By Jeff KurrusWhile Nebraska might not be

nationally known for its smallmouthfishing, those anglers fishing forthem usually are talking about thesame areas.

“The best spot for smallmouth fish-ing is the Missouri River in northeastNebraska and on the main water atLewis and Clark,” said NebraskaGame and Parks Commission lakesand reservoirs program managerDaryl Bauer. Anglers can catch fishboth upstream and down from Lewisand Clark, while also fishing the rockjetties on the lake proper.

“If I’m going up there, I’m alwaysthinking about what they are eating,”Bauer said “Predator/prey – thatdrives the whole system.”

Smalliescan be caughtthroughoutthe year onthis stretch ofwater with avariety oflures, mostnotably

downsized largemouth bass options.Crankbaits, resembling crawdad inthe spring and summer and young-of-the-year shad in the fall, are used,along with spinnerbaits and soft plas-tics. In addition, Bauer said, emeraldshiners also are an option for anglerson the river.

Up from Lewis and Clark at theend of May, fish near Niobrara State

Park (SP) or Verdel Landing on theMissouri River. During that part ofthe year, said tournament anglerBrian Caughron, “Concentrate on therocks. If that doesn’t work, try thesandbars on the down-current side ofthe river with crawdad imitators.” Hesaid anglers also might find fishbelow Gavins Point Dam in backwa-ter areas down to Ponca SP.

A handful of other spots in thestate also have good smallmouthfishing, including Merritt, RedWillow, Enders reservoirs and LakeMcConaughy. In addition, fish canbe caught on the stretch of canalbelow Sutherland Reservoir, down-

stream to Johnson Lake.“Where there is rock, there are

smallmouth,” Bauer said about thisarea in the central part of the state.Also work the dam and outlet atJohnson, as well as the stretch ofcanal below Maloney. “You won’tcatch many big ones there, but youcan catch a bunch of them,” he said.

Fort McPherson State RecreationArea (SRA), an Interstate 80 lake atExit 190, also boasts good small-mouth. Multiple anglers have caughtsmallmouth bass at this lake, and itremains a honeyhole many drive by

Inside• Sandhill cranes, Page 2• Panfishing, Page 3• Child’s tackle box, Pages 4-5• Winter in the parks, Page 8

22000077 NNEEBBRRAASSKKAA FFIISSHH SSAAMMPPLLIINNGG ---- PPAAGGEESS 66--77

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission www.OutdoorNebraska.org Winter/Spring 2008

By Tom KeithThe Nebraska Game and Parks

Commission is finalizing a biologicalopinion that concludes that additionaldegradation of the lower Platte Riverand its tributaries by the issuance ofadditional surface water appropriationswill jeopardize the continued existenceof the pallid sturgeons, interior leastterns and piping plovers that dependon the river for survival.

“We’ve been studying the river formore than 25 years and we feel theevidence is conclusive that the rivercan stand no further depletions,”

according to Kirk Nelson, assistantdirector of the Commission.

The river provides recreation anddrinking water for Lincoln, Omahaand many other towns close to theriver. And, it is necessary to survivalof at least three endangered or threat-ened species.

The pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhyncusalbus) is a state and federally endan-gered fish. Its complex life cyclerequires habitat with certain depth,velocity and river connectivity. Interiorleast terns (Sternula antillarum atha-lassos) are state and federally endan-

gered and piping plovers (Charadriusmelodus) are state and federallythreatened. These birds rely on sand-bars for nesting, which are created bythe natural spring high flows andrevealed by summer low flows of thelower Platte River.

The lower Platte River is a section ofthe Platte from the Loup River conflu-ence near Columbus downstream to itsmouth. “These species utilize the lowerPlatte River and require the naturalhigh flows in the spring and low flowsin the summer that still remain in thisstretch of the Platte River,” Nelson

said. “These natural high and lowflows are dependent on inputs from theLoup River, Elkhorn River, Salt Creekbasins and the central Platte River,therefore the action area of the biologi-cal opinion includes the Loup, Elkhornand lower Platte watersheds.”

The fact is that there has been a dra-matic amount of degradation to thelower Platte River in little more than acentury. But returning flows in theriver to the levels recorded from 1895-1909 isn’t the Commission’s goal.

By Bob GrierWhat a great time to be a spring turkey

hunter in Nebraska. With record statewideturkey populations, liberal hunting sea-sons, popular youth hunting seasons, upto three permits per hunter and lengthyseasons, Nebraska is quietly becomingone of the very best turkey hunting desti-nations across North America.

“The overall picture of Nebraska’sturkey population is amazing,” said KitHams, Nebraska Game and ParksCommission big game program manager.“Spring shotgun permits have increasedunbelievably in numbers since 1993 andrural mail carrier surveys continue toshow record spring, summer and fallturkey numbers since the surveys beganin 2000. Continuing increases in thespring, summer and fall counts is trulyunprecedented.”

The growth in the turkey populationgives hunters across Nebraska the oppor-tunity to use the statewide permits tohunt close to home or to hunt other areasof the state. The permits are unlimited innumber.

“Looking at the Nebraska turkeyspring season harvest data between 1964

NGPC: No More Depletions on Lower Platte

Smallmouth bass like this one may be caught on a variety of lures,especially downsized largemouth bass options.

It’s big funfishing forsmallmouthMissouri River is hotspot for catchingsmallies in Nebraska

Plenty of turkeysfor spring

SmallmouthBait Options

• Crankbaits• Spinnerbaits• Soft Plastics• Emerald Shiners

See Turkey, Page 2

See Smallmouth, Page 2

See Platte, Page 2

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Winter/Spring 2008 Page 3

OutdoorCalendar

WinterMid-January: Wintering trum-peter swans concentrate.Late January: Great hornedowls begin nesting.February: Ice-fishing for pan-fish and northern pike excellenton Sandhills lakes. Other lakesand reservoirs also good forbass, bluegills and crappies.February through early April:Bald eagles concentrate onrivers and reservoir spillwaysacross the state.February: Final month to huntrabbits.Mid-February: First sandhillcranes arrive on Platte River.February or March: At ice-out,catfishing good in all reservoirs,northern pike fishing good inreservoirs and Sandhills lakes.March 25: Archery turkey sea-son opens.March and April: White bassand walleyes in Tri-CountyCanal below checks.Mid-March: Shorebirds beginarriving.March and April: Catfish movefrom Lake McConaughy intoNorth Platte River on spawningrun. Will run all the way toScottsbluff.

