MyFishFinder.com Just like iceshanty but warmer
Actually enjoy hearing how poor the fishing is up there, because that means empty parking lots!
More B.S from the state and feds that try to run things. I have fished on the Valentine refuge for 45 yrs and I know a lot of GP people and feds that work up there and thru the years. I was the on pelican when SDSU was shocking bluegills to take back to there state10 or 12 yrs ago.I was on hackberry when 4 yrs ago when the state was shocking fish to put in blue lake and was told by the bioligists that thats where the were going.What about the dumb ass fed biologistyears ago that put the 28 inch and under limit on pike and he was gone the next year.Before all the lakes up there had a huge amount of trophy pike now you are lucky to see one.Drought my ass they the feds purposly pulled the boards this fall to drain those lakes I was there this weekend and they finally put some boards in they are 2 o 3 short from the top but Dewey at the east end is a pathitic mud hole at best.Why cut all the trees down?
Daryl since you work at the NE GP what is going to happen to big Alkali are the cabins coming out who is going to run it now that Andy is gone? To me the state has screwed up every good lake in this state. You shock fish during the spawn that has to have an effect on them. You move fish from great fisheries to lakes back east. The state leases lakes stocks them then advertises them to be over run and then the land owners shut them down. Way to run the game and parks. All it takes is common sense not what taught in college.I can't wait to see how the will continue to mess up Big Mac.
sand billy in the 70s all the lakes were full of huge pike, bass , bluegill , perch, crappie with eyes as big as bottle caps , sacramento perch, trout, flatheads, bullheads , huge snapping turtles, bull frogs, ducks, geese ,swans,any bird that you can imagine. Most are long gone. But now the whole refuge is a mess because of a few people that think they know whats best for something they are not qualified to even be in charge of.They are always renovating the lakes up there to get rid of the carp and they never will it is a waste of money they did Hackberry and said all the carp and pike were gone last spring I caught a 12 pound pike and 2 carp over 15 on worms for perch. Pike and carp will survive most rotenone kills.So tak`e it for what you will but the state and feds are full of s$%# they have federal funds to spend and thats what they do they will never get rid of carp they were introduced into the American water ways by the govt in the 1800s to feed the masses and the are here to stay.
I am with ryno and phish on this one as well, I know that I have been told by biolagists that all lakes in nebraska are put and take fisheries, they simply are expected to stock them so that they can be harvested. If this is the case they are lacking doing so in some or one off the most desirable places to fish in our state . If you look at all the stocking reports it seems as though the more populated eastern half of the state receives most of this attention yet these guys from down there would prefer to drive five hours to come out here. There was an individule that renovated and or stocked several lakes out west here 5 to 7 years ago and are allready getting pounded out in a short period of time. I would like an explanation on these things here , are the vnwr lakes in a cycle where its not been there turn to be stocked ? are there not enough fish to put in these lakes ? are they simply spending to much money on needless things such as docks and boat ramps and smooth roads ? ( seems to me that we did just fine with out those things back in the day ) are we going to have nice bathrooms in the near future ? If so who will be there to use these things if you cant catch fish there ?Please feel free to comment Daryl, or who ever may have the answer's to these questions .
Personally I would rather see a complete renovation of several refuge lakes than a one lake at a time approach that allows carp to travel between water bodies during periods of high water. Maybe the feds manipulating water levels might have something to do with preventing carp movement in the future. That would be a good thing for all of us.
The thought of C & R or slot limits is putting a smile on my face. I've been to the refuge lakes 8 times this winter. I go to get away from work, phones and computers. I like to catch big fish. I don't care to bring any home to eat. I prefer the taste of beef. I enjoy supporting our ranchers and farmers. I was there from first ice and there 1 week ago. During 5 of those trips I witnessed the same group of people (5 or 6) catching their limits of bluegill once or twice a day. I think that we are in a sad state of affairs if that is our attitude toward such a precious fishing resource. I really question their respect and integrity towards the sport of fishing. I've fished the refuge lakes for the past 45 years. My fishing has been as good as ever during the past 3 years. It seems to me that the more fish I release the more I catch. A successful fishing trip isn't measured by numbers as much as by the quality of just one good fish. Pictures last a lifetime. Great discussion here. I like what I'm hearing.jscott
How many other lakes on the refuge hold fish that we are not allowed to access? There has to be a few. I wonder what it would be like if they would open up some of those other lakes to fishing and shut down other lakes for a couple years to get the pressure off them. Just cycle in and out lakes on a rotation. Shut down Pelican for 3 years, bring a new lake in and go through the list cycling in and out lakes. Just an idea. I still love going up there, it's still great fishing, and you can't beat them time you GET to spend with your family doing things you love together.
