Dr. Herbert B. Kennedy was appointed to the Game Commission by Governor Val Peterson to serve a five year term. Dr. Kennedy is a resident of Omaha, where he has served as Medical Director of the Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Company.

A hunting and fishing enthusiast, he has made a practice of maintaining an active interest in wildlife management and conservation. He is a veteran of World War I, having served 18 months in the rank of Lieutenant and Captain with the Medical Corps in England, Belgium and France. A native of Georgia, Dr. Kennedy practiced medicine at Atlanta for 15 years and served as an instructor of medicine at Emory University. Georgia bass and quail stimulated his interest in fish and game with their conservation problems, an interest which he 'brought with him to Nebraska.

In addition to his regular duties and responsibilities as a Commissioner, Dr. Kennedy is giving special attention to the Division of Lands and Waters.

Mr. Ernest Bihler retired from the Game Commission with the expiration of his term on January 15, 1947, having served the sportsmen of Nebraska from 1943 to that date. Mr. Bihler was appointed to the commission by former Governor Dwight Griswold to fill out the unexpired term of Arthur Storz, Omaha. Mr. Bihler is a professional photographer, and owns a well established photographic business in Omaha. A well-known gunhandler, Bihler is one of the state's top skeet and trap shooters, and has won a number of honors in this field. During his last year as a member of the Commission Mr. Bihler served as chairman.

He has always been keenly interested in hunting and fishing, an interest which may be expected to be actively maintained through his participation in conservation work. Mr. Bihler was secretary of the Nebraska Wildlife Federation from 1936 to 1941, and president of that organization in 1941.

PROPAGATION of CATFISH

Artificial propagation of channel and blue catfish has been studied and practiced for many years c.t the Gretna State Fish Hatchery. Our experiments have proven successful. Pondfish cultural practice is followed until the eggs have been deposited. Earth pondr are used tor holding catfish spawners. Brood ponds are left dry during the winter sc the pond can be cleansed by the sun, wind, and freezing throughout the winter. In the spring, nests are placed along the embankment and shallow parts of the ponds, preferably ten feet apart. Earthware crocks ten inches in diameter and two feet long have been used. It was found, however, through experiment, that empty nail kegs placed on their sides were more satisfactory and less expensive. Two inches of concrete placed in the bottom side of the keg will keep it from floating. A wire handle attached to reach above the water enables one to raise the nests while collecting eggs. About two quarts of sand are placed in each keg; the sand aids the male fish in cleaning the keg of sediment in preparation for receiving the eggs, and also prevents the eggs from clinging to the concrete bottom.' When the water temperature rises to about seventy degrees, the ponds are filled with river water, the natural water environment for this kind of fish.

We have learned that fresh-trapped spawners give us better results than brood stock held over from year to year. After the brood fish have spawned they are stocked in suitable streams in the state and replaced the following spring by fish trapped from the Missouri River. Apparently the held-over spawners do not find hatchery pond environment suitable to producing an abundance.of fertile eggs.

The catfish is normally a fish preferring running water. It has been found essential to exercise the brood fish even after introducing them into brood ponds. To condition them for spawning, a current of river water is pumped through the ponds during breeding time. The brood fish are carefully selected. Smooth, oily looking fish of good health, and weighing from two to ten pounds are selected, and are well fed up to spawning time. .

To prevent the presence of infertile fish among the brooders, and to insure an equal number of males and females, it is necessary to inspect each prospective brooder to determine sex and. fecundity. This is done by a careful examination of the reproductive openings.

During mating time the fish carry on a courtship wherein the male stays close to the female. This activity may last for one or two weeks after the spawners are placed in the ponds. All through this period, however, the male carries on his work of cleaning the keg. Occasionally he seems to invite the female to inspect the nest. When the female finally approves the cleanliness of the nest, she swims out of the keg, rises lightly to the top of the water, fills herself with air, then swims back into the keg. She inhales the air in order to be able to exert pressure during the passage of her eggs. The male, using his teeth, breaks the gelatin in the reproductive vent of the female. She then begins the passage of her eggs. When she has passed a layer of eggs inside the keg, the male pushes her aside and begins the process of fertilization by depositing sperm over the eggs. When he has fertilized the first layer, the female returns and deposits another layer, This process is repeated until the female has laid all her eggs. As the eggs are deposited and impregnated with sperm, they   Outdoor Nebraska—Spring, 1947 5 form an oval glutinous mass, adhering to each other and to the sand in the bottom of the keg. The eggs are of a golden color. After the female has finished laying her spawn the male becomes the sole protector of the nest. He does not even permit the female to re-enter the keg where he is tending the spawn by "fanning" the eggs and circulating the water. These eggs will hatch in the keg, but not as efficiently as by our artificial propagation method.

In artificial propagation, catfish spawn is collected twice daily, at eight o'clock in the morning and at four in the afternoon. Most of the spawn is obtained in the morning. The removal of the eggs may be accomplished by raising the top of the keg to the surface of the water, then gently releasing the egg mass from the sand by inserting the fingers through the lower side of the keg. The egg mass is transferred into a large pan of water at pond temperature. This transfer must be made with the greatest care to expose the eggs to as little air and sunlight as possible. These masses of eggs are immediately taken to the hatching troughs where they are slowly tempered-in to the temperature of river water. River water is essential to successful hatching, but usually differs slightly in temperature from pond water. We get best results in water of a temoerature of seventy-five to eighty degrees Fahrenheit.

Our hatching battery consists of two troughs, ten inches wide, ten inches deep, and sixteen feet long, set six inches apart. Paddles are set in the troughs, sixteen inches apart. Then a screen basket, into which the eggs are placed, is hung between each two paddles so that the bottom of the • basket is about two inches above the bottom of the trough. The paddles oscillate slowly back and forth, thus fanning the eggs, aerating and circulating the water. With a current of water running through the troughs, this agitation simulates the activities of the male on the nest. Then the masses of eggs are gradually brought to the right temperature. As the eggs hatch, the fry work through the screen basket to the bottom of the trough, leaving the adhering matrix in the basket to be thrown out. The average weight of a spawn is about nine ounces. The eggs run about seven hundred per ounce. If any infertile eggs appear in the spawn during the hatching period, they are picked off daily with tweezers. The eggs hatch in from seven to nine days at eighty degrees temperature. On about the fifth day, the eggs show little black specks. This is called the eye stage. In another two or three days the eggs hatch into golden-colored fry with a yolk sac which clings to them for three more days. When the yolk sac begins to disappear, the fry may be transferred to the feeding troughs and are ready to be fed.