SpringLate March through lateApril: Walleye spawning runsbegin on large reservoirsacross the state. Peak variesaccording to weather. LakeMcConaughy typically the last.Early April: Sandhill cranesdepart. Whooping cranes arriveon Platte River.Early April: Prairie grousecourtship display peaks.Viewing sites available.April 12: Shotgun turkey sea-son opens.April: Channel catfishing picksup in the upper end of Lewisand Clark and other reservoirs,also holes in rivers throughoutthe state.April: Application begins forarchery paddlefish and residentdeer, elk, and antelope permits.Mid-April to mid-May: Whitebass, wipers and walleyes inRepublican River above HarlanCounty Reservoir.Late April: Good catfishing inrivers, lasts until water drops inmid-summer.Late April through May: Morelmushroom hunting peaks.May: Largemouth bass fishingin ponds, pits and reservoirs.Spinners, plugs and spinner-baits work well. Bluegills beginspawn. Crappies spawn inreservoirs and sandpits.

By Tom KeithHave you ever been sitting in

your boat, surrounded by elec-tronic equipment, watching moregraphs, computer screens anddials than found in the cockpitof a modern commercial airlin-er? Were you looking down at atackle box bigger than most fastfood restaurant dumpsters? Werewere gazing in amazement at anarray of rods that remind you ofhow a pound of uncookedspaghetti looks when it standson end when you first put it inthe pot of boiling water? Didyou realize that you had all thatgear, but didn’t catch a fish allweekend?

Maybe it’s time to reconsiderwhat you are doing and take thepanfish challenge.

Everybody likes to fish for andcatch bluegill and crappie, themost popular of the panfish foundin Nebraska. But there are fiveother panfish species, too, and thechallenge is to catch all seven ofthem in one year, or even better,catch a Master Angler-sized repre-sentative of each type in whateveramount of time you want to allowyourself.

Be sure and take your son ordaughter or grandchildren alongwhen you go panfishing. Outfitthem with a cane pole, an inex-pensive rod with a spin-cast orspinning reel (depending on thechild’s age and skill level), a canof worms or nightcrawlers, andhave a good time.

Daryl Bauer, the NebraskaGame and Parks Commission’slakes and reservoirs program man-ager, provides a rundown on thestate’s lesser-known sunfishspecies — the pumpkinseed,orangespotted sunfish, green sun-fish, redear sunfish and rock bass.

All will bite on a small hook bait-ed with a small piece of worm.

Pumpskinseed – It is found inthe north and northwestern partsof the state in waters such as someof the Sandhills lakes, Box ButteReservoir, and Cottonwood Lakenear Meriman.

Orangespotted Sunfish –Nebraska’s smallest sunfish, a 4-to 5-inch fish is a big one. Lookin small clear streams to locatethis fish. You’ll have a betterchance in eastern and southeasternparts of state, although it also isfound in other areas.

Green Sunfish – It can befound most everywhere inNebraska. It thrives in flowing orstanding water, including thosethat are unable to support otherfish.

Rock Bass – It is found in theupper Missouri River and someInterstate 80 lakes. It does best inclear water with abundant cover.

Redear Sunfish – MemphisLake had 8- to 9-inch fish, somewere found in Rock Creek Lakeand a few of the I-80 lakes. Itdoes best in ponds and smallreservoirs having warm, clearwater. Try a chunk of night-crawler, garden worm, snails, scudflies, micro-jigs.

Bauer says sunfish fall underpanfish regulations. The daily bagis 30 in combination, 60 in pos-session. In lakes where there is an8-inch length limit on bluegill,there also is an 8-inch length limiton sunfish.

Panfish GoldEveryone knows about bluegill,but state has many alternatives

Bluegill

Green Sunfish

Orangespotted Sunfish

Pumpkinseed

Redear SunfishRock Bass

The Nebraska Game and ParksCommission stocked 49,800 rainbowtrout in ponds and lakes across the statein October to provide anglers an opportu-nity to enjoy fall and winter trout fishing.

Dean Rosenthal, assistant administratorof the Fisheries Division, said the datesthat trout were stocked and the number offish stocked were:

Oct. 8 – Crystal Cove, South Sioux City, 4,250Oct. 9 – Fremont SRA Lake No. 5, Fremont,

4,250; Grove Lake, Royal, 1,500Oct. 10 – Standing Bear Lake, Omaha, 4,000Oct. 15 – Weeping Water Pond, 1,200; Steinhart

Park, Nebraska City, 1,200; Auburn Lake, 1,400;Barnett Park Pond, McCook, 1,000

Oct. 16 – Holmes Lake, Lincoln, 4,000; QwestLake, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, 2,500;Benson Lake, Omaha, 1,050; Halleck Lake,Papillion, 1,200

Oct. 17 – TaHaZouka Park Lake, Norfolk, 1,500;Pawnee Park Lake, Columbus, 1,500; Standing

Bear Lake, Omaha, 2,500Oct. 22 – Towl Park in Omaha, 300; Hitchcock

Lake, Omaha, 450Week of Oct. 22 — Ord City Lake, 1,500; Such’s

Lake, Grand Island, 1,300Oct. 23 – David City Lake, 600; Windmill State

Recreation Area Lake No. 1, 4,000Oct. 24 – Lexington City Park Lake, 1,500;

Holdrege City Park Lake, 3,000 Oct. 25 – Birdwood Lake, North Platte, 4,000;

Arnold Lake, 850 trout

Rainbow trout stocked in Nebraska ponds, lakes

What You Need• Cane pole or inexpensive rodand spin-cast or spinning reel• Worms or nightcrawlers• Snails, scud flies, tiny jigs

Illustrations byDuane Raverand JoeTomelleri

Page 2 Outdoor Nebraska

Outdoor Nebraskais published by the Nebraska Game

and Parks Commission2200 N. 33rd St.

