Yellow Perch

[ouray]

"Outside the box"?  We have stocked chinook salmon in Nebraska waters as recently as the 1990's.  That did not work.

We have an excellent tailwater trout fishery in Lake Ogallala.

How many wipers does SoDakota have?

You will be seeing tiger trout in more Nebraska waters in the coming months.

SoDakota has not cornered the market on thinking outside the box.

I spent a couple of years in SoDakota, I am fully aware of the fisheries they have. . . . And, I am fully aware of how much different their habitats are compared to what we have in Nebraska.

And no amount of stocking can change that.

Daryl B.

So, Whitetips, are you saying the part about wipers like it's a good thing?  Do the wipers have anything to do with the reason I haven't caught any of the 400,000 crappies stocked in McConaughy in a few years or is it more the fluctuating water level. Talked to a electroshock team and they hadn't found them for a while either. I filled out a South Dakota fishing survey and told them I was glad they didn't feel the need to put wipers everywhere like the state to the south of them

[jthod]

Crappie seem to do just fine in the Kansas lakes that are FULL of both of them.  Milford is know for giant wipers, 15lb+, and it's also a great crappie fishery. 

Same with Harlan, HUGE wipers, and decent crappie fishing.

[whitetips]

So, Whitetips, are you saying the part about wipers like it's a good thing?  Do the wipers have anything to do with the reason I haven't caught any of the 400,000 crappies stocked in McConaughy in a few years or is it more the fluctuating water level. Talked to a electroshock team and they hadn't found them for a while either. I filled out a South Dakota fishing survey and told them I was glad they didn't feel the need to put wipers everywhere like the state to the south of them

Baloney. 

We heard the same complaints about wipers eating walleyes at Harlan County Reservoir, so many complaints that we eventually commissioned a research project to determine what the wipers in Harlan were eating.  In two years of extensive sampling not one walleye was found in a wiper stomach, do not remember that any crappies were found in wiper stomachs either.  What did the wipers eat?  Well, wipers are open-water predators that spend their time roaming open water preying on open-water baitfish.  In Harlan there are enough gizzard shad to make every predator fish in the reservoir fat and happy.  While the young-of-the-year (YOY) shad are available, summer through winter every year, every predator fish is eating YOY gizzard shad.  In the spring YOY shad numbers are at their annual minimum and the YOY shad from the year before have grown too large for some predators to consume (e.g. white bass, crappies).  At that time wipers and other predators eat a variety of prey and in our reservoirs small white bass and drum from the year before can be important prey items.  Small crappies certainly can be included in that spring diet, but generally far less than other small fish, and certainly not to the extent that crappies become extinct.

Oh, you know what did eat some small walleyes in Harlan?

Big walleyes.

What are the wipers and other predators in McConaughy eating?  Well, we have very healthy populations of both gizzard shad and alewives in McConaughy and you better believe that is what they are eating.

And keep in mind that water level fluctuations in Nebraska's large reservoirs play heck with fish like crappies and largemouth bass.  In recent years we have had a water level scenario where we have acres and acres of flooded terrestrial vegetation.  When that does happen on our irrigation reservoirs you will see a "boom" in fish like pike, crappies and bass.  Our management biologists will try to further capitalize on those short-term habitat conditions by stocking additional fish.  That has been done in recent years with the crappie stockings in McConaughy.  Unfortunately, water levels will eventually decline again and so will crappie numbers.  But, that very well may start the cycle over again.  Welcome to Nebraska, welcome to my world.

Where is the crappie habitat in McConaughy right now?

The crappies are back in there.

Daryl B.

[whitetips]

Daryl I don't think wipers are a good argument to compare your work to South Dakota.   

Why not?

My point is that we may not have as much water as some of our neighboring states, but we very much offer a variety of fishing opportunities.  We offer opportunities that our neighboring states do not.  We have wipers that SoDakota does not, yellow perch that Kansas does not.

The "grass" always seems greener on the other side of the fence (border?), http://magazine.outdoornebraska.gov/2014/09/grass-always-greener/.

