INDEX Page Trout Propagation Big Job 3 Letters to the Editor 8 The Three Little Fishes 9 Prospects Bright at New Reservoirs 11 Year-Around Trout Fishing Major Change in Regulations 13 Eastern Waters Draw Priority 15 Three Fishing Records Established During '50 19 State Fishing Records 21 The Missing Picture 22 Adult Fish Stocking During '50 Surpasses Any Previous Year 23 It Pays To Know—Fishing Tips 24 Trout Fishing Reports Encouraging 26 About Fishing 37 Outdoor Nebraska Quiz 38 Game Commission Annual Report 39 Know Your Warden 44 Notes on Nebraska Fauna Channel Catfish 45

Outdoor Nebraska 3

TROUT PROPAGATION BIG JOB PARASITES, DISEASES, HANDLING ARE PROBLEMS

Be careful with those eggs! Handle them with kid gloves! Don't jar or molest them; they're extremely sensitive. Any disturbance at one stage can mean disaster. Watch for water temperature fluctuations! Be constantly on the alert for signs of parasites and bacterial diseases! Clean those hatching troughs regularly.

The above are just a few of the warnings and precautions adherred to at the Rock Creek fish hatchery at Parks, the Nebraska Game Commission's No. 1 trout farm. Activities at present are in the accelerated stage as the 1951 trout propagation program continues in full force.

Propagation of trout is a long and tedious proposition. In fact, it is the most costly propagation of any species of fish practiced by the Nebraska Game Commission. Anglers have only to catch a few trout to be one up on the Commission. It costs the Game Commission 33 cents per fish to hatch, raise and eventually stock trout—rainbows or browns—in state waters. Five trout, comprising the new bag limit, consequently cost the Game Commission $1.65, more than the cost of a straight fishing license.

Regardless of the terrific expense involved, the Game Commission continually strives to provide better fishing for Nebraskans. And one of the prerequisites of better fishing is an ample supply of the robust trout. Its fast and powerful runs interspersed with breathtaking jumps make it a favorite with all anglers. It readily strikes on a fly and on many trolling lures and can be caught by amateur and expert alike.

The propagation of trout—or any other game fish found in North American waters—has to start somewhere. So let's begin with the first step—the egg stage. While most trout eggs used at the fish hatcheries in the state are obtained from federal hatcheries, several hundred thousand are taken annually from   4 Outdoor Nebraska spawners held in the Rock Creek spawning ponds. Those eggs received from the federal hatcheries are fertilized before shipment.

The stripping of the eggs from the female and subsequent immediate fertilization process is a hurried-up and delicate affair at Rock Creek. Equipped with small pans containing a little water, hatchery personnel strip the trout—seined only a few minutes previous—by placing a firm grip around the stomach of the fish and gently forcing the eggs or milt out through the vent into the small pans. Hatchery personnel can readily differentiate the male from the female by the distinguishing characteristics such as color and physical build.

There is no applied rule for first stripping the buck and then the female or vice versa. The only iron-clad rule is that after one sex is stripped, that the opposite sex be stripped immediately thereafter. The eggs are full of pores and once exposed to water and air will begin closing rapidly. Obviously, it is necessary to immediately force the milt from the buck so that it can enter the egg before the pores close and cause fertilization. This process is speeded up by stirring the milt in the pans. The water in all pans serve to protect the eggs from jarring or sticking to the pan.

Newly spawned eggs are at this early stage in extreme danger and every precaution must be taken to protect them. This critical period exists for at least five or six hours. After this time, the eggs are less susceptible to such danger. The first "bad" eggs can be detected when the "danger" period expires. Bad eggs can be easily distinguished from good eggs by their coloration. A solid white color is indicative of a dead egg.

After all eggs have been stripped and fertilized, the eggs are placed in a large container for a period of three to four hours to facilitate hardening prior to placement in the hatching troughs.

Eggs sent to Rock Creek hatchery are shipped in specially constructed containers. These containers are squareshaped boxes which are heavily insulated. Several egg-filled trays are fitted into each box. All trays have a fine screen bottom. Placed on the screen and also on the top of each tray is a piece of moistened cloth. Chipped ice and moss is packed around the trays. Moss is also placed between the fourth and fifth trays. The moss helps maintain the necessary moisture. A metal, perforated container is placed on top of the egg trays and is packed with chipped ice. As the ice melts, moisture drips through the perforations, works its way through the cloth and covers the eggs. While in transit, the eggs must be kept moist and permitted neither to freeze nor get too warm.