The catfish fry are best reared in troughs because of the necessity for protection and cleanliness. As they grow, their golden color changes to cream, then to the final grayish-blue within two weeks time. The fry have barbs from birth, sharp as needles. Therefore, they should not be bunched closely together as their barbs can easily pierce the skin of the other fish. The fry are transferred to feeding troughs by rubber or glass tubes and dipped up by a small dip net covered with fine netting. The troughs and fish are kept scrupulously clean.

The fry are fed twice daily and the unconsumed food on the bottom of the trough is siphoned off once daily. No food should be allowed to collect on the bottom of troughs. All excess is removed freguently enough to prevent the water from becoming polluted. Food consists of beef livers and melts, dried skim milk, white fish meal, cottonseed meal, and wheat flour middlings. Food must be ground fine enough for fish to take readily, then screened and passed through a colander.

The food is ground according to the size of the fish and as they grow older their diet is gradually changed. This change is from seventy-five percent meat and twenty-five percent cereal at the fry size, to twenty-five percent meat and seventy-five percent cereals at fingerling size.

Catfish fry are reared in feeding troughs where an abundance of river water is available. Careful consideration of the amount of water running to each trough has to be taken to exercise and aerate the fish. Troughs provide an ideal means of hatching eggs and holding the fry, but after the fish begin feeding, other factors must be taken into consideration. In the first place, the rapidly growing fish constantly require additional space if they are to be kept in vigorous condition. The number of fish that can be held in a trough without detriment to their growth or health will depend, of course, primarily on their size and on the volume and temperature of the water.

At the age of six weeks the young fish are transferred from troughs to screen holding-pens in the rearing ponds. These pens are six feet long, four feet wide, and three feet deep, and made of one-eighth inch wire mesh. They hold from ten to fifteen thousand fish which are confined for four weeks, with a current of river water running directly into each pen. Feeding is carried on in the same manner as in the troughs. When the fish are ten weeks old, each rearing pond is cleaned thoroughly and left to dry a few days before refilling with water. From then on the catfish are given free range of the rearing ponds. It is necessary to inspect the ponds frequently for cleanliness and. enemies of the young fish. Enemies are: crayfish, turtles, snakes, water tiger beetles, and the dragon fly. By holding the fish from fry to fingerling stage in troughs and pens, it gets them through the most critical stage of their life, protected until they are able to keep away from their enemies. The dragon fly will kill young catfish up to two inches long, eating them all but the head. The water tiger beetle paralyzes the young fish by stinging them, then sucks the juice or life out of the fish. The crayfish lies in his hole waiting for the fish to come in, then catches and eats them. Since using these holding-pens for rearing catfish fry to the ten week stage, protected from enemies, we have increased production about ten percent. I have collected as much as one gallon of dragon flies and water tiger beetles in cleaning one eighty by eighty foot pond. When these enemies are present in the rearing ponds they will destroy an average of five fish per day each.

Careful examination of the fish is made to guard against diseases, since catfish seem more susceptible than many other fish to what is commonly called white spot and gill disease. Whenever the catfish suddenly stop taking food, and show loss of pep, they are examined at once for the possible presence of gill disease. If this parasite is present, the gills will be swollen, coated with mucus, and have a deeper red color than usual. On the first appearance of this disease, the fish are dipped in one of the following solutions: 1:2,00 solution of copper sulphate, a five percent alum sulphate solution, or a four percent vinegar and one percent salt solution. The vinegar and salt solutions give us very good results and are very economical. In the early stages of white spot disease, the infected catfish usually rub against the sides and bottom of troughs. In late stages the fish become sluggish and lie around the edges of the pond. By examining the fish we find small, grayish-white swellings or elevations on the body and fins. The catfish should be dipped in one of the following solutions: 1:500 solution of acetic acid, 1:4,000 solution formalin, or a three percent salt solution. A few of the parasites usually survive, so the treatment must be repeated at frequent intervals until the disease is under control. Removing the fish from ponds, then cleaning the ponds thoroughly, is a very good preventive measure. It is necessary to use river water in troughs and rearing ponds. By this practice we are very seldom annoyed with white spot disease. But as soon as we divert any spring water to where we rear catfish, this disease breaks out immediately.

Propagation of blue catfish is the same as that of channel catfish. The blue catfish are, however, more easily frightened and are more suspicious of hew surroundings. In contrast with the channel catfish, the blue catfish prefer to spawn in nests hidden in the banks of the pond rather than in nail kegs.

RESERVOIR SCRAPPERS

I had heard about the crappie fishing in some of the reservoirs between Lexington and Lewellyn, but by the time stories like that reach the Lincoln office they usually have . been exaggerated beyond all resemblance of fact. I hadn't had any good fishing since the summer of 1942 before going into the army, and these stories of limit catches of 16-inch crappies in twenty minutes' time made me realize that you can inhibit a desire to get out with a flyrod for only so long.

I was getting the fishing fever pretty bad. The early part of the summer had been sweated away in the office, and every morning I found myself scanning the mail for some piece of business to be taken care of out in the crappie territory. The chance finally came with a call to spend a few days with the boys at the Curtis Agriculture School's Boy's Ranch. Curtis is only a few miles from North Platte, and North Platte is next door to a couple of "hot" reservoirs as far as crappies and pike are concerned.

As is usual, when I go fishing, the weather was not favorable, and naturally my arrival at North Platte was timed to coincide with a lull in biting. Where there had been crowds of hundreds of fishermen pulling in big crappies, there were only a few scattered anglers taking a small one now and then.

Lee Jensen, Conservation Officer from North Platte, had been telling me about the crappie fishing in his area, and when he learned that I was out that way he made arrangements to get me out to a spot where I could get both crappies and pictures.

Levi Mohler and Hube Howard waited with me at the Sutherland Reservoir dam while Jensen got his boat into the water at' another part of the reservoir and came . over to pick us up. It was getting toward the hot part of the day, around eleven o'clock. I was beginning to have visions of a painful sunburn and being skunked as far as fishing was concerned when Jensen finally came putting around the corner of the channel with the outboard. That was at 11:05 a. m.

By high noon I was out of! the" boat again with a limit catch of fifteen fat crappies ranging from 14 to 16 inches long. That was fast fishing when you consider that we spent half of that hour getting over to where the crappies were biting.

Trolling for crappies is something I would have marked down as pure hooey a year ago. But we had no more than baited up with live minnows on a small spinner and tossed out 15 feet of line when Howard got the first .strike. I think that the forward motion of the boat might have added to the tug on the rod, because his split bamboo nearly bent double. A second later the crappie broke "water and stood up on his tail like a loco trout. I was yelling at Hube to hold him when I felt a good healthy tug on my own rod, and I set the hook into

[image]

Officer Lee Jensen holds author's catch. Mohler, seated, still had several more to go for limit catch.