And that works both ways,

Daryl B.

[jstruck]

Kind of interesting to read the post on the South Dakota blog, "where can I catch a pumpkinseed." They are wishing they had lakes to catch panfish.

[hunt_fish_forever]

Guys, really? This is what we are arguing about? Half of Nebraska is not “Perch Country”. Pretty sure I do not live where I do based on the population of a single species of fish. We are not Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, or South Dakota. I am glad we are Nebraska. We have things other states could only wish they did and they have some things that we only wish we had…. Fact! I love fishing in glacial lakes in South Dakota for perch, I also love fishing a Kansas mud hole for crappie, but I also love fishing for a healthy Loup River Catfish. Every area is different. I don’t always agree with the NGPC either. But they are the experts not us. They can only do certain things with our bodies of water and our diversity of climates and water qualities across the state. It would be great if I had a 30 minute to drive to catch a limit of jumbo perch but I can’t. I can however drive 30 minutes and catch 10+ inch bluegills and 30+ inch walleye. Let it go guys! Enjoy what we have.

[masonfromMO]

very interesting that I am having the same exact question right now from anglers in the waters in Missouri....always this time of year when people are seeing buckets of yellow perch from up north all over the ice fishing pages....hard for anglers to understand why we cant just throw yellow perch in our Missouri reservoirs and have perch fishing like in the glacial lakes, and give examples of "my buddy has a buddy that has 12" perch in his farm pond", so why cant we get them in our public lakes?  usually that pond has no bass, and is full of fatheads or shiners....not very easy to duplicate that in a public setting....and if we could, it would be over fished as soon as it got good....I too wish we could grow huge populations of 12" perch, and if we could, we would, but reality is our systems just cant....habitat, latitude, predators, etc.   I cant imagine having the opportunity to start throwing perch in a new 3,000 acre lake that used to be a cattail marsh a decade ago that's surrounded by fertile land and full of freshwater shrimp and other inverts...the perch recruit, grow, and then......get wiped out by anglers......only difference is.....there is another such body of water a few miles away that will be the next lake that is hot...and so on, and so on......its a whole different world up there in the Dakotas right now....and yes, some of those anglers would chop off a limb to get into some the gills, crappie and wiper fishing we have to offer...agree with Daryl B.....its always greener across the border

[Uplandhuntr]

Guys, really? This is what we are arguing about? Half of Nebraska is not “Perch Country”. Pretty sure I do not live where I do based on the population of a single species of fish. We are not Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, or South Dakota. I am glad we are Nebraska. We have things other states could only wish they did and they have some things that we only wish we had…. Fact! I love fishing in glacial lakes in South Dakota for perch, I also love fishing a Kansas mud hole for crappie, but I also love fishing for a healthy Loup River Catfish. Every area is different. I don’t always agree with the NGPC either. But they are the experts not us. They can only do certain things with our bodies of water and our diversity of climates and water qualities across the state. It would be great if I had a 30 minute to drive to catch a limit of jumbo perch but I can’t. I can however drive 30 minutes and catch 10+ inch bluegills and 30+ inch walleye. Let it go guys! Enjoy what we have.

Just remember that 50% of the brain surgeons graduated at the bottom of their class.  Are they, too, experts?

Nothing wrong with asking questions.  To be dismissed by the 'brain surgeons' with the term, 'baloney', gets annoying and isn't all that impressive.

Just my opinion, which would get you barred and banned from certain forums and yet they take my money for every single tag, license, and day permit that I purchase.

[Icicle1]

Hopefully my brain surgeon is not the <%50.