Lincoln, NE 68503Copyright 2007

Commission OfficesHeadquarters

2200 N. 33rd St.P.O. Box 30370

Lincoln, NE 68503-0370(402) 471-0641

World Wide Web address:OutdoorNebraska.org

Alliance299 Husker Rd., Box 725Alliance, NE 69301-0725

(308) 763-2940

Bassett524 Panzer St., Box 508Bassett, NE 68714-0508

(402) 684-2921

North Platte301 E. State Farm Rd.

North Platte, NE 69101-0430(308) 535-8025

Norfolk2201 N. 13th St.

Norfolk, NE 68701-2267(402) 370-3374

Kearney1617 First Ave.

Kearney, NE 68847-6057(308) 865-5310

Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium21502 W. Neb. Hwy. 31

Gretna, NE 68028(402) 332-3901

Omaha1212 Bob Gibson Blvd.

Omaha, NE 68108-2020(402) 595-2144

CommissionersChairman:

Gary Parker, Columbus Vice Chairman:

George E. Hall, Bridgeport2nd Vice Chairman:

James Ziebarth, Wilcox

Jerrod Burke, CurtisDr. Mark Pinkerton, Wilber

Ron Stave, WaterlooDr. Kent Forney, LincolnLynn Berggren, Broken Bow

Director: Rex AmackAssistant Directors:

Roger KuhnKirk NelsonSam Sidner

StaffAdministrator, Information& Education: Doug Bauch

Editing and Design:Jerry Kane

Outdoor NebraskaVol. 17, No. 1

Under federal and/or state law,discrimination is prohibited on thebasis of race, color, religion, age,gender, marital status, national

origin, disability or political affilia-tion. If you think you have beendiscriminated against in any pro-gram, activity or facility or wantmore information, contact the

Affirmative Action Officer, Gameand Parks Commission, Lincoln,NE, 402-471-0641, or the Equal

Opportunity Commission, Lincoln,NE, 402-471-2024.

Printed on recycled paper with soy inkby Jacob North Companies, Lincoln, NE.

“We aren’t attempting toundo what has already hap-pened or change its currentstatus,” Nelson said. “Whatwe are saying is that thevery least we can do is tostop further degradation toprotect the river’s status attoday’s level. The interiorleast tern and piping ploverare in jeopardy now, andpallid sturgeon numbers arebelow historic levels. Wesimply can not allow furtherdegradation to the naturalflow regime of the river.”

“The bottom line is thatthe Commission’s missionis to provide stewardshipof the state’s fish, wildlifeand park, and outdoorrecreational resources inthe best long-term inter-ests of the people andthose resources,” Nelsonsaid. “That’s what we aredoing and we hope peopleunderstand our actionbenefits not only thewildlife species dependenton the Platte River, butalso the sustainability ofthe river for the peoplewho use it.”

and 2007 shows the tremen-dous impact of the state’sgrowing wild turkey popula-tion,” Hams said. “TheCommission issued 750 per-mits for the 1964 spring sea-son and hunters harvested 130turkeys. During the 2007spring season, 33,758 permitswere issued and the hunterharvest was 18,001. Between1964 and 2007, slightly morethan 394,000 permits havebeen issued and the total har-vest during the same periodwas 160,000 turkeys.”

Calling a wild gobbler dur-ing the spring archery andshotgun seasons is challengingand rewarding. Hearing a gob-bler respond to a hunter’s calland continue to respond as itcloses the distance – and see-ing the bird appear, often infull breeding display or strut –is exciting for hunters of anyage. The opportunity to bringthe bird into close bow orshotgun range from a safecalling position makes springturkey hunting ideal for ayoung hunter accompanied bya parent or hunting mentor.

Turkey hunters can use a

decoy to help bring the gob-bler into close range andlighter recoiling shotguns likea 20-gauge with No. 5 to 7½shot are very effec-tive at 30-35 yards.

Calling wildturkey with a cedarbox call or one ofthe other types ofcalls that reproducethe hen turkey’syelping sound is rel-atively low-tech andfairly easy. During the springbreeding season, the hens usea rising series of three orfour yelps to locate andattract the gobbler and themale bird often respondswith the ringing gobble callto announce his presence.

During quiet, low-wind con-ditions, birds as far as a halfto three-quarters of a mile

may respond andapproach inresponse to ahunter’s calls.

Preseason scoutingand landowner con-tact to acquirelandowner permis-sion and to locateareas used by wildturkey will pay divi-

dends once the season opens.Turkey tracks, feathers anddroppings often revealovernight roost trees, travellanes and mid-day loafingareas. Hunters can take a standand call or hike quietly andcall from different locations.

everyday, yet few actually know about.When on the rivers of the state, fishing

from a boat is probably the most effective

option for anglers. There are some areason the Missouri that can be accessedfrom the bank, but a boat offers the abili-ty to cover much more water. The damareas can be fished from the bank and,quite often, these anglers will find fishingjust as effective as from a boat, especiallynear backwater areas near natural struc-

ture and wing dikes.Regardless of how or where one fishes,

though, Nebraska’s smallmouth fishing istoo-seldom practiced by many whowould enjoy their fierce fighting in sucha small package. And there are multipleareas to experience these fights, either onmoving or still water, big or small.

SmallmouthContinued from Page 1

TurkeyContinued from Page 1

PlatteContinued from Page 1

By Jerry KaneWildlife viewing is one of the best

ways to enjoy Nebraska’s outdoors.Using proper etiquette and commonsense is the best way to ensure thatwildlife enthusiasts have a good experi-ence and wildlife remains undisturbed.