  8 Outdoor Nebraska—Spring, 1947 a beauty. Until that fish (he measured 16 inches) was flopping in the bottom of the boat I entertained a secret hope that it was a bass or a big brown trout. Brother, that was fishing!

I think Jensen got as much kick, if possible, as I did out of bringing those crappies in. I'll admit I did get a little excited, but when you have only dreamed about fishing for over three years, and then find, yourself pulling them in as fast as you can grab a minnow out of the bait bucket. . . .

One after another Mohler, Howard, and I pulled in crappies. I could have gotten some nice action shots on the fish breaking water, but didn't even think about it until after the fun was over. Jensen sat in the back of the boat idling the motor and steering back and forth across the crappie bed. Each pass over the spot was good for at least one strike apiece.

Because he lives in the center of the state's best pan-fish and pike fishing, Hube was not so eager as Levi and I to get crappies fast. He began changing baits just to see how many different combinations they would take. Although a small silvery spinner and a live minnow worked best, Hube got crappies on black gnat, pork rind, daredevils, spoon hooks, and an array of bass plugs. The crappies hit slower on these, but they hit.

I think I understand a little about how a game-hog feels, sometimes. I wanted to keep on fishing as long as they would bite, even hoped that the fifteenth fish would get loose so I could hook another. Not very good ethics, with a game warden sitting in the boat with me. With number 15 on the stringer, a few minutes later found me standing ashore admiring my catch and wondering how an hour could have passed so quickly. They don't at my desk.

While our trolling was going on, a party of six people fishing along the beach near the crappie beds were catching crappies at about the same rate we had been getting them. Fishing like that has to be experienced to be appreciated. It was hard to sit there on the beach with my bare feet in the cool water and realize that a few years before there had been nothing in the landscape but short grass, soapweed, and cactus.

Fifteen crappies from 14 to 16 inches long make a nice stock of food for anybody's ice box. Mohler and I had to drive back to Lincoln that night, so we picked up a cake of ice and iced down our catch. Although the day was very warm, the fish kept nicely. By midnight I was out in the back yard dressing the fish for the table. Reservoir crappies are delicious. My wife still likes them, even though I insisted on having them at least two meals a day until they were gone.

Scaling heavy scaled fish such as bass, crappies, bluegills, and carp, can be made very easy by scalding the fish. Have a deep pan of boiling hot water ready. Bigger fish will require a larger pan. Pick up the fish by gripping the thumb and forefinger in the eye cavities, and dunk them into the hot water. As soon as the mucus coating over the scales turns a gray color the scales are ready to slip off. Too much dunking will loosen the skin, so be careful until you get the knack of timing.

Once scalded, the scales may be wiped off with a coarse cloth, or rubbed off by hand. If the fish is immersed in a bucket of cool water while the scales are wiped off, the scales will settle into the bottom of the bucket and are easily disposed of.

When fish are dressed for the table, and you want to keep them for future reference, pack them in paper ice cream containers and pour in enough water to fill the container. They may now be frozen for an indefinite period. The ice formed around the fish will prevent any dehydration. You'll be surprised at how well this works.

WE STILL NEED ANSWERS TO: NEBRASKA'S FISH QUESTIONS

The necessity for getting more definite answers to some of Nebraska's fishery problems has been brought forcibly to the attention of the Fish and Game Commissioners during the past year. The tremendous increase in fishing pressure, the rapid change in physical conditions of our lakes and streams, and the increased interest of fishermen in fishery problems, demand that the Commission do everything possible to get more definite data for making a better program for good management of our fisheries.

FISHING PRESSURE: There has been a gradual increase in resident fishing permit scales since 1944. However, the largest increase has been from non-resident fishermen. Revenue from non-resident fishing permits during the last four years has increased almost 400%. All areas have had some increased pressure, although the largest concentration of fishermen has been around the larger reservoirs from Lexington to Ogallala.

CHANGES IN RIVERS AND STREAMS: Physical changes in our waters are occurring so fast it is difficult to see clearly how they will effect fishing. The construction of many new impoundments under the Missouri River Basin Plan will create many new fishing waters. From experience with existing reservoirs, many of these should provide excellent fishing for several years but we believe good fishing will gradually decrease as they get older.

The many dams being placed in our streams and the straightening of the Missouri River and its tributaries will eventually have a very bad effect on channel catfish production. Straightening of streams usually destroys natural spawning areas of the catfish and dams prohibit migration up stream to suitable spawning areas. A program was started several years ago of trapping catfish from the Missouri River and transferring them to waters above the upper-most dams. This has shown good results. However, it is getting more difficult each year to trap catfish from the river. Commercial Fishermens' and our Seining Crew reports indicated that the catfish run was very poor during 1946. We hope this was an "off" year but it does not look encouraging.

Silting of lakes, especially reservoirs, seems to be increasing. This, of course, is both directly and indirectly harmful to   10 Outdoor Nebraska—Spring, 1947 fish life as it is harmful to eggs during the spawning season and while gradually decreasing the water area in a lake; it also covers much of the food supply and makes it impossible for food producing plants and insects to thrive. Where considerable silt is present, bass, trout and sunfishes ordinarily leave or disappear and fish like white crappie, catfish, bullheads or carp take their place. This has proven true in the Platte Valley Reservoirs where the bass and bluegill have decreased and crappie, carp, walleye and northern pike, and catfish have increased.

WHAT IS RESEARCH DOING? With so many unanswered questions on fishery problems coming up, the Commission decided to start a fishery research crew to get more information. A great amount of valuable information is received from our Seining Crew and Conservation Officers on conditions of waters over the State. However, much more information is needed and requires a full time crew for this purpose.

Dr. Walter Kiener was transferred from the Pittman-Robertson Division to the Fisheries Division of the Department in July, 1946, to start work on some of our fisheries problems. Dr. Kiener is a University of Nebraska graduate and received his A.B., M.S., and Ph.D., degrees there. He specialized in ecology which gives him an excellent background for fisheries work of this kind.

Considerable time was needed to get equipment, construct a laboratory, and to collect necessary chemicals and testing apparatus for testing oxygen content in water, carbon dioxide, alkalinity, etc. Three college students were hired to help in making tests and collecting other data during the remainder of the summer.