[Uplandhuntr]

very interesting that I am having the same exact question right now from anglers in the waters in Missouri....always this time of year when people are seeing buckets of yellow perch from up north all over the ice fishing pages....hard for anglers to understand why we cant just throw yellow perch in our Missouri reservoirs and have perch fishing like in the glacial lakes, and give examples of "my buddy has a buddy that has 12" perch in his farm pond", so why cant we get them in our public lakes?  usually that pond has no bass, and is full of fatheads or shiners....not very easy to duplicate that in a public setting....and if we could, it would be over fished as soon as it got good....I too wish we could grow huge populations of 12" perch, and if we could, we would, but reality is our systems just cant....habitat, latitude, predators, etc.   I cant imagine having the opportunity to start throwing perch in a new 3,000 acre lake that used to be a cattail marsh a decade ago that's surrounded by fertile land and full of freshwater shrimp and other inverts...the perch recruit, grow, and then......get wiped out by anglers......only difference is.....there is another such body of water a few miles away that will be the next lake that is hot...and so on, and so on......its a whole different world up there in the Dakotas right now....and yes, some of those anglers would chop off a limb to get into some the gills, crappie and wiper fishing we have to offer...agree with Daryl B.....its always greener across the border

I suspect that, from your post, you are a person from an agency that deals with either fish and/or anglers in Missouri.  I can appreciate your thoughts of having each others' backs cuz it is a thankless job.

Check the latitude and longitude of Kramper Lake (reservoir) by Hubbard, NE.  Some of the most fertile farm land in the state.  Just a few years old, tons of vegetation.  Custom built contours and base stratus.

No perch stocked.  That was a Grand Slam missed because of close-mindedness.  Easy claim to success by stocking a few yellow perch if it had been done in the first year (prior to allowing any PUBLIC fishing), showing all the pics online and in the fancy, glossy magazine and SELL LICENSES AND PARK STICKERS AND GENERATE TAX REVENUE.

Trades of fishes is not unique and happens all the time with surrounding states (right, Darrel?).  How hard would it be to actually create a destination attitude rather than the,  "We don't stock them here because people like to fish for them and we might have to do it again next year?"  attitude?

Tiger trout are going to be our claim to fame in Nebraska?

[IceGunner]

Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions.  For now.  My only comment, is a result of having just come from the glacial lakes.  Everywhere we dropped a camera, for 3 days, freshwater shrimp were in abundance.  Lacking that type of forage base, and the habitat to reproduce,  I don't believe we can ever support a perch fishery like the glacial lakes region. The glacial lakes are the perfect storm for perch production. 

If we wanted jumbo perch, we could set the limit to say, 3 perch per day, then we would catch some limits of jumbos in 4-5 years. 

It is pretty much the same reason we only harvest 1 bighorn sheep every few years.  We don't have the habitat to support sustained pressure and that habitat exists in few areas of the state.

[Uplandhuntr]

Hopefully my brain surgeon is not the <%50.

I don't want to make fun of any profession, and especially that one but can you imagine if you went to the doctor with an ear issue and were told it was sinuses?  Curiosity and common sense makes you ask, 'Are you sure Doc, cuz it feels different than that.  I don't want to offend you, but I may do some reading up on this and get a second opinion."

Doctor says, "Baloney!"

[Uplandhuntr]

Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions.  For now.  My only comment, is a result of having just come from the glacial lakes.  Everywhere we dropped a camera, for 3 days, freshwater shrimp were in abundance.  Lacking that type of forage base, and the habitat to reproduce,  I don't believe we can ever support a perch fishery like the glacial lakes region. The glacial lakes are the perfect storm for perch production. 

If we wanted jumbo perch, we could set the limit to say, 3 perch per day, then we would catch some limits of jumbos in 4-5 years. 

It is pretty much the same reason we only harvest 1 bighorn sheep every few years.  We don't have the habitat to support sustained pressure and that habitat exists in few areas of the state.

My head is going to explode.  The state of Nebraska has, for many years except for the very rare exception,, sold non-refundable applications for 1 sheep tag to the hopeful citizens of NE,  and  1 AUCTIONED OFF A NGFP GUIDED HUNT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER AT AN AUCTION AT A BANQUET THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND MORE TO GET INTO THAN THE AVERAGE SPORTSMAN SPENDS IN 3 YEARS ON HUNTING AND FISHING COMBINED!!