This is especially true for viewers ofsandhill cranes. The annual return of thecranes to the central Platte River eachspring is greeted by thousands of viewersfrom around the world. Knowing where,when and how to observe the cranesallows the birds go about their businessof courting mates and refueling for theremainder of their migration.

Interest in the cranes has risen dramati-cally over the years, from the casualobserver to the diehard enthusiast. Lastyear, people from all 50 states and 37countries viewed the cranes from LillianAnnette Rowe Sanctuary near Gibbon.

Cranes may be viewed from blinds,bridges, platforms or roadsides, frompublic or private land. The area of thecentral Platte where cranes focus, fromKearney to Grand Island, is mostly pri-vately owned, so minimizing the impacton local landowners and residents isimportant.

Using a vehicle as a viewing blind is agood way to observe the birds from the

roadside, as long as the vehicle is parkedsafely on the shoulder. It is important notto trespass on private land or block roads.

Viewers should turn off headlights andcamera flashes and stay in the vehicle.Binoculars may be used to get a close-upview and proper clothing, consideringNebraska’s unpredictable weather, shouldbe worn.

“The latter part of March and the first

of April, the cranes become less wary ofvehicles and courtship becomes moreintense,” said Gene Hunt, superintendentof Fort Kearny State Recreation Area(SRA).

Sandhill cranes are wary because theyare hunted in many states, though it isunlawful to hunt them in Nebraska.

“Roll your windows down because lis-tening to the cranes is half the enjoy-ment,” Hunt said.

Some good public viewing areasinclude the Fort Kearny SRA Hike-BikeBridge southeast of Kearney, RoweSanctuary south of Gibbon, and theCentral Platte Natural Resources Districtviewing platform south of Alda.

The best time of day to observe cranesfrom a viewing blind is an hour beforesunrise or an hour before sunset.

At dawn, they leave their river roost tofeed on waste corn in fields near theriver. By early April, they will expandtheir range to five miles as the closestfields are picked clean. In the afternoonthey move to wet meadows to feed onsmall invertebrates before returning to theriver to roost at dusk.

The sandhill cranes spend the winter inTexas, New Mexico and Mexico. Theymigrate to Nebraska in February and stayuntil about mid-April, when they leavefor their nesting grounds in Alaska,Canada and Siberia.

For more information go the NebraskaGame and Parks Commission’s Web site,www.OutdoorNebraska.org.

Crane Viewing Tips• If viewing from a vehicle, stay

inside the vehicle• Keep vehicle headlights off• Do not try to approach cranes

on foot• It is unlawful to harass cranes• Do not block roads, bridges,

driveways or field entrances• Let faster traffic pass on the

road• Do not park on the shoulder of

the interstate• Get as far off the road as is

safe, but do not stop where thereis no shoulder

• Use binoculars or a spottingscope for a better view

• Get permission before enteringprivate property

• Turn the flash off of your cam-era

• When viewing from a blind, fol-low guide’s instructions

Etiquette essential for viewing cranesObserving these visitors toPlatte River may be donewithout disturbing them

With three permits available per hunter, there is nobetter time to go spring turkey hunting in Nebraska.

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SpringHarvest

2007 18,0012006 17,5312005 14,7822004 12,8582003 10,536

Join the Nebraska Gameand Parks Commission’s JeffRawlinson, Ralph Wall andAaron Hershberger, alongwith ESPN 1480 AM’s TimBarrett, Saturdays from 7-8a.m. for Nebraska Outdoors.

This radio call-in show fea-tures every outdoor subjectunder the sun. Call in to (402)466-ESPN or 1-800-825-5865, or catch the show live atwww.ESPN1480.com.

Nebraska OutdoorsSaturdays on 1480 AM

PermitsA permit is required for anyresident Nebraska angler atleast 16 years old.

RegulationsBe sure to abide by stateregulations. Pick up a copy ofthe Nebraska Fishing Guide atCommission offices or atlocations that sell permits.

BaitYou can’t beat the worm forcatching fish. Nightcrawlers areplentiful and very easy toobtain. The night after a rain,take a flashlight out and you willfind more nightcrawlers on theground than you probably willever need. They also are readilyavailable at tackle shops.

For MoreInformation

For more on fishing, goonline to the NebraskaGame and ParksCommission’s Web page:OutdoorNebraska.org.

LineA 275-yard spool of 6- to 10-pound test line willwork. Fishing line is available in a variety of colorsand weights. “Pound test” refers to the strength ofthe line. It's the amount of weight required to breakthe line. The larger the number of the weight, thestronger the line. You must match the pound-testline to the size of rod and reel, the bait you're using,and the fish you are after.

Safety• Look behind you beforecasting your lne to make sureyour hook will not be caughton a power line, tree, orperson. Do not leave yourtackle lying on the ground.Another person may trip on itand fall, step on a hook, orbreak your equipment.

• When transporting yourfishing equipment, remove thehook from your line and keepit in your tackle box.

• Be sure that every angler,swimmers and nonswimmersalike, wears a personalflotation device at all times --on a boat, a dock or theshore. Bring a long-handledfishing net, not just for nettingfish, but in case you need toreach out to someone in thewater.

• Have a first aid kit with youwith medical supplies to dealwith all kinds of cuts, scrapes,bumps and bruises.

• Apply sunscreen and lipbalm before fishing. The lightrays of the sun can do plentyof damage to the skin, eyesand lips. Wear sunglasses, acap, and clothing appropriateto the climate and sunconditions.

• Apply insect repellent beforefishing in the summer.Mosquitoes, ticks, bees andother insects not only sting,but they also may carry dis-eases.

Other EquipmentHook disgorger – Each end is a different diameter,for removing hooks from fish of various sizes. Thisworks well for deeply hooked and toothy fish. Nail clipper – This simple household item is perfectfor trimming line.Long-nose pliers – This may be used to pinchdown barbs on hooks or remove hooks from fish.

Improved Clinch KnotThis simple knot may be used witha hook, swivel or lure. Good knotsprevent the line from breaking.

Thread the line through the eye ofa swivel, hook or lure, then doubleit back. Twist the line around thefirst strand five times. Thread thefree end of the line through theloop above the eye, then throughthe big loop, as shown below.