    6 Outdoor Nebraska

Immediately upon receipt of the shipment at the hatchery, the temperature of the eggs is taken. The temperature of the eggs is normally lower than that of the water they are to be placed in because of the chipped ice in the shipping containers. Before the eggs are placed in the hatching troughs, however, the temperature must coincide with that of the water. This is accomplished by tempering the eggs to the warmer water during a three to four hour process. A variation of temperature can result in a huge loss of eggs.

The temperature of the water in the hatching troughs plays an important role in the propagation program. If the water is abnormally warm, the hatching process will be speeded up, permitting too early a hatch. Such a hatch would be infested with weak fish and a consequent large fatality loss. A prolonged hatching period will result when the water is too cold. The most successful temperature for hatching trout ranges between 50 and 60 degrees. The spring-fed water used at Rock Creek is a stable 56 degrees throughout the year. The water flows through the hatching troughs at a rate of five to six gallons per minute.

After a period of 10 to 15 days in the hatching troughs, the eggs reach the so-called eye stage. The eggs are transparent and vary in color from a reddishbrown to a yellow. The eyes of the immature fish are visible through the membrane of the egg. Life in the egg shell is ascertained as movement of the eyes can be observed. Eggs at this stage can be handled more freely without fear of loss.

After about 30 days pass from the time the eggs are stripped, the fish— using the momentum of their tails—begin forcing their way out of the shell. The newly-hatched fish are referred to as fry and are somewhat gruesome in appearance. They appear to be all head and yolk sack. The fry at this stage must be watched with utmost care as they tend to congregate in bunches and smother. The yolk sack contains the food for the fry. They do not begin feeding on any other ingredients until the yolk sack is absorbed. As the yolk sack is being absorbed, the body of the fry begins taking shape. Once the sack is completely absorbed, the fry begin swimming to the surface and search for other food.

The first ingredients fed the fry is beef liver. It is ground very fine and in an almost liquid form. This liver is fed four or five times daily.

Effective on the day the eggs begin to hatch, hatchery personnel have to keep the troughs meticulously clean. The troughs are scrubbed with rubber sponges without removing the fry. All remains of the eggs are removed. At first, the troughs are scrubbed about twice each week but as the trout grow and become progressively stronger, scrubbing is increased to once daily. The cleaning of the troughs helps prevent the outbreak and spread of parasites and bacterial diseases which, if not observed and kept under control, could destroy the entire hatch.

As the fry grow, the larger fry are thinned out to make room for the slower-growing trout. When one and a half-inches in length, the trout are called fingerlings. The fingerlings are transferred from the hatching troughs to outdoor circular ponds. Here the food is changed from a straight liver diet to a combined liver-cereal mixture. The amount of cereal in proportion to liver is increased gradually with the rate of growth of the fingerlings.

The cereal fed the trout is specially prepared by feed mills. Its ingredients are: 24 parts wheat middlings, 24 parts cottonseed meal, 24 parts fish meal, 24 parts dried skim milk and 4 parts salt. This food is high in protein and vitamin content. The food bill at the hatchery is one of the major items. During the 1950 propagation program at Rock Creek, the food bill skyrocketed to $21,231. Yes, apparently fish are hearty eaters.

As the fingerlings continue to grow,   Outdoor Nebraska 7 they are again sorted, with the larger trout being placed in spring-fed ponds. The smaller trout are held in the circular ponds and the sorting process again repeated at frequent intervals.

Once in the spring-fed ponds, the trout are fed only twice a day. After two weeks, feeding is cut to once daily as they begin to feed on insect life produced in the ponds. This surface feeding on insects prepares the trout for its introduction into rivers, streams and lakes where it will have to depend solely on its own feeding abilities to survive.

The trout are held in the ponds until stocking time arrives. During the interval before stocking, the trout are dipped occasionally to keep them in good condition. Sanitation is also prevalent here as the ponds are scrubbed at least three times each month.

As the 1951 trout season began on a year-around basis effective Feb. 15, it was necessary for the Game Commission crews to begin stocking state waters earlier than a year ago. In previous years, the major portion of the trout stocking program was carried out in late March. This year, however, stocking,   8 Outdoor Nebraska began in February with major operations taking place in early March.

Numerous changes have been made in the propagation program in recent years. Frank Weiss, Rock Creek hatchery superintendent, authored one of the changes. He has devised a new feeding method. He advises and practices the theory of feeding trout on cereal pellets from the time trout are placed in circular ponds until the time they are stocked. He believes this will provide heartier fish and lower feeding costs.

Previously the cereal was fed to the trout in powder form. The new pellet feeding program began last winter. Beef melts are ground and mixed with the pellets. The pellets sink slowly and do not separate in the water which gives the fish an opportunity to get to the food before it reaches the bottom.

