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Tag Archives: channel catfish

Catfish are Predators Too!

ChannelCatc

Have heard or seen comments from several anglers recently surprised at catching catfish, some of them big catfish, on artificial lures!  That really is not unusual.  In fact, catfish are more predators than they are scavengers! Before I go any further, let me define some terms:  Nebraska is home to three species of large catfish, channel, flathead and blue.  Two of those species, blue and flathead catfish are especially predatory.  By far the best bait for flatheads is a lively …

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Late Spring Fishing, 2023

RedearNathanJune23

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 …

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Big Cats!

WesPufferBlueCatAug2022b

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.  …

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State Record Summary, 2021

StateRecordTigerTroutRodReelMarch2021ac

The year 2021 is in the rear-view mirror.  Time to summarize the state record fish that were caught last year: Surface Spearing No state record fish were taken by surface spearing in 2021. Underwater Spearfishing Two state record fish were taken by underwater spearfishing last year, both of them channel catfish.  The first was taken on June 5 and weighed 26 pounds 9 ounces. A little over a week later, that record was bested by a 27 pound 5 ounce …

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Anglers must be aware of fishing regulation changes for 2022

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Anglers must be aware of fishing regulation changes that take effect Jan. 1, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The changes are: Black Bass – The area where no minimum length limit on smallmouth bass is required has expanded to the Nebraska Public Power District Canal starting at the Sutherland Reservoir outlet to the confluence with the South Platte River in Lincoln County; this includes Lake Maloney. Bufflehead Wildlife Management Area and David City Ponds …

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State Record Update, Stickin’ Em, 2021

StateRecordChannelCatfishUnderwaterSpearJune2021aX2

Time for a state record update.  It is the time of year that the spear-fishing and bow-fishing records come in. White Sucker The first one actually came across my desk a few months ago.  Brionna Schafer of Alliance was bow-fishing when she arrowed a 6 pound 6 ounce white sucker back in April.  She found her fish swimming in Box Butte Reservoir. That was a big sucker!  It beat the old bow-fishing state record by just a little over a …

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Big catfish splash into Cunningham Lake prior to opener

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LINCOLN, Neb. – Adult-size channel catfish have been stocked in Omaha’s Cunningham Lake just in time for its Aug. 5 reopening. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on July 28 stocked 255 “bonus” catfish ranging from 1 to 13 pounds, averaging 7. While the lake had been stocked previously in preparation for the reopening, this stocking will provide anglers an opportunity to catch larger fish from the still-developing fishery. Since 2020, catfish, white bass, bluegill, largemouth bass and crappie have …

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Out-of-the-(Tackle) Box Tips for Catching Channel Catfish

“Dang, I thought I had a big bass! Hey, it’s a big channel cat.” The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), Nebraska’s official state fish, sometimes gets misunderstood, particularly it seems, by those who exclusively fish for bass and walleye. Catfish, especially the channel cats, have a reputation as bottom feeders that just lazily swim around sucking up stinky, dead stuff from the bottom. And that is not entirely true! I asked Chris Pokorny of Elkhorn, NE, who’s among Nebraska’s most avid …

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Holiday Adventures

P1020005

Spent some time with family over the holidays, not much family and not much time, but some.  One thing I know for sure during this whole coronavirus thing, I am safe in the field or on the water! So, I spent some time chasing roosters.  No, I did not see many, but some.  I did see a lot in a few spots where I could not hunt, naturally, but it is great knowing they are there!  Anyway, I finally was …

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State Fish Art Contest

ChannelCatfishNEBRASKAlandKenBouc

News release for this went out almost a couple months ago, but the deadline for this is still a couple months off: Nebraska students can compete in State-Fish Art Contest LINCOLN, Neb. – Wildlife Forever and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission are hosting the Nebraska State-Fish Art Contest, an opportunity for students to win state and national honors and great prizes. Young Nebraska artists in grades K-12 are eligible to compete in this free art competition. Winners will be …

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