam.  Of the other six, three completed their second Trout Slam and three completed their third Trout Slam.  One, Eric Einspahr from Lincoln, finished his second Trout Slam and …

You all know that we had some crazy flooding around the state a couple of years ago.  I am sure you are also aware that it has taken some time to repair and recover from the damage.  Some of that work has not been finished yet. Disaster funding is great, but it can take a while to come through.  Seems like everything takes longer right now.  However, I recently drove by a couple of places where we have been able …

I guess it is “Elf on a Shelf” season.  Somehow I missed out on that Christmas tradition in my upbringing.  I do not know where I went wrong. . . . I thought it was all about clever rhymes.  Like this one from northern Nebraska today: Or, maybe a little bit farther north: Now before one of you complains that my blog today is nothing but a bunch of stupid memes, it is about fish!  Seriously.  Big toothies, what else? …

You all know that we have a whole list of urban and parks waters where we stock “catchable”, 10-inch rainbow trout in the fall.  There are a handful of those waters where we follow-up with some additional put & take trout stocking in December.  Now, there is NOT a whole list of waters that get stocked in December, so there is not going to be as much publicity.  Here is what I have been told has happened in the past …

Life in the Great Plains is one of extremes.  In recent years we have seen water levels on rivers like the Missouri higher than anything any of us have seen before. Now, they are the opposite of that.  Water levels are low. This may affect waterfowl hunters more than anyone right now, but there may still be some fishing happening out there.  Either way, you need to know this: Missouri River boat ramps affected upstream of Lewis and Clark Lake …

Like many of you this time of year, I am counting the days. . . . No, silly, I am not counting the days until Christmas.  I am counting the days until the “New Year”.  But, remember, my “New Year” starts the minute I step on the ice for another season! Right now it ain’t looking good.  I have seen nothing to lead me to believe we are going to be on the ice anytime soon.  WARNING:  I will get …