Anyone anxious to see specimens of trout through the entire propagation program can find such an exhibit during fair week in Lincoln at the Game Commission's annual show in the Wildlife building.

Letters to the Editor

For over 40 years now I have dwelt in the Pacific Northwest; hunted deer, in the mountains of Oregon and pheasants in the Willamette valley; fished for trout in mountain streams and lakes and trolled for chinook and silverside salmon in the coastal rivers and bays. But I cannot forget that the best hunting and fishing years of my life were along the Republican river in Nebraska.

A Native Nebraska Son H. B. Harlan Hawthorne, California

We read OUTDOOR NEBASKA withwhat is homestar runner? great interest. This is an excellent publication.

Dr & Mrs. W. R. Hamsa 666 North 63rd Street Omaha, Nebraska

Enclosed find 50 cents for one year subscription to OUTDOOR NEBRASKA, That's the best 50 cents I have ever spent.

James A. Johnson 2411 Davenport Omaha, Nebraska

Outdoor Nebraska 9

The Three Little Fishes

Remember the song, "The Three Little Fishes?" One of the verses read something like this: Three Little fishes and the mama fishes, too. Swim, said the mama fishie, swim if you can. So they swam and they swam right over the dam.

Well, in this particular story, the papa fish instead of the mama is the guiding light. He tells the youngsters to swim if they can. But that's getting way ahead of the story. This story dates way back—about a month ago to be exact—when Papa fish, a bright, dark green largemouth bass, is told the wonderful news that he is about to become a father. This isn't the first time for Papa bass. He fathered children during the spring and early summer of the previous year. The family, however, suffered a high mortality loss. Some of the loss was due to their natural enemies while the other can be attributed to the neglect and laziness of Papa.

Papa bass differs greatly from you and I as far as social ethics are concerned. And rightfully he may, too, for the social codes adopted by the bass family not only permit, but actually encourage the practice of polygamy—having more than one mate at the same time. Some members of the bass family are toeing the mark with the modernistic trend of having only one mate. But not Papa bass. He likes a variety of mates.

When told the news of the expectant arrival of thousands of little fishes, proud Papa begins the hard grind required of all prospective fathers. The father, rather than the mother, shoulders the heavy burden in raising a family. Papa has his work cut out for him. He has to select a nest site, construct the nest and stand constant guard.

Papa bass is more than ever determined to prove to his former mates, as well as his present mates, that he can be a good father. He fell down on this in all his previous parental experiences.

His first downfall in previous occasions was the poor selection of a site for the nest. Without too much initiative, he usually contented himself with building a nest on a mass of dead vegetation or accumulation of roots. He also didn't bother himself with finding any sheltered site. This was disastrous. When there was a sudden fluctuation in temperature, the eggs in the unsheltered nest were easily killed and Papa abandoned the nest.

This time, however, Papa sought an ideal sheltered area in shallow water where he hoped the temperature would remain in the range of 60 to 65 degrees F. Using his tail, Papa fanned out a depression from two to three feet in diameter and six inches deep. He even removed small pebbles from the nest, carrying them away in his mouth. He had no sanitary antiseptics to use in order to insure cleanliness, but did the best with the facilities and conveniences on hand.

Once the nest was completed, Papa's roving days were over, at least temporarily. His mates reported to the maternity ward of the nest and deposited their eggs which were immediately fertilized by Papa. There were only about 11,000 eggs in the nest. Papa's previous mates produced anywhere from 2,000 to 26,000 eggs each. But Papa was satisfied. Some 11,000 eggs were nothing to sneeze at.

After depositing the eggs, Papa's mates no longer wanted anything to do with him. They had no maternal love,   10 Outdoor Nebraska deserting him at such a critical time. Papa, however, is capable of taking care of the proud offspring. He stands the lonely vigil, day and night.

It is at this time that Papa and other parents come face to face with the preying members of the underworld who seek to devour the eggs. Time after time, Papa is called on to ward off marauding insects and other fishes. Every object in the vicinity—within a radius of 20 feet of the nest—is immediately attacked and driven off.

On one such determined stand, a famine-struck frog approached the restricted sanctum of the nest. Embittered, Papa struck immediately and chewed savagely on the frog. A few seconds later, Papa swam some distance away from the nest and ejected the frog with brute force. Papa is indeed a brave warrior when the occasion calls. He has a soft spot in his heart, however, for other prospective fathers. He merely challenges them.

