Tag Archives: Fisheries Science

Our Nebraska Game & Parks Commission fisheries biologists are finishing up their fall fish sampling around the state.  I am starting to hear a few stories about what they sampled, will be getting data summaries and starting to put together next year’s Fishing Forecast in the coming weeks. Once again let me post a disclaimer before I show you the pictures:  When pointy-headed fisheries biologists sample fish populations they are NOT trying to capture the biggest fish in a population.  …

Ever since my days as a wide-eyed graduate student, I have known that folks, especially outdoors- and fisher-folks, have a great interest in what we do as fisheries biologists.  Early in my career I took every opportunity to communicate with people the work and projects I was participating in, and over the years my job has evolved into one where I do that all the time! However, it dawned on me last week that there are a lot of misconceptions, …

Our Nebraska Game & Parks Commission fisheries professionals are always busy doing something.  Each season brings a different set of jobs and duties.  Autumn is when much of our fish population sampling is done, and our field biologists are on the water throughout the state right now.  Yes, that work goes on in the rain, sleet, snow, wind, whatever.  We do some sampling for species such as black bass and sunfish in the spring, and there are a few other …

It has been awhile since I have teased you with photos of some of the big fish that our field biologists have had their hands on.  Time to change that. . . . We do a lot of our fish population sampling in the fall, but there is also some that is done in the spring and summer.  Again let me say that when pointy-headed fisheries biologists are sampling fish they are NOT just trying to catch the biggest ones, …

I mentioned that our Nebraska Game & Parks fisheries staff hits the ground running every spring and that we have really geared up with our collection of walleye eggs starting this week.  I also want to note that this sure ain’t the first field work we have been doing already this spring.  Our field crews have been on the water in several places sampling, tagging, collecting eggs, etc., etc.  I want to show you a few photos to give you …

Let’s see, snowed yesterday, more forecast for later this week, it is below freezing, ice just melted, it is cloudy, the wind is blowing, and the calendar says first week in April.  Yep, must be time for the walleye spawn! Our Nebraska Game & Parks Commission fisheries crews will be hitting the water starting this week to collect the walleye eggs needed for stocking walleyes around the state this year.  Here are the details: Walleye egg collections begin April 2 …

Last week I noted that Nebraska Game & Park Fisheries biologist are busy around the state doing fish sampling this time of year (“Survey Says”).  A couple of weeks ago I slipped out of the office for a day and got my hands fishy helping with some of that sampling.  I have blogged many times about the flathead catfish fishery at Branched Oak Reservoir and the research that has been done on those fish in recent years.  With a total …

It is fall and Nebraska fisheries biologists are in the midst of their annual fish sampling activities on lakes, reservoirs, pits and ponds across the state.  It is a busy time of year.  The sampling of fish in our public waters is necessary to gauge the health of the fish populations in those waters and evaluate fisheries management activities like habitat enhancement, harvest regulations and stocking programs.  The data collected from our fish communities is invaluable to pointy-headed fisheries biologists. …

It was late afternoon, the day was winding down; my phone rang.  I answered and listened as an angler at nearby Bowling Lake described a fish he had just caught and laid in the grass; something he had never seen before.  Identifying fish over the phone is always a challenge, but in this case I had an idea what he had caught.  I asked him if he would be there for a few more minutes, I was on my way. …

Our communications staff recently produced a 4-minute video on some ground-breaking and interesting work our fisheries production staff has been doing.  Yes, our state fish hatcheries and fish production staff produce millions of fish for stocking in Nebraska waters every year.  Recently they also have been dabbling in the production of freshwater, native mussels as well.  Watch the video, you will get the idea: Let me add some details to what the video told you.  Several species of freshwater mussels …