Tag Archives: Fish

LINCOLN, Neb. – Students in kindergarten through 12th grade can discover the outdoors by participating in the second annual Nebraska Fish Art Contest. The 2021 contest, which is sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Wildlife Forever and Bass Pro Shops, is accepting entries through March 31, 2021. Enter at statefishart.org. This free international art and writing competition gives young people the opportunity to highlight their artistic talents while learning about fish, fishing and aquatic conservation. Participants can win …

This time of year is great for exploring and discovering nature’s wonders that can go unnoticed when we don’t take time to slow down. On a recent afternoon walk around a pond, I noticed a huge school of baby bass swimming along the shoreline, hiding in the aquatic vegetation and, off in deeper water was a large, adult male bass working hard to ward off possible predators of this swarm of babies. After watching for several minutes, I had to …

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in one way or another. We have been staying at home for the most part with trips pretty much only being made to the grocery store, gas station or nearby trail for exercise. One activity though that has been very popular in Nebraska throughout this unprecedented time: Fishing! Recreational fishing is a legitimate outdoor lifestyle activity solidly rooted in science. Fisheries conservation and management balance the needs of people with consideration for …

There are green shoots of grass growing in the front yard of my Omaha lawn. The sandhill crane migration is nearing its peak in Nebraska’s central Platte River valley. Wild turkeys are entering their breeding phase on our family farm in southeast Nebraska. Oh, and what about the fish that swim where I fish? Hmmm … Are they biting? Spring. It may or may not be here on the calendar just yet, but the time for early spring fishing has …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Private pond owners across Nebraska should check for fish that may have succumbed to winterkill now that those ponds should be devoid of ice. Winterkills typically occur in small, shallow ponds with abundant aquatic vegetation. “Snow and ice covering a pond prevent the water from exchanging oxygen with the air,” said Jeff Blaser, private waters specialist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Excessive snow and thick ice allows little sunlight penetration, so plants are not able …

I sure enjoy ice fishing but admittedly I don’t do much of it. I don’t quite have all the equipment needed for it. Nevertheless, when there’s an invitation to go with seasoned veterans of the ice fishing lifestyle, you can bet that I will jump at the opportunity. Such was the case when Ty Stromquist of Norfolk, NE and his dad, Alan Stromquist of Oakland, NE invited me to ice fish with them on a farm pond in northeast Nebraska …

If the mild weather in Nebraska has you, the avid angler, singing the ice fishing blues, then take note! There is an open-water fishing option in Nebraska during the coldest part of the year. It involves trout and would give you the chance to work on completing the Trout Slam challenge. So, grab the neoprene waders and gloves, and rig the spinning rod, it is time to go winter trout stream fishing! Fed by groundwater springs, many of Nebraska’s trout …

You and your family are invited to come join us at a special Game and Parks Community Fishing Night at Lake Halleck in Papillion, NE this Tuesday night, July 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. Come, get some fresh air, sample some Dutch oven cooking and find out how easy and fun fishing is! Hungry sunfish await you! We at Game and Parks will be hosting the event. We will be furnishing loaner fishing tackle and bait as well as …

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 …