Tag Archives: Fishing skills

I have a love/hate relationship with this time of year, early spring.  On one hand, who is not happy to see spring roll around?  On the other hand, I hate to quit ice-fishing. We get a few days of nice weather this time of year and everyone thinks they are a fisherperson.  On the other hand, in my opinion, early spring is some of the toughest open-water fishing of the year.  The water is still cold, the fish are not …

Finally!  We finally are having some cold weather, some ice-making weather! Those of you who think mild winters are great may want to turn your heads while I turn some cartwheels! However, you hard-core ice anglers are going to notice some changes in the coming days; changes that affect the number of fish you are catching. I have spent a lot of time messing with a digital thermometer under the ice.  You would be surprised at what the water temperatures …

Folks are always interested in tips that will help them catch more fish.  I stumbled onto this video and there are a whole bunch of great tips here.  I completely agree with several of these, picked up a new idea or three from others: Unfortunately, ice conditions from one corner of Nebraska to the other are very mixed.  Yes, there has been some safe ice, but even then I am hearing of thin or even open spots.  And this stinkin’ …

Yes, the stinkin’ coronavirus is still around, but we are planning to have ice-fishing workshops anyway! Virtual Discover Ice-Fishing events scheduled in January LINCOLN, Neb. – Anglers can learn the basics of ice-fishing or pick up a few new tips from experienced anglers at virtual Discover Ice-Fishing clinics in January. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and the Nebraska Fish and Game Association will host classroom clinics via Zoom on Jan. 16 and Jan. 19. Due to COVID-19 concerns, there …

I guess some folks like to make resolutions for the new year.  I have never been one for doing that, why wait until some arbitrary date on the calendar?  “Just Do It”! But, a couple of co-workers and I had this discussion concerning our outdoor pursuits.  Many of us are very serious about our time in the field and on the water, and we are always trying to improve our skills.  Setting some goals or resolutions would be a great …

I spent a couple days drifting flies down a river this fall.  Mid-afternoon of the second day I had an epiphany.  It dawned on me that all I was really doing was something I had done probably since the first day I ever fished–watch a bobber. Sure, fly-anglers like to sophisticate-it up by calling them “floats”, or in this case a “hopper dropper”, but in practice, what I did was sit and watch for that ‘hopper to go under water.  …

NOTE:  THIS IS MY BLOG AND I OFTEN POST WHERE I HAVE BEEN, WHAT I HAVE DONE AND WHAT I HAVE CAUGHT.  AT TIMES SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE OF A PERSONAL NATURE.  THIS PARTICULAR POST WILL NOT BE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT FISHING IN NEBRASKA.  I WAS OUTTA STATE.  SO, IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ IT, DON’T.  HOWEVER, IT WILL INCLUDE FISH AND FISHING AND I WILL MAKE SOME COMMENTS RELATING TO NEBRASKA NEAR THE END. My family and …

If you are interested in fishing, you have probably asked, or been asked, a million times if the fish are biting?  I am betting I have been asked 10 million. You likely have heard some smart alec reply that “they are always biting”. Guess what?  The smart alec is right!  Decorum dictates that I usually cannot give that answer no matter how much I would like to. Seriously, fish have to eat, they have to take in energy to survive.  …

Found this clip on the interwebs.  Love it. Love it because I know exactly how this kid felt: Admit it.  You’ve been there. Here is the last muskie I had hooked: She was right there.  You can almost see the water swirling yet.  What hurt so much is I had just sat down and sharpened hooks.  I spent at least ten or fifteen minutes sharpening hooks.  Started casting again and it was not three casts and I felt that “thump”.  …

Some of us pointy-headed fish biologists share an adage, “The only constant in nature is change.” If you live in Nebraska, you should know that is truth.  Our weather is always changing.  Our climate changes from year to year.  We have wet spells, dry spells.  I have heard sandhillers say, no matter how wet it has been, that we are never more than about three weeks away from the next drought. That is life in the Great Plains. If you …