I am so sad for my daughter right now.

[slab]

My biggest complaint about Nebraska fisheries is that the game and parks does not put in any structure.  I love how you can travel down to Kansas to a brand new lake you never fished an have a great time catching large numbers of fish and good sized fish.  How can that be?  It is because Kansas game and parks actually puts in structure and posts the GPS coordinates of the structure on their lakes websites.  And here is something that is such a shocker.  Every few years as the structures (i.e. cedars much of the time) decline, they add more trees.  The trees bring in bait fish which brings along the fish.  Oh and by the way, the trees provide a great place for the fish to spawn.  This concept is just so simple and it is why when you head down to the Kansas lakes most of the fisherman are from Nebraska.  Oh by the way, the more Nebraska fisherman that they bring to Kansas means more dollars for the state to continue to update their fisheries.  I would have to think that if Nebraska did something similar it would attract outside dollars and provide for much better fisheries.  What do I know though?

[IceGunner]

"My head is going to explode.  The state of Nebraska has, for many years except for the very rare exception,, sold non-refundable applications for 1 sheep tag to the hopeful citizens of NE,  and  1 AUCTIONED OFF A NGFP GUIDED HUNT TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER AT AN AUCTION AT A BANQUET THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND MORE TO GET INTO THAN THE AVERAGE SPORTSMAN SPENDS IN 3 YEARS ON HUNTING AND FISHING COMBINED!!

I am so sad for my daughter right now."

You are correct oh wise one,  and Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Alberta, idaho all shoot several sheep  Can you see any difference? Do we need to stock more and put some in the cornfields so we can all shoot one at home?    Probably not. 

I go to those banquets,  I spend nowhere near getting into them and having a good time as what I spend in one weekend ice trip.  But,  your mind is made up.  Feel free to yell all you want

[ClearCreek]

Just remember that 50% of the brain surgeons graduated at the bottom of their class.  Are they, too, experts?

If they are brain surgeons you had better hope to hell they are experts!

ClearCreek

[nate95366]

My biggest complaint about Nebraska fisheries is that the game and parks does not put in any structure.  I love how you can travel down to Kansas to a brand new lake you never fished an have a great time catching large numbers of fish and good sized fish.  How can that be?  It is because Kansas game and parks actually puts in structure and posts the GPS coordinates of the structure on their lakes websites.  And here is something that is such a shocker.  Every few years as the structures (i.e. cedars much of the time) decline, they add more trees.  The trees bring in bait fish which brings along the fish.  Oh and by the way, the trees provide a great place for the fish to spawn.  This concept is just so simple and it is why when you head down to the Kansas lakes most of the fisherman are from Nebraska.  Oh by the way, the more Nebraska fisherman that they bring to Kansas means more dollars for the state to continue to update their fisheries.  I would have to think that if Nebraska did something similar it would attract outside dollars and provide for much better fisheries.  What do I know though?

It's a small body of water, but the coordinates of placed-on-purpose structure are posted for Prairie Queen. I don't know if they will ever work backwards and set up more structure in other lakes. Walnut Creek gets structural elements added every couple years, but they remain largely local knowledge.

[foamy8]

Sorry to hijack the thread.  Should have waited for the tiger trout thread to ask about tiger trout. 

I'm certainly not going to tell a feller his business, so don't take what I'm about to say as gospel or with any more than a grain of salt or .02 which isn't worth a dime.   

The grass is certainly greener everywhere you go. Here's the deal- Nebraska is pretty good at accessibility.  Deer hunting availability is great.  Deer herd is healthy.  You can a tag pretty well wherever you want.  You can have more than one tag.  There are still big deer around and you have a chance to harvest one.  Fishing can be good.  on the east side of the state there are a lot of areas to fish.  West, not as much, but still some.   That's nothing to do with the state.  It's water availability.  Can't fix that. 

