Tag Archives: Smallmouth bass

A week ago I gave a report on the hunting successes members of my family have had this fall (Family in the Field, Fall 2023).  I did that because I also love to hunt.  Unfortunately, as I mentioned at the end of that blog post, there is so much fish and game and so little time.  I would like to do it all, but just cannot.  I have however slipped out and chased roosters a couple of times this fall.  …

Let me give you a little update on a recent renovation that was completed.  Again, let me start with the news release: Two Rivers Trout Lake fish renovation completed LINCOLN, Neb. – Lake 5 at Two Rivers State Recreation Area has been renovated to remove unwanted species that invaded the lake during the 2019 spring flooding, which connected the lake to the Platte River. The 9-acre lake, commonly known as the Trout Lake, was treated Aug. 17 with rotenone, a …

Yes, it has been hot, and yes, my motivation to fish lags under those conditions.  That does not mean I have quit! I have been “around” a bit, spent some time on several different waters.  What I have found has been typical for late summer. . . . First, was some bass fishing.  I should have taken some pictures of the water I was fishing.  It was absolutely choked with aquatic vegetation.  They were not weeds.  “Weeds” are unwanted plants.  …

I will tell you that the days of building big reservoirs are likely long past.  However, some relatively small reservoirs will continue to be built in Nebraska.  Most of them built by Natural Resource Districts (NRDs).  In most cases these projects are in urban areas to provide flood control and perhaps some recreation.  Fortunately, we, the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission Fisheries Division often are involved in the design and construction of these reservoirs.  Our assistance is provided for water …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Anglers must be aware of fishing regulation changes that take effect Jan. 1, 2021, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The changes are: Smallmouth Bass – Big Elk Lake (WP 7) and Portal Lake (WP 6), Sarpy County reservoirs under construction in 2020, each will have a smallmouth bass daily bag limit of two fish and 12-inch maximum length limit to protect larger smallmouths and allow harvest of smaller ones. Yellow Perch – Big Elk …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved sport fishing orders at its meeting Oct. 15 in Ogallala. Approved sport fishing amendments include orders for two reservoirs under construction in Sarpy County – Big Elk Lake and WP-6. Each will be stocked only with smallmouth bass and yellow perch to create a unique fishery in southeast Nebraska. Big Elk Lake and WP-6 each will have a smallmouth daily bag limit of two and maximum length limit of 12 …

With all the cornonavirus “stuff”, I have not been able to spend any time meeting with any of Nebraska’s angler groups.  I do not get around to every meeting for every group, but usually drop in on at least a few.  However, this spring the Cornhusker Fly Fishers have done a couple of FaceBook Live meetings, and I was able to drop in on them. Last week the topic of discussion was bass.  Yes, specifically that would have been bass …

You likely have heard my philosophy about when to fish:  The best time is whenever you have time, every time you have time.  In practice that means I have a lot of fishing trips that last a couple, three hours, I fit them in whenever I can. Ideally, those short trips are made at prime times.  I would rather spend a few hours fishing during the right time than lots of hours at the wrong time, but sometimes you just …

I hung out around the high school bass championships at Merritt Reservoir this past weekend.  Let me give you a few details: Once again this year, the two bass organizations in Nebraska teamed up to hold their high school championship on the same waterbody, two days in a row.  This year the TBF Nebraska Student Angler Federation anglers fished first, on Friday, while the Nebraska B.A.S.S. Federation fished on Saturday.  Many of the anglers fish both days, both organizations, so …

Friday, going to keep it light for the weekend.  I have mentioned Engbretson Underwater Photography before and especially the underwater videos they post on their YouTube page.  I have said it before, will again, fish fascinate me.  I am not a diver, never plan to be, so any underwater observations or video that anyone shares with me is captivating.  Likewise, I could watch fish in an aquarium, the bigger the better, the fish and the aquarium, for hours.  The “Sixty …