About half of Dr. Kiener's time was spent in, what we call, trouble-shooting, making inspections of waters where fish were dying or where disease had affected the fish. Due to the large demand for special investigations of waters over the state, only thirty other lakes were tested and inspected but complete tests could not be made due to the short time remaining in the season. Information was obtained on temperatures, oxygen content, alkalinity, carbon dioxide, and chemical analysis of the water was made. Scales, stomach contents, length, weight and species of fish were recorded on as many fish as could be checked from fishermen. Scale samples and other information was also taken when the Seining Crew was removing rough fish from lakes and reservoirs. The Seining Crew has started a program of tagging game fish caught in their nets before releasing them again into the water. Sportsmen catching a fish with a metal tag on its tail or fin should send the tag to us with information including kind, length and weight Cjf the fish; where caught, and a sample of their scales. From this information we can determine the growth rate in that particular lake and also determine whether or not the fish that we know are in the lakes are being caught.

Plans are being made to work out more suitable stocking ratios in farm ponds as1 well as in larger artificiai lakes. Experiments on fertilization will be continued by both our research crew and fish hatcheries. All information obtained will be summarized and used immediately in helping to formulate management plans for stocking and in settinq our fishing regulations.

FARM PONDS: Farm ponds, large and small, are being built by the hundreds in Nebraska. The primary purpose of these ponds, of course, is to stop erosion of the soil on the owner's property. As more of these ponds are built and other soil saving methods are used by the land owner, results will eventually be seen in clearing up the waters of our many small streams and large rivers. This in turn will benefit fish life.

Many of these farm ponds will make excellent fishing lakes and most of them have been stocked with fish either by the State or by the Federal Government. Nebraska laws prohibit the use of state fish in stocking private ponds unless the land owner agrees to leave it open to public fishing without cost to the fisherman. Many farmers agree to do this as they realize it is necessary to keep fishing a lake to remove a big percent of the larger fish in order to make room for the small fish that are produced each year. A good farmer will manage his pond as he manages his pasture. Not all farm ponds are suitab' i for fish since many of them do not ho. /e suitable water supply and either dry up in the late summer of get so low they freeze out in the winter. Ponds that are not protected against stock wading over the entire shore line will become   Outdoor Nebraska—Spring, 1947 11 muddy with silt and unsuitable for fish. Water gaps for stock should be provided at one or two .places in each pond and the rest fenced out, or better, the entire pond fenced out and water supplied for the stock by a pipe through the dam. Waterways above the pond should be grassed over in order to keep the in-coming water as clean as possible. The Fish and Wildlife Service has prepared literature . on Construction and Management of Farm Ponds. Anyone interested in receiving copies of farm pond literature can write to them directly at Merchandise Mart, Chicago 54, Illinois, or write to this office.

ARE HATCHERIES NECESSARY? Many new ponds and lakes are being built each year which means it is necessary to produce hatchery fish for the initial stocking.

A great number of our lakes do not provide suitable spawning conditions for some species of fish. However, fish thrive in them after they are introduced and fish must be stocked from time to time to keep up the supply. We have reason to believe that there is some natural reproduction of trout in some of our streams but not enough to provide good fishing for the large number of trout fishermen in northern and western Nebraska.

Walleye pike do not seem to reproduce to any great extent in our large reservoirs, but we know they do especially well after being stocked there. By scale sampling we find that walleyes stocked in July, 1946, only three to four inches long, were fourteen inches in length in February, 1947, and many,have been taken by our Seining Crew while seining for carp and also some by fishermen. Northern pike, on the other hand, are reproducing either in the reservoirs or canals, as small ones are seined each year in salvage operations. The last stocking of northerns was made in Sutherland Reservoir in 1937 and natural reproduction seems to be keeping up the supply so that it is not necessary to raise northerns in our hatcheries at the present time.

There are quite a number of small lakes; especially in the eastern part of the State, that are very heavily fished and do not have suitable spawning areas. In these lakes the pressure is so heavy the fish do not have a chance to grow to a usable size. We have been trying to hold enough fish each year at some of our hatcheries to have at least one or two-year-old fish for stocking this type of lake. This, of course, requires more pond area and until more ponds are provided this cannot be done on a large scale. More of our present ponds are being used for this purpose as we are having better results by stocking these larger fish. The application system of stocking lakes and streams is still in use and must necessarily be continued on waters owned by private parties. However, we are trying to eliminate this system as much as possible on state-owned waters. By collecting information as to the natural repropuction in these waters we can better determine whether or not the lake can stand more fish or whether we will actually be doing harm by placing more fish in the lake. If the food supply is not adequate for the number of fish already in a lake, the fish will not grow and adding more fish will, of course, make it worse. Whenever possible we thin out the fish in overstocked lakes and plant them in other waters where they will have room to grow.

A great deal of experimental work is carried on at each hatchery on fertilization, artificial foods, diseases, etc., which helps in managing fishing waters over the state.

The above brief outline is a summary of only a few of our many fisheries problems and with the help of the sportsmen we hope to gradually work out these problems and to provide continued good fishing for the people of Nebraska.

Put LIFE in your Dead Fish Pictures

For years the pages of outdoor magazines, including this one, have been filled with pictures of people holding up dead fish with various expressions of sporting pride. Dead fish are all right, especially fried to a crisp brown and served piping hot. But cold, stiff corpses of fish strung on a line are not the best subjects for photography unless they \ are unusually large or are photographed with storytelling emphasis.

Those fish will look just as big spread out on the grass in the foreground, with your fishing companions in the act of dressing them, or just admiring them. You will be surprised and delighted at the effect you will get in the picture, and your friends won't have the "hurry up and snap it" look. You can pose your subjects without getting that "posed" effect by having them go through some simple motions such as picking up a fish, tying on a fly, or getting into a boat. It might be well to have them go through a little rehearsal so that they will be relaxed and you will know when the proper time comes to snap the shutter. Then shoot the picture at a time when they have forgotten the presence of the camera while going through their act.

Notice that neither of the people in figure 1 are facing the camera. The picture shows a dead fish to be sure, but it tells a story. The men are in the boat, almost in the act of fishing. The landing net in the foreground hints of the struggle to land the fish. Neither of the men seems to be conscious of the camera, and the expressions on both faces shows the delight of making a good catch. Taking this shot from a high angle eliminated any distracting background. The center of attraction is the fish, but the making of the picture is the expression of pride on the part of the man holding the fish and the look of sincere admiration on the other.

Now look at figure 2. There isn't a fish to be seen in the picture, yet doesn't it make you want to go fishing? Again the   subject is not looking at the camera. Although the boat is still tied to the pier you get that feeling of anticipation and eagerness so excellently portrayed on the subject's face. The line is just being drawn through the guides on the rod, and the open tackle box with an array of tackle suggests the hopeful selection of a lure that will bring up a big one. Here again is simple composition with a simple background, yet the picture really tells a story.