Bash the banquets where tags are auctioned off all you want.  That's a great source of revenue.  States all around do the same.  Why not do it?  People will spend their money here or somewhere else. Why not take it?  Sell a few elk tags.  That's bug money.  Take that money and invest in access or enhance lakes.  It all takes money and as much as we complain about things, it's still pretty affordable.  My dad from out of state can buy a license.  Deer licenses are cheap compared to other states.

It's not that bad.  Really.  Coming from other places, opportunity exists. 

[Slabsticker]

Boy you can tell there's been a blizzard We have good fishing, better than some, worse than others! The game and fish has there problems, but who doesn't? If you like S Dakota fish, drive up there and get you some! I do every year, honestly, I'd prolly be better off just staying home but who doesn't like a good road trip? I get tired of everybody complaining about game and fish, but I can see everyone's point of view. I'm not usually one to chime in something like this but I do have a little input.

While it's hard to just sit back and take a bashing, sometimes you just gotta. That's what being a professional is all about. So the biggest recurring theme I see occurring in this thread, that bothers me the most is the lack of professionalism on part of the spokesman for the GFP. "BALONEY" is no way to talk to anyone. But I do believe we could ALL stand a lesson in courtesy

My $.02! (I already know that is more than I'm worth! Lol)

[jthod]

:popcorn:

[PhishOn]

I've got two things for you belly achers and sour puss's. It's my middle fingers.  Sorry your not going to get any "professionalism" from me either.. If you don't have anything positive to say or logical solutions. Shut your fish trap. It seems to me like your fishing skills are lacking.. Or you have other problems in your life??? Hell I don't know??  But I can tell you one thing. I love my state of Nebraska! You all need to shut your mouth and go fish. I'm leaving at 5 am for one of my favorite places on earth. The Valentine refuge! And you know what's going to happen to the biggest perch and bluegills I catch??!!!? There getting a photo taken put back down the hole!!!

And far as the, "Baloney" comment!! You guys are little girls if that bothers you! Lmao... Grow up. If I was Daryl I would of had already lost it, said way worse and been done with Ice Shanty, Nefga, and social media because of low blows and morons...   

My grandpa passed away a few months ago. And one of the the things that sticks in my mind that he said to me a long time ago fishing was," The best things in life are free".. You all need to get out enjoy a sunrise, sunset, a child's laugh, big catch, or a flock of geese flying over. Anything.

Goodnight I've got Jumbo Perch and big bluegills to catch in the morning. In Nebraska!!!!!

[warrior1]

How many people travel to our state and spend money here for wipers that's why not Daryl

[Uplandhuntr]

It's a small body of water, but the coordinates of placed-on-purpose structure are posted for Prairie Queen. I don't know if they will ever work backwards and set up more structure in other lakes. Walnut Creek gets structural elements added every couple years, but they remain largely local knowledge.

This is nothing against you, Nate, but I am glad you brought up Prairie Queen.

Prairie Queen, Kramper, Summit.....they were all built by NRD's, not the Game, and Parks Department of Nebraska.  But the Ne Game and Parks (interesting that there is no FISH in that name?) is more than happy to take credit for the success of those reservoirs, but if you take issue with litter or noise at the campground they are the first to send you to the NRD headquarters.  Oh, and if you buy a Ne Game and Parks park sticker that's great, they will take your money happily, but if not don't worry, nobody is enforcing it at NRD/NGFP parks anyway.  I'm sure that is the NRD's fault, too somehow.

There are a lot of sportspeople in this state that would do well to not believe everything you read on the internet or hear at the coffee shop.

I'm done now.

[viasandhillgill]

I've got two things for you belly achers and sour puss's. It's my middle fingers.  Sorry your not going to get any "professionalism" from me either.. If you don't have anything positive to say or logical solutions. Shut your fish trap. It seems to me like your fishing skills are lacking.. Or you have other problems in your life??? Hell I don't know??  But I can tell you one thing. I love my state of Nebraska! You all need to shut your mouth and go fish. I'm leaving at 5 am for one of my favorite places on earth. The Valentine refuge! And you know what's going to happen to the biggest perch and bluegills I catch??!!!? There getting a photo taken put back down the hole!!!