Slide the loose knot down the line tothe eye, carefully keeping the coilsin a spiral. Do not let them overlap.Slide the knot tight against the eye,tighten with steady tension on bothends of the line, then clip the tagend of the line close to the knot.

HooksThe size of the hook is matched to thesize of the fish being sought and thesize of the bait being used. The sharperthe hook the better. Hooks ranging insizes No. 6 to No. 10 are recommend-ed for beginners. The larger the hooksize number, the smaller the hook.

Bobber RigFor this simple rigging, clipa bobber onto the line, 2feet above the hook, thenadd a split shot 6 to 12inches above the hook.Adjust the bobber and splitshot to fish at differentdepths.

Split Shot

Hook

Page 4 Outdoor Nebraska Winter/Spring 2008 Page 5

Getting Hooked on FishingBy Jerry Kane

A day outdoors beats one indoors any day. What better way to spendit than fishing, or, better yet, teaching a child to fish.

Fishing’s a lot of fun and can be inexpensive. With a minimal amountof equipment and instruction, a child can be catching fish in no time.Fishing may be combined with a camp-out or a picnic, and it helps givechildren an appreciation for the natural world.

This page is designed to be a starting point for children who want tolearn how to fish. Happy fishing!

Basic tackle box to helpget children started fishing

Where to FishFind places that have lots of fish, not neces-sarily bigger fish. Look for small, uncrowdedwaters close to home. Try the shallows,weedy shorelines, around docks, rocky spots,places were trees overhang the water, andnear submerged trees or brush. If you’re nothaving any luck in one spot, try another.

ReelsBecause of its ease of use, the spin-casting reel isrecommendedfor beginnersor children.These reelsgenerally areless expensivethan othertypes of reels(spinning andbait-casting).They are light-weight, ideal for smaller fish such asbluegill and crappie and handle smallerterminal tackle.

RodsThey come in all sizes, but a 5-foot-long light-action rod is perfect for thebeginner or child. It’s ideal for smallerfish. They handle smaller terminaltackle and are not too expensive. Therod should be flexible but ruggedenough to withstand hard use.

BobbersBobbers are used to adjust the depthof the bait off the bottom of the river orlake and to indicate strikes. Use abobber that's just big enough to keepthe bait or weight from sinking it underthe water. There are many types ofbobbers. Pencil-style bobbers aremore sensitive than round ones. Somebobbers are designed to make castingeasier.

SinkersSinkers are used to get the bait to acertain depth, and, in rivers andstreams, to keep the bait from rolling inthe current. There are numerousstyles. Split-shot sinkers work well forbeginners. Egg sinkers are good forcatfishing because they allow the lineto slip freely through the weight so afish cannot feel resistance.

Tips• Get the kind ofequipment that is bestsuited for the kind offishing to be done.

• Use a casting plug topractice casting. Find anopen area where the childmay practice safely.

• Fish are scared by high-pitched sounds and rapidmovements. Remain stilland speak softly whenfishing.

• Properly set the drag.The drag controls howeasily the line is pulled offthe reel. When properlyset, the drag allows a larger fish to pull line fromthe reel until the fish tires.

• Children can practicetying knots at home.

When to FishFish generally are more active early in themorning and late in the evening. Avoid fish-ing during the hottest part of the day, whenfish move into cooler, deeper water.

Catch and ReleaseIf you don’t want to keep thefish you catch, it is importantto release the fish unharmed.Here are some tips:

• Pinch down the barbs onhooks if you plan to release fish.This increases the chance ofsurvival and makes catchingthem more challenging.

• Use long-nose pliers to helpremove hooks from a fish. If ahook is deep inside the fish,use a hook disgorger. If youcannot remove a deep hookwith a hook disgorger, youmay want to cut the line andleave the hook in the fish.Hooks left in fish will workthemselves free or rust out.

• If possible, keep the fish in thewater when removing the hook.

• Wet your hands beforehandling the fish to avoiddisturbing the fish’s protectivemucus.

• Do not play the fish until it isexhausted.

• Remove the hook gently. Donot squeeze the fish or placeyour fingers in its gills.

How to Handle a FishAn angler can use his thumb and indexfinder to grasp a largemouth bass by itslower jaw and hold it vertically. Holdingthe fish horizontally in this manner maybreak its jaw. It also makes hookremoval easier. To handle a fish withsharp teeth, such as walleye or northernpike, carefully hold it around the body.When handling catfish, be sure to avoidthe sharp spines on the dorsal (top) andpectoral (side) fins. Never hold a fish bythe eyes or gills if you plan to release it.

DOUG CARROLL

Winter/Spring 2008 Page 7Page 6 Outdoor Nebraska

By Daryl BauerHere’s a look at the 2008 Nebraska fishing

outlook, based on fall 2007 sampling, forseveral species.

Walleye -- Sampling showed there was anexceptional population of walleyes, includinglots of fish over 20 inches long, in MerrittReservoir. Johnson, Maloney, Minatare andOliver reservoirs will be excellent waters tocatch numbers of “eating-size” walleyes,while Lake McConaughy and Merritt will bethe best waters to pursue big walleyes. Therewere an exceptional number of walleyes col-lected at Willow Creek Reservoir in the fall of2007, but most of those fish were less than15 inches long. Also try Stagecoach, Lewisand Clark or Sutherland reservoirs.

White bass -- The white bass fishery atHarlan County Reservoir looks particularlygood, while Medicine Creek, Swanson, andEnders will also offer anglers some excellentfishing. Reservoirs on the canal system inwest-central and central Nebraska also canoffer great fishing. Anglers should try Maloney,Sutherland and Jeffrey reservoirs on that sys-tem. Sherman and McConaughy reservoirsalso will offer some excellent fishing.