Action shots such as figures 3 and 4 require a little more technique than the first two pictures. A fast shutter with a wide aperture is required to catch the motion of swift water. Neither of these pictures have dead fish in them, but by telling a fishing story they suggest fat rainbows in the creel or broiling over campfire coals. Both of these pictures were consciously posed, yet the fishermen seem oblivious of the camera.

"Dead fish" pictures can be interesting and tell a story. The title photo is a classic example of this. Conservation Officer Loron Bunney, Ogallala, took this shot of a channel catfish in a unique manner. By placing the fish on a kitchen scale he has accomplished a two-fold objective. The dial on the scale shows more clearly than words could tell that the fish weighed ten and one-half pounds. The length and girth of the fish are obvious by comparison with the size of the scale on which it is placed. The background used was some shrubbery between the sidewalk and a house, but it has been subdued by focusing the lens sharply on the center of attraction.

High priced photographic equipment is nice to have, but some of the finest pictures ever taken were done with a box camera and some intelligent thinking. Remember to keep your subjects from looking posed. Choose a good background that will not interfere with the picture. Above all let your picture tell a story.

REPORT TO NEBRASKA'S SPORTSMEN

1946, while not as successful as it might have been from the hunters' standpoint, did represent one of the top production years for the department. The spring of '46 was most welcome as with it returned most of the department personnel from the service, and at that time, slowly but surely, equipment became available in limited quantities.

The Game, Forestation and Parks Commission employs eighty-six full time employees and maintains one game farm, four fish hatcheries, seven state parks and fifty recreation ground areas. Revenue for all such activities is derived from three major sources. The State Parks income is derived from Legislative appropriation. Monies expended on Fish and Game and Recreation Ground activities are derived from hunting and fishing permit fees, also a small amount comes from Federal funds under the Pittman-Robertson Division of the Fish and Wildlife Service which matches three to one the State money. This Federal allocation is based on the number of hunting permits sold in relation to the size of the State. Federal money so allocated is derived from a Federal excise tax on hunting equipment.

Hunters and fishermen interested in the preservation and development of Nebraska's natural resources will find an enlightening story in the following semi-detailed study of the year's expenditures and production figures.

In 1946 a sum of $29,514.91 was spent in the administrative accounting and of-ice division, including printing and mailing of all kinds of permits to all agents and individuals.

The expenditures of the Commission itself amounted to $1,796.04, including travel expense and per diem for the five Commissioners. Game Commission members are appointed for a five year term by the Governor, with only three from any one political party. They receive no salary.

The sum of $15,608.11 was expended for the Education Division. This division issued and. printed the quarterly publication "Outdoor Nebraska" and all informative bulletins, including fishing and hunting regulations. Pictures were presented and speaking programs given all over the State, and many State and local wildlife exhibits were set up.

The sum of $4,948.80 was sufficient to maintain, as well as improve, the department Supply Depot where all supplies and equipment are received for issuance over the State.. Construction Crewmen and Laboratory Technicians also have proper accommodations at this plant. Considerable carpentry work is carried on under this expenditure.

In 1946, all Law Enforcement activities resulted in an expenditure of $81,490.24, which included new patrol cars and equipment. This expenditure paid dividends in the form of 433,352 miles of patrol work, 442 arrests with 439 convictions. These arrests resulted, financially, in fines of $5,680.00 and costs of $1,642.20 These amounts all are assigned by law to the local county school funds. Liquidated damages of $1,222.00, a confiscated fur sale of $1,806.20 and a confiscated gun sale of $2,670.00 were deposited with the State Treasurer in the Fish and Game Fund. Conservation Officers, in 1946, also   Outdoor Nebraska—Spring, 1947 17 checked and sealed 6,084 beaver, investigated 966 individual public case complaints, gave 216 public talks, salvaged fish in drying ponds too small for attention by the regular Seining Crew, checked 100 fur houses and participated in 12 public highway shakedowns.

The Division of Fisheries spent $3,161.63 on administration of fisheries and all correspondence and problems pertinent there-to.

The sum of $4,211.75 was spent by fishery biologists in making investigations on factors influencing fish growth and reproduction, including chemical water analysis, aging and food studies, as well as shore line planting relationships.

The sum of $633.59 was spent for fish purchase of such items as walleye pike eggs and other types unavailable in the State.

The Salvage and Distribution Crews spent a total of $33,095.87 in transporting fish from hatcheries, salvaging fish and removing rough fish. A total of 10,040 catfish were trapped by this crew in the Missouri for stocking above dams over the State. 2,510,700 fish were saved from waters no longer suitable for fish and placed in proper lakes and streams. 130,731 pounds of rough fish, carp, were seined from Nebraska's lakes and reservoirs and sold to commercial markets for $7,997.79, which amount was placed in the fishery fund.

The Fish Hatchery at Gretna, Nebraska, had a total expenditure of $9,326.69 and produced a total of 105,343 fish of all sizes. Gretna also stocked fish for other hatcheries and provided an ideal picnic area and an interesting aquarium for the public's use. Salvage, investigation and construction work were also among the assignments of this hatchery.

Valentine State Fish Hatchery at Valentine, Nebraska, produced a total of 688,839 fish of all sizes for a total over-all operations expenditure of $11,236.04. This hatchery also stocked 489,421 trout, for the Federal Hatchery at Crawford, Nebraska, and assisted in the transfer of bullheads from other lakes.

Nebraska's newest hatchery at North Platte produced a total of 1,243,736 walleyed pike of all sizes. Total operations at this hatchery, including development of new pond areas, totaled $10,274.43.

Rock Creek Hatchery, near Parks, Nebraska, produced 145,851 fish, 47,850 of which were large trout, one of the hardest , and most expensive fish to propagate. Total operations at this hatchery reached a figure of $16,862.55.

The division of Lands and Waters had a general administrative operations cost of $3,076.56.

The Lakes and Recreation Grounds Crew, or Construction Crew, operating under the above division, had a total expenditure of $56,186.24 which included purchase of several large trucks, trailers and heavy construction equipment. This crew constructed several new buildings and repaired present buildings of the department over the State; placed signs, tables, toilets, etc., on Recreation Grounds; constructed necessary dams, piling and rip-rap on lake areas; maintained many of the recreation areas, and accomplished considerable grading and development work on new reservoir areas.