On another such occasion, a school of ornery bluegills, distant cousins of Papa, massed for an attack on the nest. Their strategy was carefully planned. One bluegill was assigned to attack the nest by himself. As he did, Papa took chase. When Papa deserted his nest in pursuit of the intruder, the other mischievous bluegills charged and destroyed many eggs before Papa came to the rescue. Thereafter, Papa took every precaution to guard against infiltration of his defense line by enemy fish.

When preying is at a minimum, Papa occasionally fans the eggs to keep them silt-free and aerated. If the eggs would be covered with silt, they would smother and a huge fatality loss would occur.

With warm weather prevailing, the eggs begin hatching in a couple of days. Under less ideal conditions, hatching is delayed for several days. The day the eggs hatch is a big disappointment for Papa. He begins wondering whether his efforts were justified. The young brood of fry are disappointingly homely. About all that is seen is an out of proportion yolk sac. Besides, they're very clumsy. For awhile, the fry can't leave the nest because they are more or less anchored by their heavy yolk sacs. Their only food is what they absorb from those sacs.

Papa likes this. He doesn't have to provide them with food. In fact, not once during the entire period of fatherhood is he called on to search for food. Once, however, when the food in the yolk sac is absorbed, the fry have to begin looking for food if they want to continue living. As they begin to swim, they travel in schools. Papa doesn't defend them as vigorously as before and numbers of the hatch are devoured by preying insects and fishes. He remains with the school until the young finally scatter. At this time the fry are close to an inch in length.

Contrary to expectation, the day when the family breaks up is not an unhappy occasion. Papa now gets to return to his roving exploits with no worries of caring for the children. All family connections are severed. In fact, once the school breaks up, Papa, having pangs of hunger, occasionally feeds upon his own offspring. They are sent on their way to care and provide for themselves. It is every fish for himself. So the story ends—the little fishes swam and they swam right over the dam. That is what was left of them after predation and nature took its toll.

The coloration of the largemouth bass varies in different waters. Those taken in clear, sand or gravel-bottom lakes and streams have green sides shading into white on the belly. Those from mud or moss-bottom lakes or sluggish streams will be almost black on the back and sides while the belly will vary from gray to a yellowish-white. Regardless of water conditions, a blackish stripe runs along the sides from the gills to the tail. In many cases darker blotches appear along and above the lateral line.

Outdoor Nebraska 11

Prospects Bright at New Reservoirs

What do new Medicine Creek and Enders reservoirs have in prospect for Nebraska sportsmen and vacationists in coming years? Will fishing be as good as it was at McConaughy reservoir some years back? These questions are currently being circulated in Nebraska— particularly in the southwest part of the state—as completion of the projects draws near.

The two latest additions to Nebraska's fast growing network of huge man-made reservoirs will provide fishing, hunting and recreational facilities on a level probably approaching that at McConaughy shortly after its completion. Enders will afford the largest fishing area of the two, having a normal surface area of 1,715 acres of water. Medicine Creek will have a normal of 1,104 acres.

Anglers, however, will have to be content with thinking about fishing at the reservoirs at least for the time being. Medicine Creek will undoubtedly remain closed to fishing until 1952 while Enders will probably be closed until 1953.

Both reservoirs have been amply stocked with many species of underwater game, assuring anglers of a high fishing potential once the reservoirs are opened. The species of fish planted in Enders consist of fingerling crappie, rock bass and black bass, adult walleyes, sunfish, rainbow trout and brown trout, and both fingerling and adult bluegill, bass and bullheads. Already stocked in Medicine Creek are adult walleyes, white bass and crappie and fingerling and adult catfish, bluegill, bass and bullheads.

Fishing at the two reservoirs is expected to be neither sensational nor poor. It will probably be good. The peak of fishing productivity will be enjoyed during the early life of the reservoirs, tapering off with the years.

Why will fishing be good in the first years and then taper off? There are numerous reasons. One of the major reasons for the "good" fishing shortly after the reservoirs are opened is the huge stocking of almost 200,000 fish in both waters. The water in both reservoirs should be very fertile in the early stages as it has just inundated native grasslands and vegetation. Aquatic insects will be available. Competition for food with rough fish will be at a minimum as the prolific carp will still be in the minority.

However, as years pass, fishing will go down. Why? Again there are numerous contributing factors. The major problem influencing the down trend will be the washing in of tons and tons of silt. Silt clouds the water and consequently kills vegetation. As aquatic insects live and breed on vegetative   12 Outdoor Nebraska growth, there will be little aquatic insect food for fish. Silt will also bury present vegetation.

The fluctuating water level, peculiar to most reservoirs, will also play havoc with fishing productiveness, particularly during the spawning seasons. Fish build nests in shallow portions where they deposit their eggs. If during the egg stage the water level should drop, the eggs would be exposed and consequently lost.