Wiper -- Enders, Red Willow, Maloney,

Medicine Creek, and Sutherland reservoirsshould offer anglers some of the best actionfor wipers. There are a number of watersaround the state that will offer anglers anexcellent chance at a wiper longer than 20inches, including Minatare out west,Stagecoach in the east and Calamus in themiddle of the state. Also try Jeffrey, Elwood,McConaughy or Swanson reservoirs.

Bluegill -- Anglers can find good bluegillfishing in a variety of waters across the state,ranging from small reservoirs in the east likeOlive Creek, Summit and Wildwood, to urbanwaters like Grand Island’s Such’s Lake, andBurchard Reservoir in the southeast. SmithLake Wildlife Management Area south ofRushville and Smith Lake on the CrescentLake National Wildlife Refuge will not pro-duce lots of bluegills but could give a persist-ent angler a fish as big as his/her face.

Crappie -- Small- to medium-sized reser-voirs in eastern Nebraska commonly haveabundant populations. The challenge is find-ing quality-size crappies in these waters.Czechland, Branched Oak, Stagecoach andZorinsky will be the best of those reservoirs.Whitney and Oliver reservoirs in the westand Sherman and Johnson reservoirs in the

central part also have nice crappies.Largemouth bass -- Although a number

of waters have high densities of small large-mouth bass, which is desirable because lotsof small bass regulate panfish, preyfish andrough fish numbers, anglers can fish otherwaters that have higher abundances of basslarger than 15 inches. The best of thosewaters will be pits like Grand Island’s PierPark, and Two Rivers SRA pits Nos. 2 and 3.Sandhills lakes produce some of the fattest,most beautiful largemouth bass and SmithLake WMA should be one of the best. Of thesmall reservoirs, try Grove and WalnutCreek, and of the Interstate 80 lakes, fishEast Sutherland and Fremont Slough.

Channel catfish -- Reservoirs are hard tobeat for catfishing. Branched Oak is one ofthe best catfish fisheries in the state, offeringanglers the chance to catch channel, flat-head and blue catfish. Wagon Train also willbe particularly good for channel catfish.Other reservoirs that will be good for channelcatfish include Maloney, Swanson, Sherman,Red Willow and Jeffrey. Anglers looking for ashot at a big channel catfish should keepLake Ogallala in mind.

Other species -- Nebraska has develop-

ing blue catfish fisheries at Conestoga,Wehrspann, and Zorinsky reservoirs.Excellent flathead catfish fishing also can befound at Branched Oak, Harlan County andSherman reservoirs. Anglers who pursuebullheads should check out Powder CreekReservoir and special bullhead fishing oppor-tunities on some state recreation area lakes.

Northern and western parts of Nebraska,especially the Sandhills, offer opportunities tocatch cool-water species like northern pikeand yellow perch. Try Big Alkali, the ValentineNational Wildlife Refuge lakes, Goose Lake,and Willow Lake.

Johnson and Lewis and Clark reservoirsoffer excellent smallmouth bass numbers.Also at Lewis and Clark, do not overlook thesauger. Sauger can also be found in thesmall reservoirs and canal system above andincluding Johnson. There are muskellungeopportunities at Merritt, Calamus and WagonTrain reservoirs, and Cottonwood-Steversonlakes.

There are cold-water opportunities onstreams and rivers, mostly in the westernand northern parts of the state, whereanglers can fish for rainbow, brown andbrook trout, many of them wild fish.

FALL 2007 FISH SAMPLING 2008 NEBRASKA REGIONAL FISHING FORECASTBy Rocky Hoffmann

SoutheastAnglers will benefit from above-average

rainfall in 2007. Refilling reservoirs benefitsthe fishery by flooding vegetation, which pro-vides a nutrient boost to the lake, while pro-viding food, cover and spawning habitat.Among other impoundments getting a boost,rainfall filled Merganser, Timber Point,Walnut Creek 2A, Yankee Hill, Swan Creek67 and Cottontail reservoirs.

Wildwood, Holmes Lake, Olive Creekand Wagon Train have been improved andanglers in the Lincoln area will find they pro-vide good catch rates.

Omaha-area anglers have some excellentfisheries at Walnut Creek, Memphis,Wehrspann and Jenny Newman Lake.

Anglers looking for the best largemouthbass fishing should try Burchard and IronHorse Trail lakes. Branched Oak Reservoiris a top producer of Master Angler awards,especially for flathead catfish and wipers.

NortheastWillow Creek and Lewis and Clark Lake

should offer good walleye fishing.The 2007 fall sampling showed a high

number of walleye at Willow Creek andabout 40 percent of that population shouldbe legal. Fishing pressure has been intenseand most of the fish will be under 16-17inches, with a few up to 22 inches.

Lewis and Clark continues to have strong

walleye and sauger populations, manylonger than 20 inches. White bass numbersin Lewis and Clark were above average andshould provide good fishing. Smallmouthbass continue to provide good fishing atLewis and Clark and the Missouri Riverabove the lake.

Goose Lake should provide good toexcellent fishing for bluegill, yellow perch,northern pike and largemouth bass. Waterlevels increased more than three feet in2007, and fish habitat and food organismsare excellent. Look for good bass and pikefishing in April and May and panfish fromlate April through August.

Other bluegill spots to try are Summitand Skyview lakes. Summit, MaskenthineLake, Buckskin Hills and Grove Lake haveabundant bass with good size structure.

Catfish may be found in public lakes aswell as the Elkhorn, Missouri and Niobrararivers. Good catfish lakes includeMaskenthine, Buckskin Hills, Skyview, WillowCreek and Summit.

Trout fishing is good in the East Branchof Verdigre Creek above Grove Lake. Twohundred catchable rainbows are stockedeach week and nearly a mile and a half ofthe stream is open to the public. Catchablebullheads are stocked at Fremont StateRecreation Area Lake No. 3 and PowderCreek Reservoir has excellent numbers ofbullheads.

South-centralA dramatic increase in water levels at

Harlan County Reservoir in 2007 resultedin excellent fish survivability that will improve

future fishing for walleye, white bass, crappieand channel catfish. The reservoir has agreat white bass population with a good sizedistribution.