The Forestry Crew, with a total expenditure of $14,085.53, were furnished with new equipment and planted 2,470 trees all of good size on the new reservoir areas. This crew also pulled and planted cottonwoods and willows during the summer along reservoir areas, with good survival. Mowing, clean-up work and tree trimming filled in the remainder of the year for this new crew.

A sum of $5,668.64 was expended in the Game division for administrative operations. Under the direction of this division the State Game Farm at Norfolk, Nebraska, produced a total of 14,453 pheasants for stocking in the State. Total   18 Outdoor Nebraska—Spring, 1947 expenditures for this Farm, including the purchase of new equipment to replace old vehicles, totaled $28,161.83.

In the Federal Aid, or Pittman-Robertson division, a total of $27,885.52 was spent, this being three-fourths reimbursable by the Fish and Wildlife Service. This fund was used for habitat development, game research, coordination and maintenance. This division worked with such problems as planting suitable bird cover areas; food and population studies on deer, quail, pheasants, grouse and prairie chicken; checking of range and cover conditions; fur animals and their habits, population trends and suggested trapping activities.

The above activities represent a busy year for Game Department employees and, also, represents an enviable production record.

An interesting approximate percentage allocation may be shown, based on the above expenditures, as follows:

State Parks Legislative appropriations for the biennium, 1945-46, amounted to $40,000.00 all of which was used only for maintenance of parks. No development can be accomplished until greater appropriations are available.

Details on any of the above divisions or activities will be furnished upon request by writing the author of this article.

The Game, Forestation and Parks Commission, at its annual meeting in January, laid plans for a greater over-all program for the development of more cover and better hunting and fishing in the entire State. Tree planting crews have been trebled, construction and salvage crews completely equipped and new conservation districts have been formulated, cutting down materially on the size of districts and increasing the number of officers. Public interest in recreational activities of an outdoor nature has skyrocketed the past year. The year 1946 topped all previous records for income which totaled $571,783.97. The Commission, in their planning during the war period, has accumulated necessary funds for accelerated activity now that men and materials are becoming more available. At the end of the year, the Commission .balance showed $668,008.02 available for fish and game work. The tentative budget for 1947 is, at present, $619,152.50 with other projects under study. In 1946, according to incomplete returns from permit buyers, 12,517 non-resident hunting permits and 5,894 non-resident fishing permits were sold. Final tabulations may place these figures slightly higher. Resident permits ran equally high with 61,250 fishing, 88,445 hunting and 116,555 combinations.

With such stimulated public interest and the magnitude of, operations as planned by the Game Commission, 1947 should be a top year in the history of outdoor game activities. Let us all hope that Mother Nature cooperates with a suitable nesting and growing season.

REGULATIONS ON FISH 1947

The following regulations are prescribed by the Game, Forestation and Parks Commission, State of Nebraska, in accordance with Section 37-301, Revised Statutes, State of Nebraska, 1943, as amended, by Session Laws, State of Nebraska, 1945, and in accordance with Section 81-6505, Revised Statutes, State of Nebraska, 1943, and are effective from February 1, 1947 until further change by the Commission.

TROUT OPEN SEASON: April 1 to October 1. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: No size limit. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 10. POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 10.

BASS (Large Mouth or Small Mouth or Both) OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: 10 inches. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 10 (inclusvie of both species). POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 10 (inclusive of both species).

CRAPPIE (Black [Calico Bass] or White or Both) OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: No size limit. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 15 (inclusive of both species). POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 15 (inclusive of both species).

SUNFISH (Bluegill, Green or Pumpkinseed or All) OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: No size limit. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 15 (inclusive of all species). POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 15 (inclusive of all species).

ROCK BASS OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: No size limit. DAILY-BAG LIMIT: 15. POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 15.

BULLHEADS OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: No size limit. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 15. POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 16.

CATFISH (Channel, Blue or Mud [Yellow] or All) OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: 12 inches. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 10 (inclusive of all species). POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 10 (inclusive of all species).

CATFISH (Commercial Fishing) Under proper commercial permit issued by the Commission, catfish may be taken from the Missouri River by nets, the meshes of which are not less than one and one-half inches square. OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Missouri River—South and West of the mdidle of the channel and not less than 300 yards in any direction from the mouth of any stream emptying into the river. SIZE LIMIT: 13 inches. POSSESSION LIMIT: None. ANNUAL REPORT: All persons holding a commercial Seining-Vendor Permit shall keep an accurate record of the number, species and weight of all fish caught and a separate report of all fish sold during the calendar year. A record shall be kept for each month separately. Each person shall send this information to the Secretary of the State Game, Forestation and Parks Commission on or before the 15th day of January of the following year. Forms for this purpose shall be furnished by the State.

PERCH OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: No size limit. DAILY BAG LIMIT. No limit. POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: No limit.

PIKE (Walleye or Sauger [Sand] or Both) OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: 12 inches. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 5 (inclusive of both species). POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 5 (inclusive of both species).

PIKE (Northern) OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: 12 inches. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 5. POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME: 5.

FRESHWATER DRUM (Sheepshead) (Haploiclonotus Grunniens) OPEN SEASON: No closed season. AREA OPEN: Entire State. SIZE LIMIT: No size limit. DAILY BAG LIMIT: 10. POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME 10.

TOTAL BAG AND POSSESSION LIMIT: No more than 25 game fish of all kinds combined may be taken in any one day, nor more than 25 game fish of all kinds combined be had in possession at any one time, excepting perch. There is no limit on perch.

RETURNING FISH TO WATER: All fish caught that are under the legal size limits as specified herein and all fish legally taken that are not to be counted in the bag limit must be returned immediately to the water with as little injury as possible.

RESERVOIRS AND LAKES OPEN TO FISHING: All reservoirs and lakes within the State not closed or restricted because of Federal regulations or otherwise closed or posted are declared open to the public for fishing subject to the rules and regulations of the Commission.

RESTRICTED AREAS: Restricted areas shall be designated on various lakes during the spawning season in which areas fishing shall not be permitted. Fishing in the three drainage ditches in Lincoln County between Sutherland and North Platte shall be alternated as follows, leaving one ditch open to fishing each year:

No. 1 North Drain Ditch: Starting about 2 miles west and 1 mile north of Hershey and flowing east to the Platte River—is open to fishing during 1947, and closed to fishing beginning January 1, 1948 and until January 1, 1950.

No. 2 Middle Drain Ditch: Starting just south-east of Hershey and flowing east, joining No. 1 ditch west of North Platte— is closed to fishing February 1, 1947 and open to fishing, January 1, 1948

No. 3 South Drain Ditch. Starting south and east of Sutherland flowing east on the south side of the South Platte River and flowing into the South Platte River about 1 mile east of Hershey—is closed to fishing beginning February 1, 1947 and until January 1, 1949. The following streams and all their tributaries are closed to spearing and to the seining of minnows, effective February 1, 1947 until further change by the Commission.