And far as the, "Baloney" comment!! You guys are little girls if that bothers you! Lmao... Grow up. If I was Daryl I would of had already lost it, said way worse and been done with Ice Shanty, Nefga, and social media because of low blows and morons...   

My grandpa passed away a few months ago. And one of the the things that sticks in my mind that he said to me a long time ago fishing was," The best things in life are free".. You all need to get out enjoy a sunrise, sunset, a child's laugh, big catch, or a flock of geese flying over. Anything.

Goodnight I've got Jumbo Perch and big bluegills to catch in the morning. In Nebraska!!!!!

[viasandhillgill]

I agree PhisOn I hope you have a great day on the Refuge today. Iwas there yesterday on one of the larger refuge lakes got my limit largest 10.5inches so I didn't get to throw any larger back but would of if i would of had any bigger. Threw some  smaller back. Had the whole lake to my self I guess everybody went to South Dakota that is ok with me.  Thanks Daryl for all you do. My family has had MA perch, BG, Bass, Pike to 41.5, Catfish to 34 This year through the ice and a few years ago I caught a  47 inch musky. Why would I want to go to South Dakota!

[ClearCreek]

I've got two things for you belly achers and sour puss's. It's my middle fingers.  Sorry your not going to get any "professionalism" from me either.. If you don't have anything positive to say or logical solutions. Shut your fish trap. It seems to me like your fishing skills are lacking.. Or you have other problems in your life??? Hell I don't know??  But I can tell you one thing. I love my state of Nebraska! You all need to shut your mouth and go fish. I'm leaving at 5 am for one of my favorite places on earth. The Valentine refuge! And you know what's going to happen to the biggest perch and bluegills I catch??!!!? There getting a photo taken put back down the hole!!!

And far as the, "Baloney" comment!! You guys are little girls if that bothers you! Lmao... Grow up. If I was Daryl I would of had already lost it, said way worse and been done with Ice Shanty, Nefga, and social media because of low blows and morons...   

My grandpa passed away a few months ago. And one of the the things that sticks in my mind that he said to me a long time ago fishing was," The best things in life are free".. You all need to get out enjoy a sunrise, sunset, a child's laugh, big catch, or a flock of geese flying over. Anything.

Goodnight I've got Jumbo Perch and big bluegills to catch in the morning. In Nebraska!!!!!

I could not have said it any better!!

ClearCreek

[jthod]

This is nothing against you, Nate, but I am glad you brought up Prairie Queen.

Prairie Queen, Kramper, Summit.....they were all built by NRD's, not the Game, and Parks Department of Nebraska.  But the Ne Game and Parks (interesting that there is no FISH in that name?) is more than happy to take credit for the success of those reservoirs, but if you take issue with litter or noise at the campground they are the first to send you to the NRD headquarters.  Oh, and if you buy a Ne Game and Parks park sticker that's great, they will take your money happily, but if not don't worry, nobody is enforcing it at NRD/NGFP parks anyway.  I'm sure that is the NRD's fault, too somehow.

I'm glad you brought up the (lack of) enforcement in this state.

I fished 20 Nebraska public bodies of water this past year, all around the state, almost all on weekend.  Somewhere around 60-70 days on the water.  I had THREE interactions with law enforcement, two of which were a Federal Warden at the Valentine Refuge, the other was a Nebraska CO at Summit. 

In 4 trips to SD last year, a total of 15 days on lakes.  I was checked SIX times.

In 10 trips to KS, only 4 lakes, I was checked 3 times.

 

[whitetips]

Just remember that 50% of the brain surgeons graduated at the bottom of their class.  Are they, too, experts?

Nothing wrong with asking questions.  To be dismissed by the 'brain surgeons' with the term, 'baloney', gets annoying and isn't all that impressive.

Just my opinion, which would get you barred and banned from certain forums and yet they take my money for every single tag, license, and day permit that I purchase.

Sorry, but I spend one heck of a lot of time dealing with misinformation.  When I see it, I am going to call it.

