Tag Archives: Fish

If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.  ~Doug Larson Because I know of places where the water seems endless. Because the day is bright and the sand pulse along the shore is warm. Because I enjoy the challenge, pursuit and thrill of the catch. Because I want to bond with a loved one in the natural world. These are the primary reasons why I like to fish. But there’s more to …

All of us who love to fish have a story or two about the one that got away, don’t we? Invariably, the tale involves hooking the fish of a lifetime and losing it to unforeseen circumstances or mistakes. Trust me, I have made my share of mistakes when it comes to large, prized game fish. Without question, these stories, however embellished, can be devastating to those who have a passion for wetting lines. For as many wild and crazy occurrences …

A French technique called “en papillote,” this walleye dish is cooked “in parchment” paper. Fish gently cooks in these parchment packets, creating their own steam and staying moist. Allow each guest to open up their own packet at the table. The aromas that fill the room will be a fun surprise. If you don’t have parchment paper on hand, then heavy-duty foil would work just as well. The vegetables listed below are only suggestions. Use whatever greens and herbs you …

If you can see them, this is how you catch them. The old fishing adage I grew up with of “If you can see the fish, you can’t catch the fish” followed me most of my fishing life until I found myself on a lake in Minnesota watching gigantic, black blobs swim back and forth through the water. My fishing partner and I made repeated casts toward these blobs, knowing they were smallmouth bass, only to have them ignore every …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Busy schedules around the holidays can make it easy to forget to purchase Nebraska Game and Parks Commission permits for the new year. Nov. 1 is the time to start buying 2018 annual hunting, fishing, fur harvest and park permits. While buying a permit for yourself, consider purchasing one as a holiday gift for a friend or family member. These permits are valid Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2018. Age and residency restrictions apply to some permits. Stamps also …

Maybe it’s the kid in me, I don’t know. But, at 54 years of age (approaching 55), I still enjoy catching bluegill from the bank in summer, how about you? I know, I know, the lowly bluegill, a sunfish family member with more nicknames than a popular sports figure, is a prey species that doesn’t get very big. Why would I waste my time along the shoreline or on a pier catching and releasing THIS FISH? Let me tell you why. In my view, …

Never in my outdoor life have I ever endured so much negativity, so much criticism, and taken so much flak for an action. It all was the result of a photo and video I shared recently on my personal social media accounts. Both were of a large, master angler-sized flathead catfish that I caught in an eastern Nebraska sandpit lake and then duly released back into it. Here are the photo and short video clip shot by my fishing partner, Rich Berggren of Waterloo, NE. Alright, I know what you’re thinking: “Nice fish, good job on the release,” …

Did you see that? She released that big catfish back in the water! But, why? She should have taken that big fish home, cleaned it and ate it! Why do some people get perplexed when they see someone release a massive, master angler-sized catfish? After all, catfish, especially larger ones, sure taste good, don’t they? So why is it every time we see an angler report or post a mention or picture of a large catfish they have put back in the water, …

It’s time for a summer visit on radio with the guru of the finned creatures — Mr. Daryl Bauer of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission! Get your Nebraska fish and fishing questions answered by Daryl LIVE on this week’s Great Outdoor Radio Show. I sure wouldn’t miss this! Daryl is a fisheries biologist and the fisheries outreach program manager here at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. He joins you Saturday morning on my show that airs from 9-10 a.m. CST on Omaha’s KOZN Radio/1620 AM “The Zone.” Daryl is always …

A few weeks ago I encouraged you to attend one of the four Niobrara River meetings that were held across the state recently, Niobrara River Meetings.  I was able to attend the last of those meetings last night here in Lincoln.  Believe me, I am aware that December is a busy time and folks may not have been able to attend one of those meetings.  If you were not able to make it, you can still see most of what was …