I. Antelope County: 1. Verdigree Creek and all its tributaries.

II. Banner County: 1. Pumpkin Creek and ail its tributaries.

III. Box Butte County: 1. Niobrara River.

IV. Brown County: 1. Long Pine Creek and tributaries; 2. Plum Creek and all its tributaries; 3. Calamus River; 4. Goose Creek.

V. Cherry Coun'y: 1. North Loup River and all tributaries ; 2. Schlegal Creek ; 3. Fairfield Creek; 4. Cedar Creeks; 5. Snake River and all tributaries; 6, Plum Creek and all tributaries; 7. Bear Creek; 8. Goose Creek.

VI. Cheyenne County: 1. Cedar Creek; 2. Lodgepole Creek above the point of Rocks.

VII. Custer County: 1. South Loup River above Arnold.

VIII. Dawes Coun'.y. 1. Chadron Creek; 2. Big Bordeaux Creek; 3. Little Bordeaux Creek; 4. Squaw Creek; 5. White River above Crawford; 6. Niobrara River above Mirage Flats diversion dam at old Dunlap and all tributaries; 7. Dead Horse Creek; 8. Deep Creek ; 9. White Clay Creek; 10. West Ash Creek; 11. Deadman Creek.

IX. Dundy County: 1. Buffalo Creek; 2. Rock Creek.

X. Garden County: 1. Blue Creek.

XI. Garfield County: 1. Cedar River.

XII. Holt County: 1. Steele Creek; 2. North Branch of Verdigre; 3. Middle Branch of Verdigre; 4. South Branch of Verdigre; 5. Brush Creek; 6. Red Bird Creek; 7. Eagle Creek; 8. Big Sandy Creek ; 9. Cedar River

XIII. Fooker County: 1. Dismal River and all tributaries.

XIV. Keith County: 1. Otter Creek; 2. White Tail Creek; 3. Lonergin Creek.

XV. Kimball County: 1. Lodgepole Creek and all tributaries.

XVI. Knox County: 1. North, Middle and South Verdigre and all tributaries above the town of Verdigre; 2. Steel Creek.

XVII. Lincoln County: 1. No. 1 North Drain ditch ; 2. No. 2 Middle Drain ditch ; 3. No. 3 South Drain ditch.

XVIII. Logan County: 1. South Loup River.

XIX. Morrill County: 1. Cedar Creek; 2. Red Willow Drain ; 3. Pumpkin Creek and all tributaries; 4. Plum Creek; 5. Wild Horse Creek ; 6. All other drain ditches including the following: Lyman Drain, Miller Drain, Myrtle Hill Drain, North and South Drain, Suhr Drain, Silvernail Drain.

XX. Rock County: 1. Calamus River; 2. Long Pine Creek and all tributaries.

XXI. Scottsbluff County: 1. Winter Creek Drain; 2. Nine Mile Drain; 3. Sheep Creek Drains ; 4. Dry Sheep Creek Drains ; 5. Spotted Tail Drains and all tributaries; 6. Dry Spotted Tail Drain and all tributaries; 7. Tub Springs Drain; 8. Minatare Drain; 9. Stuckenhole Drain ; 10. Acres Draw.

XXII. Sheridan County: 1. Snake River; 2. Larrabee Creek; 3. Pine Creek; 4. White Clay Creek; 5. Deer Creek; 6. Little Bordeaux Creek.

XXIII. Sioux County: 1. Sheep Creek Drain; 2. Dry Sheep Drain; 3. Dry Spotted Tail Drains 4. Spotted Tail Drain; 5. Niobrara River and all tributaries j 6. White River and all tributaries; 7. Monroe Creek; 8. Sow Belly Creek; 9. Hat Creek; 10. Dead Man Creek; 11. Deep Creek; 12. Squaw Creek.

XXIV. Thomas County: 1. Dismal River.

XXV. Wheeler County: 1. Cedar River.

LENGTH OF FISH: The "Total Length" of a fish shall be used when determining the size limits. Total length shall bo found by measuring from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.

SALE OF FISH: No species of fish may be sold from private fish hatcheries in Nebraska, except trout, for purposes other than propagation, and where sold for propagation invoices furnished by the Commission must be used and a report made to the Commission covering all sales at the end of each quarter of the year.

DESTROYING OR DAMAGING STATE PROPERTY: It is unlawful to injure trees or shrubs, to pick flowers or ferns, to mar, deface, or remove any of the natural or structural features in any State-owned or controlled area.

STATE-OWNED LAKES Special Fishing Regulations are in Effect at the Following State-Owned Lakes: Arnold Lake, Custer County ; Blue River Recreation Grounds, Seward County; Champion Lake, Chase County; Cottonmill Lake, Buffalo County; Cottonwood Lake, Cherry County; Crystal Lake, Adams County; Duke Alexis, Hayes County; Dead Timber Recreation Grounds, Dodge County; Fremont Sand Pits, Dodge County ; Jefferson County Recreation Ground; Loup City Lake, Sherman County; Memphis Lake, Saunders County; Niobrara Park Lake, Knox County; Pawnee Lake, Webster County; Pibel Lake, Wheeler County; Platteview Lake (Louisville), Cass County; Rat and Beaver Lake, Cherry County ; Ravenna Lake, Buffalo County; Verdon Lake, Richardson County ; Rock Creek Lake. Dundy County; Shell Lake, Cherry County ; Walgren Lake, Sheridan County; Wellfleet Lake, Lincoln County. The following Regulations are in effect on State-owned Lakes only: Fishing devices other than regular lines attached to poles are prohibited. Each person is permitted to use not more than two lines with two hooks per line. Throw lines or floats are prohibited. Motorboats are not permitted, except Victory Lake at Fremont. Digging or seining for bait on grounds is prohibited.

NOTES Where "Entire State" is open, this does not include private lakes closed to the public or areas closed by any Federal or State Law or City ordinance. "Daily Bag Limit" means fish taken from midnight to midnight. "Possession Limit" means fish in the possession of any person at anytime. The only legal method of taking fish is with hook and line with the following exceptions: Carp, buffalo, suckers and other non-game fish may be speared between sunrise and sunset from April 1 to December 1, except in restricted areas as mentioned above. Catfish of legal size may be taken from the Missouri River with seines, hoop nets, or trammel nets under special regulations with proper commercial permit. Carp, buffalo, suckers and other non-game fish may be taken with hook and line at anytime without limit on size, bag or possession. It is unlawful for anyone to angle with a line having more than five hooks thereon or to angle in any inland waters with more than fifteen hooks in the aggregate or with artificial bait having thereon more than three triple gang hooks. Snagging any fish externally with hook and line is unlawful whether game fish or non-game fish. All persons sixteen years of age or older must have a fishing permit for the current year. It is unlawful for any person to borrow or use the permit of another or to lend or transfer his permit to another.