Daryl B.

[whitetips]

Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions.  For now.  My only comment, is a result of having just come from the glacial lakes.  Everywhere we dropped a camera, for 3 days, freshwater shrimp were in abundance.  Lacking that type of forage base, and the habitat to reproduce,  I don't believe we can ever support a perch fishery like the glacial lakes region. The glacial lakes are the perfect storm for perch production. 

If we wanted jumbo perch, we could set the limit to say, 3 perch per day, then we would catch some limits of jumbos in 4-5 years. 

It is pretty much the same reason we only harvest 1 bighorn sheep every few years.  We don't have the habitat to support sustained pressure and that habitat exists in few areas of the state.

Let me say something about the "freshwater shrimp".  What you are actually referring to are not shrimp at all but amphipods or commonly called "scuds".  Nebraska waters have the same scuds as they have in SoDakota.  The scuds or amphipods are present in just about every body of water, but you will see highest densities in waterbodies with clean water and usually at least some aquatic vegetation.

We do have that in some Nebraska waters, we do have some incredibly productive fisheries, for example our sandhill lakes, that produce yellow perch every bit as well as any body of water in SoDakota.  The biggest difference is that we do not have as many of those waters or waterbodies like that as large as what they have in SoDakota.  I wish we did, but I cannot change that.

Daryl B.

[whitetips]

My biggest complaint about Nebraska fisheries is that the game and parks does not put in any structure.  I love how you can travel down to Kansas to a brand new lake you never fished an have a great time catching large numbers of fish and good sized fish.  How can that be?  It is because Kansas game and parks actually puts in structure and posts the GPS coordinates of the structure on their lakes websites.  And here is something that is such a shocker.  Every few years as the structures (i.e. cedars much of the time) decline, they add more trees.  The trees bring in bait fish which brings along the fish.  Oh and by the way, the trees provide a great place for the fish to spawn.  This concept is just so simple and it is why when you head down to the Kansas lakes most of the fisherman are from Nebraska.  Oh by the way, the more Nebraska fisherman that they bring to Kansas means more dollars for the state to continue to update their fisheries.  I would have to think that if Nebraska did something similar it would attract outside dollars and provide for much better fisheries.  What do I know though?

What is "structure"?

What you are taking about are things like brushpile FISH ATTRACTORS.  What those brushpiles and similar cover objects really do is attract fish making them easier for anglers to find and catch.  Unless you add a darned lot of brushpiles you do very little to actually improve fish populations and productivity.

Milford Reservoir in Kansas is over 16,000 acres in size.  How many acres of brushpiles would you have to add to actually produce a measurable increase the numbers of fish?  To add brushpiles over just 10% of Milford Reservoir would be 1600 acres of brushpiles and even that may not be enough to actually improve fish populations.

However, if you want to add more brushpile fish attractors to Nebraska waters, we do some of that work often in conjunction with volunteer help from anglers.  If you are interested in doing that on your favorite body of water, contact your regional fisheries supervisor and see if you can get something going.  Those projects are usually done during the winter, on the ice.  You can find contact information for all of our regional fisheries supervisors in the front of the Fishing Guide, http://digital.outdoornebraska.gov/i/621072-fishing-guide-2016.

Our Aquatic Habitat Program is the first of its kind in the country, http://outdoornebraska.gov/aquatichabitatprogram/.  We could have taken the angler dollars in that program and run around the state putting a variety of fish attractors in our waterbodies.  We have done some of that, but we believe a much better investment of our Aquatic Habitat dollars comes from assisting in the construction of new reservoirs and the rehabilitation of aged reservoirs to reduce shoreline erosion and sedimentation so that we have better water quality which will result in more aquatic vegetation which is some of the best fish habitat you can have.  With that our fish populations will respond and the fishing will be improved, in some cases much improved.

By the way, we entertained a bunch of pointy-headed fish biologists from Kansas for a couple of days last fall.  They were up here to learn more about our Aquatic Habitat Program.

Daryl B.