Crappie fishing at Sherman Reservoirshould peak in May in coves and bays. Thereshould be another good walleye spawningrun in March and April, with better fishing inMay and June. Sherman has trophy-sizednorthern pike.

Walleye numbers at Johnson Lakeshould remain high, with good numbers offish over the 15-inch length limit. Anglersalso may catch sauger. There are good num-bers of white bass, wiper, channel and flat-head catfish at the inlet.

Elwood Reservoir has trophy-sizemuskellunge and channel catfish, while thelake’s best fishing is for walleye and whitebass.

More than 20 lakes along the centralInterstate 80 corridor provide good anglingfor largemouth bass, bluegill and channelcatfish. Several lakes also have northernpike, walleye, rock bass, redear sunfish andsmallmouth bass.

Catchable-size rainbow trout are stockedin winter months at Hartwell Park inHastings, Lexington City Lake, North ParkLake in Holdrege, Such’s Lake in GrandIsland and Windmill State RecreationArea. Trout are in Elm Creek near RedCloud.

North-centralWalleye anglers should look to Merritt

and Calamus reservoirs. Survey numbers atMerritt continue to show a strong walleye

population, with an excellent size structure,good fishing for northern pike, bass, catfishand panfish, and maybe trophy or staterecord muskie. Calamus should have a goodpopulation of 15- to 20-inch walleye and agood chance to take a trophy muskellunge.Look to Calamus for catfish, white bass andwiper action.

The Valentine National Wildlife Refugehas some of the state’s best fishing fornorthern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill andyellow perch. Also check Big Alkali Lake forpike, crappie and channel catfish. The lakehas many improvements.

There is good fishing at Shell orCottonwood lakes for bass and panfish.

Long Pine and Plum creeks offer streamfishing for naturally produced brown andrainbow trout. Public access is available atLong Pine SRA, Long Pine WildlifeManagement Area, Pine Glen WMA, BobcatWMA, and Plum Creek Valley WMA.

SouthwestLake McConaughy will continue to be a

good choice to catch quality walleye. Fallsurveys showed a decrease in overall wall-eye numbers, but there is a good populationof 20-inch and larger fish. Also, many whitebass are entering the 12- to 15-inch range.

Low water at McConaughy resulted in amovement of fish into Lake Ogallala,improving opportunity for walleye, whitebass, wipers and channel catfish.

Heavy rains improved water levels andopportunity for fish and recreation atEnders, Swanson, Medicine Creek andRed Willow reservoirs. There should be an

improvement in white bass and wiper num-bers.

Enders had the highest fall survey catchrate of wipers and channel catfish in thesouthwest and showed a strong improve-ment in white bass numbers.

Maloney and Sutherland reservoirs aregood bets for walleye. Because of heavyfishing pressure in 2007, numbers of largewalleye are down, but there should be plentyof legal-sized fish.

Arnold Lake SRA is developing a goodpopulation of bass and bluegill. Fall stockedrainbow trout provide a popular winter fish-ery, along with North Platte’s BirdwoodLake and McCook’s Barnett Park. I-80 lakescontinue to produce good fishing for large-mouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish.

PanhandleLake Minatare anglers should find most

walleye above the legal size limit. Fall sur-veys have shown a decline in the number ofwipers, but individual fish have increased insize to about five pounds. Minatare has anexcellent population of channel catfish, andanglers may see some blue catfish.

Oliver Reservoir has an excellent wall-eye population, most of legal size. Oliveralso has an excellent fishery for channel cat-fish. Box Butte Reservoir should producelarger catfish, northern pike and walleye.

Smith Lake WMA has Master Angler-sizelargemouth bass and large bluegill.

Fort Robinson State Park offers catch-able-size rainbow trout. The park also hasgood channel catfish and largemouth bassfishing.

Channel Catfish

0 5 10 15 20 25

Wehrspann

Elwood

Pawnee

Merritt

Johnson

Medicine Creek

Conestoga

Harlan

Yankton

Swanson

Zorinsky

Lewis & Clark

Maloney

Sutherland

Calamus

East Twin

Minatare

Willow Creek

McConaughy

Red Willow

Jeffrey

Enders

Ogallala

Walgren

DeSoto Bend

Stagecoach

Oliver

Sherman

Wagon Train

Branched Oak

Catfish Per Gill Net

under 11 inches

11 to 16 inches

16 to 24 inches

over 24 inches

Walleye

0 10 20 30 40 50

Conestoga

Red Willow

Branched Oak

Ogallala

Swanson

East Twin

Wehrspann

DeSoto Bend

Pawnee

Box Butte

Enders

Jeffrey

Harlan

Medicine Creek

Wagon Train

Zorinsky

Calamus

Sutherland

Stagecoach

Elwood

Minatare

McConaughy

Oliver

Lewis & Clark

Maloney

Sherman

Johnson

Merritt

Willow Creek

under 10 inches

10 to 15 inches

15 to 20 inches

20 to 25 inches

over 25 inches

0 50 100 150 200 250

G.I. L.E. Ray

Summit

G.I. Suchs

Memphis

Stagecoach

Skyview

North Platte I-80

Walgren

Powder Creek

Redtail

Mormon Island Middle

Holmes

East Sutherland

Alexandria East

Grove

Chalkrock

Cottonwood

Fremont#2

Arnold

Fremont#5

G.I. Pier Park

Alexandria West

Wildwood

Olive Creek

Burchard

Verdon

Fremont#4

Walnut Creek

Farwell South

Alda

3 to 6 inches

6 to 8 inches

over 8

Channel Catfish Walleye Bluegill

Catfish Per Gill Net Walleye Per Gill Net Bluegill Per Trap Net

Mormon IslandMiddle

0 100 200 300 400 500

G.I. L.E. Ray

Sutton Clark

South Pine

Smith(WMA)