WINTER FISHING Winter fishing is permitted through the ice. Regulations are the same as for regular fishing over the entire state. Fifteen hooks are permitted with no more than 5 on a line, and floats and throw lines are also legal _ except in State-owned Lakes and other restricted areas (see special regulations on State-owned Lakes above).

BLUE RIVER BLUES

The following account is an actual letter received by Howard Weiger, Lincoln, from his brother, Clyde R. Weigers, Alexandria, Nebr.

Dear Howard: I have a fish story to tell, and since you asked for details I'll draw a picture (See Cut). We had terrible weather, fish not biting, and the river full of brush and no deep water. 1 went a good three quarters of a mile, as the crow flies, from Snyder's bridge to the hole pictured below. It was the first good hole west of the bridge. I stood at (1) on a bank about nine feet high and casted out to about (2) which was about 65 or 70 feet of line. The current past the tree was unusually swift, and the swiftness carried far out into the pool. The water boiled up a lot and there was quite a whirlpool and reverse current along tl»e east bank. A box elder tree stood in a thicket on my right. It wasn't difficult to get the bait out into the center of the pool. The wind was blowing a hurricane, and that and the boiling water was going to make it hard to feel a strike.

In about three minutes I thought that something besides wind and water was moving the line. The wind had blown a big curve in the line, and a fish began to straighten out the curve. Since they were swallowing slow, I gave him about three feet I had in my left hand and everything I could give with the rod. That, together with the slack in the line let him run about fifteen feet.

I was using the rod you gave us and a 5-year old line. I knew he was pretty good when I set the hook—maybe three pounds; he felt like a log. Then he started downstream.

He didn't go far until the riffles stopped him. He came back along the bank, slowly, with me reeling in line and maneuvering to keep him out of the roots. I had him almost directly below me when he headed into the current and downstream again. He unwound the reel so fast it burned my thumb.

You know a small fish in swift water feels big on a flyrod. Well, we repeated the above ring-around-the-rosy three times. I couldn't go downstream with him because of the box elder tree and the thicket. The last time I fetched him up along the bank he acted tired and rather docile. So as soon as I got him past the box elder branch I jumped and slid down the bank to a small bit of shelf (3) at the waters edge.

I took the line in my hands ahead of the pole and began to haul him in. He surfaced out about eight feet. If he had been an alligator or a shark I wouldn't have been more surprised. He was the biggest fish I had even seen outside an aquarium. I am sure his mouth would have taken all eight of my fingers with both hands side by side. I knew my old line wouldn't stand a chance if I tried to land him where I was, so I let him back down. He hit the bottom and swam weakly out into the current. I climbed up the bank again, planning to jump out into the river as far as possible the next time he headed into the current, then land him on the riffle. I couldn't get him to go into the current.

I usually tie a bowline in the end of my line with a 1'/2-inch loop, then run the   22 Outdoor Nebraska—Spring, 1947 loop through the eye and over the end of the hook. When the fish showed himself I noticed that the knot was just outside his mouth. This indicated that he was well hooked. If I could keep him out of the brush and not strain my line he would be my baby.

In trying to maneuver him out into the channel I partly succeeded once. He surfaced and rolled over with his mouth open. He seemed very tired. Boy, he looked long! But he wouldn't go into the channel. I was afraid that if 1 jumped in he would dash into the limbs or roots. The water was too deep to wade. I decided to drop my trousers, slide in quietly, and swim.

Holding the rod in my right hand and unbuckling my belt with my left was a little too much to undertake. I let him get too close to me. He wrapped the line around the tip of a root, gave two comparatively feeble jerks, and was free.

As I reeled in, the line came off the root and I had the line and hook intact. The hook had pulled out. Instead of hooking with the point going outside the fish it must have caught on some membranes in the mouth with the point of the hook inside.

What a disappointment that was, and I was so sure I would land him, too. I fished around that spot quite a while, and caught two small ones. On the way back to the car I stopped at a place where I had caught two nice ones about Easter time, I tossed in and away went the bait. I set the hook and then began a mean battle. The brush was clear across the river here, and I was on a high bank. I couldnt let him go downstream, and I couldn't make him come upstream. Like a stubborn calf he braced all four feet. I finally dragged him upstream about a hundred feet, letting the flyrod absorb his tugs. I could tell that he was not nearly as large as the one that got away, but he was a scrapper.

A hundred feet above the brushpile was a sandbar. About the time I reached it he began to head upstream. He went fifty feet above the bar before I got him turned around. With the help of the current I rushed him up on the sandbar. He was a nice, one, but an awful let down from that big one. Nevertheless, he made jne feel like it had been a good day. Pop said it would hurry him to weigh three pounds—"not near as big as the ones I caught." He actually weighed four and one-half. Altogether I got five fish that day, one weighing one and one-fourth, another at one and three-fourths, and two smaller ones. Pop got none.

Why Go Elsewhere When IT'S RIGHT HERE IN NEBRASKA

During the coming vacation season, thousands of vacation-minded Nebraskans will turn their attention toward getting out along the lakes and streams of the state for some well-earned relaxation:

Right here in our own state we ha^e all of the summer recreational enjoyment anyone may desire. It would be foolhardy to make a flat statement that fishing will be excellent this year. No one can predict when or whether a fish will bite. There are more miles of running streams right here in Nebraska than in any other state. Nearly all of these streams, will provide good fishing. Last year Nebraskans didn't have to remove their hats to residents of any other state where the matter of good fishing was concerned. In the reservoirs between Lexington and Lewellen, Nebraskans as well as visitors from at least 25 other states enjoyed the best fishing of a life-time. There is no reason to believe that this spectacular fishing will not occur again this year.

You don't have to fish to enjoy Nebraska's outdoors. There are six state parks scattered throughout the state, four of which have accommodations for summer residents, and all of which can provide you with healthful vacation fun. Nebraska's numerous recreational grounds have been a popular playground for vacationists. More of these are being developed this year.

If you are suffering from the rigors of winter's work and worries, get out and enjoy a little fishing, hiking, boating, swimming, riding, and good healthful sunshine. But remember that you can enjoy these privileges right here in your own home state.