blue lake

[beercancrusher]

Anybody been up to blue lake, north of Oshkosh? Any decent ice?

[Keith Walters]

Blue Lake Trail is still closed as of this afternoon (12/18/14).

[The Sandhiller]

I wouldn't mind seeing the lake closed for the season. It has taken a pounding the last couple years

[T.R.]

You can thank the game and parks for that

[funtwohunt]

Why is it always the g and p fault. It's not a good situation for them at all. They can't win. Would you agree there are many fishermen who won,t back off on their own and give it a rest. Instead they go all out until they have to be told to back off. They feel they have to get their share before the next guy does. Kind of like a feeding frenzy.

[T.R.]

Well if it was my choice, I would not publicize a lake as small as blue. They ran it in magazines and it was all over the forums from the day it opened. That lake is far too small to sustain that amount of pressure. Leave it to the ones adventerous enough to find it on their own. But I agree. Hitting it day after day limit after limit isnt helping matters either. I'm glad its closed for now. I hope it stays that way for a while.

[The Sandhiller]

I agree with you, T.R.. Being a local, I wish the lake didn't get the publicity that it did. On numerous occasions I counted 40+ vehicles in parking area, and VERY young fish being taken home.. Not healthy for a lake like that

[whitetips]

Well if it was my choice, I would not publicize a lake as small as blue. They ran it in magazines and it was all over the forums from the day it opened. That lake is far too small to sustain that amount of pressure. Leave it to the ones adventerous enough to find it on their own. But I agree. Hitting it day after day limit after limit isnt helping matters either. I'm glad its closed for now. I hope it stays that way for a while.

So public lakes are supposed to be private??

Nobody advertised Home Valley and that did not keep the hordes from trekking back in there either.

Nope, with cell phones and this inter-webby thing, there are no secrets.

Daryl B.

[T.R.]

A lake of that size cant sustain the volume of fisherman it has recieved, even with the limit reduction on panfish. And then people taking home buckets of dinks doesnt help matters any, on that lake anyways. We know what it is capable of, if people would learn selective harvest and keep their mouth shut when the fishing is hot it will be great once again.

[superp13]

I went to Blue lake the 2nd weekend of January this year and I would have sworn there were 75+ trucks in the parking lot.  Doesn’t anybody goose hunt anymore???  The only reason I went there was because it was close to a friends of mines place.   Dayrl thank you for all of your inputs on this forum and others.   You are the voice of reason. 

[Sandbilly]

I'm confused. Wouldn't the larger perch be what we want caught and released for sustaining the fishery? 

dc

[T.R.]

Taking home a few eaters is one thing. Taking home a bucket of slobs is another. As is taking home a bucket of dinks. Moral of the story being people are keeping way too many fish regardless of size. I just felt it was unnecessary to print magazine articles and what not about one very small sandhill lake,  and hardly ever say a word about other lakes. Im sorry I said what I did about g&p, it wasnt entirely their fault. Like said above, cell phones are probably a big part of it. But, very rarely do you see a report on blue on this forum, thus leading me to beleive more and more that people read about it in a magazine.

[IceHutt]

I think smaller lakes should be listed in the regulations and signs posted to have a smaller limit of fish that can be taken there.    I have seen literally 5 gallon buckets full of fish  of every size imaginable going out of Blue.  They acted like it was during the depression times and those people needed everything that they caught to sustain themselves and their families.    We turned everything back except the ones that were injured.  People need to enjoy fishing more as a sport instead of an all out diminishment of a resource. 

[Martinezb9]

I think smaller lakes should be listed in the regulations and signs posted to have a smaller limit of fish that can be taken there.    I have seen literally 5 gallon buckets full of fish  of every size imaginable going out of Blue.  They acted like it was during the depression times and those people needed everything that they caught to sustain themselves and their families.    We turned everything back except the ones that were injured.  People need to enjoy fishing more as a sport instead of an all out diminishment of a resource. 

Some people's mindset is fill the freezer and others just like fishing for fun. I could not believe The look on peoples face when I told them I did not keep any fish from my trip to south Dakota. I was asked from several people at work what was the point of me going to South Dakota of I was not going to keep what I caught.

[T.R.]

I dont think catch and release is the way to go, because lets be honest. These fish taste amazing thru the ice. But, that does not mean keep every fish you catch. I took home 10 bluegill the other night and it made a great meal for 4 people. Theres no reason to keep buckets full. Who has the patience to clean that many panfish anyways?

[iceman 1960]

think it all comes down to being a responsible fisherman ! an not sitting down at coffee shop or bar and brag about how big a fish and how many u caught! Just remember loose lips sinks ship!!!!

[whitetips]

http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/2013/01/pigs-ice/

Daryl B.

[Rope]

Good read Daryl.

[HARDasICE]

Good info Daryl.

[superp13]

Great read.   Thanks for sharing.

[IceHutt]

Exactly !  Good blog. Thanks, Daryl. 

[Unclegillhunter]

Mr. B! And here I thought protecting the mountain loin population was all you cared about!Too bad we fisher folk need to be told things we already know or should know! I thought in addition to a daily limit there was also a limit on how many you could have in your freezer. I keep maybe 30 gills a year ice and early spring. Good eating!
Jeep it safe! JDL

[whitetips]

Mr. B! And here I thought protecting the mountain loin population was all you cared about!Too bad we fisher folk need to be told things we already know or should know! I thought in addition to a daily limit there was also a limit on how many you could have in your freezer. I keep maybe 30 gills a year ice and early spring. Good eating!
Jeep it safe! JDL

There is a limit on the number of fish you can have in your possession, in a freezer.  Those possession limits are also listed in the Fishing Guide, http://outdoornebraska.org/fishing/guides/fishguide/pdf/FishGuide.pdf.  For most fish in Nebraska, the possession limit is double the daily bag limit.

Daryl B.

[HAVVY]

[IceHutt]

I was told by some people that fished there that that lot was full and they were parking outside of that parking area !   

[augergas]

So is Blue closed indefinitely?

[Showdown56]

I can't find the NGPC News Release I read concerning the temporary closing of Blue Lake... but I believe it was closed because the access road/trail was unsafe for the waterfowlers accessing the lake.

Will see if I can get a "follow-up" from one of my Panhandle contacts!

[Pepperguy]

Great job Daryl.  These are the same guys that do the same thing in their boats in the summertime. 

[dakotajoe]

Blue lake is temporarily closed due to thin ice / open water at the access point of Blue Lake.  The only way to get on the ice at Blue Lake is by trespassing on private ground.  The entire access point is very thin ice or open water.  Once the access on the ice is good the trail will be open.   

[Showdown56]

Thanks, Dakota Joe!