East Sutherland

Iron Horse Trail

Cottonwood

Fremont Slough I-80

G.I. Rest Area

Grove

G.I. Suchs

North Platte I-80

Two Rivers 4

Chalkrock

Isham

Fremont#5

Fremont#2

Keller#2

Arnold

Two Rivers 3

Verdon

Alexandria East

Alexandria West

Maxwell Rest Area

Two Rivers 1

Walnut Creek

Olive Creek

G.I. Pier Park

Prairie View

Summit

Two Rivers 2

Mormon Island Middle

Skyview

Fremont#4

Memphis

Jenny Newman

Holmes

under 8 inches

8 to 12 inches

12 to 15 inches

over 15 inches

0 100 200 300 400

Yankton

Walnut Creek

Walgren

Wehrspann

Pawnee

Willow Creek

Zorinsky

Champion Mill

Whitney

Oliver

Branched Oak

Sherman

Stagecoach

Harlan

Czechland

Johnson

Willow

Grove

under 5 inches

5 to 8 inches

8 to 10 inches

10 to 12 inches

over 12 inches

Largemouth Bass Crappie

Bass Per Hour Electrofishing Crappie Per Trap Net

0 10 20 30 40

Branched Oak

Conestoga

Ogallala

Calamus

Willow Creek

Johnson

Minatare

Swanson

Elwood

McConaughy

Stagecoach

Jeffrey

Sutherland

Medicine Creek

Maloney

Red Willow

Enders

under 8 inches8 to 12 inches12 to 15 inches15 to 20 inchesover 20 inches

Wiper

Wiper Per Gill Net

0 10 20 30 40 50

Merritt

Red Willow

Ogallala

Pawnee

East Twin

Calamus

Elwood

Johnson

McConaughy

Sutherland

Sherman

Medicine Creek

Jeffrey

Maloney

Enders

Swanson

Harlan

under 6 inches6 to 9 inches9 to 12 inches12 to 15 inchesover 15 inches

White Bass

White Bass Per Gill Net

Winter/Spring 2008 Page 8

Bald eagles may be viewed near Lake McConaughy StateRecreation Area. The best days to view them are the lasttwo weeks in January. Central Nebraska Public Power andIrrigation District has an eagle-viewing building equippedwith spotting scopes, binoculars, and video. Open byappointment during the week and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. onSaturday and Sunday. Call (308) 284-2332.

Bald Eagle Viewing

Hunting

Christmas Lights

Winter camping rates are offered at state parks, withelectricity available year-round. Cabins and lodgerooms also are available, with 30-percent winter dis-counts on cabins Sunday through Thursday, excludingholidays. Year-round cabins are available at Eugene T.Mahoney State Park (SP), Platte River SP, Lewis andClark State Recreation Area and Niobrara SP.

Camping, Cabins and Lodges

Sledding and Tobogganing

Catch rainbow trout atFremont Lakes StateRecreation Area (SRA) LakeNo. 5, Eugene T. MahoneyState Park’s (SP) QwestLake, Fort Robinson SP’sCarter P. Johnson Lake,Windmill SRA Lake No. 1,and Arnold SRA.

Largemouth bass, bluegilland crappie await anglers atWagon Train, Olive Creek,Summit Lake, WillowCreek, and AlexandriaSRAs.

Other options includeMerritt, Sherman, Swanson, Rock Creek, Red Willow,Enders, and Medicine Creek reservoirs, and LakeOgallala. Also try the Valentine National WildlifeRefuge and other Sandhills lakes.

Ice-Fishing

Ice Skating

Winter at the Parks

State recreation areas, or portions thereof, are opento hunting, subject to general hunting regulations,from the first Tuesday following Labor Day throughthe conclusion of the spring turkey season in May,unless prohibited or restricted by signs or specificarea regulations. Hunting is prohibited within 100yards of any public-use facility or activity area,including picnic areas, campgrounds, private cabins,concession areas, boat ramps, and parking lots.

If Mother Nature doesn’t supply the snow but gives us cold-er temperatures, Eugene T. Mahoney State Park makes snowfor the sledding and toboggan run behind the Lee and Helene

Sapp Riverview Lodge. The lodge rents sleds and also hasconcession items such as hot chocolate, hot dogs and chipsavailable.

Eugene T. Mahoney StatePark’s outdoor ice skating rink isfun for the whole family. Hot chocolate, pizza and other concession items are available,as well as skate rental. To warmup, the Activity Center has alarge indoor playground androck climbing simulator. Iceskating is available at all recre-ation areas, depending on weather and ice.

By Jerry KaneThe weather may have

turned cold and snowy, butNebraska’s state park areasstill offer many reasons toenjoy the outdoors.

These parks are all part ofNebraska’s diverse landscape-- and so are the activitiesavailable during the wintermonths.

Sportsmen may enjoy hunt-ing and fishing, childrencould go ice skating or sled-ding, and wildlife enthusiastsmay enjoy winter campingand hiking in order to observeNebraska’s abundant wildlife.Looking for a weekend get-away? The parks never closeand many have cabins avail-able year-round.

Nebraska’s state park areasnever close, so bundle up andcome out and enjoy thescenery and fun that the statehas to offer.

A park entry permit isrequired for all parks and maybe purchased online atwww.OutdoorNebraska.org.

Winter nature hikes aregreat on the park trails,which always are open.Enjoy cross country skiingor snowmobiling on theNebraska snow. BranchedOak and Lewis and Clarkstate recreation areas providegreat snowmobile trails.

Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park – Enjoy“Christmas at the Cody's” on Dec. 20-23 from 5:30-8p.m. See the 1886 mansion (above photo), 1887 horsebarn, log cabin, and other outbuildings dressed up withexterior Christmas lights. The mansion has 18 lightedand decorated trees inside, while the barn has a largelighted and decorated tree, where visitors may maketheir own ornament to hang. Children may visit withSanta Claus each night, and there will be live music inthe mansion.

Eugene T. Mahoney State Park – The park decorates the outside and inside of the Peter KiewitLodge, and it has a large tree in the front lobby. Thereis a holiday play at the Kountze Memorial Theater thatruns to the final Sunday in December.

Winter providesnew opportunitiesat state park areas

Trails

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