Thanks for the feedback Daryl and PLEASE KEEP PUSHING FOR THAT!! Even if it was just for ice fishing that would be great.
Like I mentioned before I really hope to see them switch a couple to trophy fisheries but before that happens I guess I will wish for heavy spring rains.
Save up and buy your own lake. Or long term lease.
Personally I have never caught a pike of any size with a carp in its belly, I've caught them with pocket gophers , snapping turtles ,black birds , perch , bluegill,snakes,grasshoppers,but never a carp. So what ever sdsu is using is B.S
O wait there are no huge pike there never mind.
When we loaded up they the sdsu had transport trucks at the west ramp full of pan fish.so dont give me the B.S.
Ferg still own Rat and Beaver?
Next time Daryl I will get name and photos for you.The board were pulled this fall at Dewey all the lakes drain thru there to Ballards marsh. Personally I have never caught a pike of any size with a carp in its belly, I've caught them with pocket gophers , snapping turtles ,black birds , perch , bluegill,snakes,grasshoppers,but never a carp. So what ever sdsu is using is B.S you cannot find any where on any lake that a 28 inch limit has worked. Look at merit O wait there are no huge pike there never mind.We were on pelican fishing and followed the shock boats so we left because the fish dont bite when they are being shocked. When we loaded up they the sdsu had transport trucks at the west ramp full of pan fish.so dont give me the B.S. I thought the G.P were in charge of Big Akili so they should know who is going to run it or when its torn down.
Anyone want to go in on buying Middle Marsh Lake (cherry co) with me? I believe I can take that lake unsuitable for fish and make it the trophy lake we all want. May have to tap into groundwater to make sure it doesn't get too low.
I am pretty sure the State has obtained the lake and a small portion of the land for a boat ramp. Original owners are out of the picture. It is scheduled for chemical renovation Sept 2013 as far as I've heard.
Ok Daryl most of the lakes on the refuge are fin lakes supplied from under ground or seepage.Gordon creek feeds partly to watts and hackberry that in turn feeds to dewey,whitewater feeds into dewey from the souththen dewey goes into clear to willow then north to schlagel creek past trout and red deer lake splits to ballards to the east and north to Big Alkali mule then east to bens lake and noth to the Niobrara.Plenty of places for carp to infest
Ok Daryl when water levels are high the carp move around.But we spend millions in tax payer money to remove these carp for how many years? How many lakes and how many times have they have been renovated. And they are never removed might as well throw the money down a hole . But when they the feds pull the boards out at Dewey in the middle of a huge drought in turn drains most of the lakes on the refuge it shows how common sense and the goverment work so well and shows any one can be a fisheries or a bird bioloigist for the state of Nebraska or the federal goverment.
You might want to sit down for this. . . . the reality is we will never get rid of all the common carp. Unless you invent a time machine and we go back over a hundred years and prevent the introduction of common carp to North America, we will never get rid of them. Furthermore, we completely expect that when we do some rotenone renovations that the common carp will eventually re-invade. Does that mean those fisheries management activities are a waste of time and money? Does that mean we are throwing money down a hole? NO, NOT AT ALL. We are managing carp populations, and when we do a rotenone renovation, even if the common carp eventually re-invade, we will produce several years of improved water quality, improved habitat conditions, improved fish populations and improved fishing. That ain't throwing money down a hole.I have told you that water levels on the Valentine Refuge lakes were manipulated this summer in order to do boat ramp work on several of the lakes. The ramps on those lakes are now better than ever. But the biggest reason water levels are low right now is that 2012 was one of the driest single years we have ever had. We have not control over the weather.What do you do for a living? How often are you told that you should be fired or that you are worthless in your job? It happens to me several times a week. Thank you.Daryl BauerFisheries Outreach Program ManagerNebraska Game & Parks Commission[email protected]http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/blogs/category/barbs-and-backlashes//
I hope you're aware that there are (and I'm guessing probably 100 or more to 1) a lot of people in this state and in the fishing community in particular that appreciate your work (and that of other NGPC fisheries staff). You have a gift for clear communication and teaching that is uncommon, you have a contagious enthusiasm for all things outdoors, and your writing (to say nothing of other things you do, which I'm sure are also very valuable) certainly has helped many an angler, both in and out of Nebraska. I for one have gotten my kids out fishing a lot more often in a lot more seasons (and had more success too), encouraged by some of the pieces you've written.OK - back to the Refuge Lakes...Nate