Barbs and Backlashes

Many of us have said for years that fishing is good for you, good for mental health, and yes, even good for physical health. We ain’t making this stuff up! In recent years there have been several studies that have found that time spent outdoors provides many health benefits.  Recently, Fox News ran a story, Fishing trips are great for your mental health, new study says. Let me post a few quotes from that story: Moreover, a study from the University …

Always a good idea to take a partner fishing with you.  Sometimes you have to get creative. . . . I have never spent a second fishing for steelhead or salmon on the west coast and do not know that I ever will.  I have not spent a second fishing with a chicken or any other fowl; however, I can recall a couple of trips when I caught trout within view of turkeys.  I do appreciate good sticks who do …

Calendar says it is early February.  Most winters we would be about half-way through our ice-fishing season.  This winter has not been “most winters”. . . . Ice Conditions The best way to describe our ice conditions this winter has been highly variable!  That is especially true when you consider that Nebraska is a big state.  At one point or another this winter we have had good ice in some areas while others were unsafe, and then the situation has …

This news release went out a couple of weeks ago, but I have not had a chance to say anything about it yet: Fishing ponds being drained at Fort Robinson State Park CRAWFORD, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has begun draining Grabel Ponds and Cherry Creek Pond at Fort Robinson State Park. The draining is making way for the first phase of an Aquatic Habitat Program project to improve conditions for fish and anglers at the two …

I was not going to blog about this today, was going to keep it light for the weekend, but I heard another report this morning and I have to pass this along. . . . ICE CONDITIONS ACROSS THE STATE ARE HIGHLY VARIABLE, BE CAREFUL!!!!!!! The uninitiated will not believe me because after all, we experienced the “Armageddon” of cold snaps this week (like we have never had cold weather before).  Surely, we have 4 feet of ice right now?! …

Several years ago I posted a blog about what I consider to be the basic “kid’s fishing system”.  Unfortunately, I cannot link back to that old blog post, going to have to dust it off and just plain run it again some time.  Anywho, it was simple, rods, reels, small floats, small jig-heads, waxworms (yes, waxworms are great bait year around, not just on ice).  It is a system that almost never fails for catching some panfish, sunfish, bluegills in …

The news release just went out: Fish salvage declared for Valentine NWR’s Hackberry Lake LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has declared a fish salvage for Hackberry Lake on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) south of Valentine from Feb. 1 through Aug. 1, 2019. The lake is scheduled to have its existing fish population renovated as part of an Aquatic Habitat Project to eliminate common carp on the entire refuge. During the salvage period at Hackberry …

Last weekend I was talking ice fishing, will switch it up and talk trout this weekend.  This time it will be at the Siouxland Fly Fishing Club. Meeting starts at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, at the First Congregational Church in Sioux City, 4600 Hamilton Boulevard.  I will be talking about the Nebraska Trout Slam.  If you can make it, stop by, and plan to join up with the Siouxland Fly Fishing Club!

I posted one of these videos in my blog a couple of weeks ago, the same cast of characters talked about panfish regulations in that video.  This one is from last year, but it is just as good!  It is also a little shorter, but again, worth every minute! We live in an age when there is more information, more advice, available than ever before.  Believe me, I am part of it.  And, believe me, a lot of it is …

Due to the lack of safe ice, my season certainly has been less than what I hoped for so far.  However, that is NOT going to keep me from talking about it! Yes, I know what the forecast says.  I am leaving early to make sure I am there.  This classroom session can be a “go” no matter what; I am planning on it! No, there will be no on-ice clinic on Sunday.  Sorry. Fort Kearny ice-fishing event canceled LINCOLN, …