Carp and other rough fishes already inhabit the streams feeding the new reservoirs. But, as mentioned before, the huge stocking of game species put the rough fish in the minority group. The carp is extremely prolific and as years pass will multiply at such a swift rate that carp will probably challenge game fish in numerical strength. The result is strong competition for available food.

Recreationists will find the reservoirs beckoning them. Enders will have a public use area of 222.82 acres while Medicine Creek will have 170 acres set aside for recreational purposes.

The public use area at Enders is nearing completion. The Game Commission has agreements with federal agencies whereby it will assume control over the public use areas for maintenance and management. Access roads to the public use area were constructed last year and will be graveled sometime this spring. One well has been dug and another is scheduled to be placed. A parking area, guard rails along the roads, signs, toilets and garbage disposal units will be constructed and installed during the present year.

During '50, the Bureau of Reclamation planted 40,907 trees and shrubs in the area at Enders set aside for the wildlife management area. In the public use area, 2,000 nursery stock trees ranging from three to eight feet in height were planted during '50. An additional 700 nursery trees will be planted in the public use area this spring.

The last planned planting calls for 40,400 seedlings of a variety of species, some in the public use areas and the others in the wildlife management area.

At Medicine Creek, minimum developments are currently being made in accord with the building restriction. The fencing of the public use area and the wildlife management area is progressing. Roads will be completed and graveled. A well will be dug, two toilets installed and several signs constructed and placed in desirable locations. During the past year, 45,078 seedlings were planted at the area. An additional 29,050 seedlings

(Continued on Page 14)

Outdoor Nebraska 13

YEAR-AROUND TROUT FISHING MAJOR CHANGE IN REGULATIONS

Opening of the trout season on a year-around basis effective Feb. 15 was the major change made in the 1951 fishing regulations set by the Nebraska Game Commission. In recent years, the trout season had opened on April 1 and ended on Oct. 31.

The bag and possession limit on trout was changed to 5 and 5 from 20 pounds plus one trout but not more than 10 trout.

Other bag limit and possession limit changes were: White bass, 10 and 10 from 5 and 5; crappie, 10 and 10 from 15 and 15; and perch, no limits to 25 and 25 except in Cherry, Brown and Rock counties.

The Game Commission also made it illegal to seine for bait below any dam, check, spillway or other obstruction and for a distance of 200 yards below such obstructions, provided however, dip nets with an opening of not over 12 inches in diameter and having one-fourth inch mesh only of non-metalic material may be used.

Medicine Creek reservoir had been closed to fishing by the 1950 fishing regulations. The new regulations also closed three miles upstream from the backwater of the reservoir to fishing.

A few of the terms used in the regulations and which have not been changed are repeated to acquaint anglers with their actual meanings:

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 time.

DAILY BAG—"Daily Bag Limit" means fish taken from midnight to midnight.

POSSESSION LIMIT—"Possession Limit" means fish in the possession of any person at anytime.

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.

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

OTHER NOTES: The only legal method of taking fish is with hook andline with the following exceptions (1) carp, buffalo, suckers and other nongame fish may be speared between sunrise and sunset from Apr. 1-Dec. 1, except in restricted areas mentioned in regulations; (2) catfish of legal size and non-game fish may be taken from the Missouri river with seines, hoop nets or trammel nets under special regulations with proper commercial permit; (3) 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 15 hooks in the aggregate or with artificial bait having thereon more than three triplegang hooks.

WINTER FISHING is permitted through the ice. Regulations are the same as for regular fishing over the entire state.

SNAGGING any fish externally with hook and line is unlawful whether game or non-game fish.

14 Outdoor Nebraska

Nebraska Fishing Regulations 1951

SPECIES OPEN SEASON OPEN AREA SIZE DAILY LIMIT BAG LIMIT POSSESSION LIMIT ANYTIME TROUT All Year All State* None 5 5 BLACK BASS All Year All State* 10 inches 10 10 WHITE BASS All Year All State* None 10 10 CRAPPIE (Black and White) All Year All State* None 10 10 BLUEGILL All Year All State* None 15 15 BULLHEADS All Year All State* None 15 Except in 15 Except in Cherry, Cherry Brown Brown & Rock & Rock Counties Counties where 25 where 25 is limit. is limit. PERCH All Year All State* None 25** 25** WALLEYE & SAUGER All Year All State* 12 inches 5 5 NORTHERN PIKE All Year All State* 16 inches 5 5 FRESHWATER DRUM All Year All State* None 10 10 CATFISH All Year All State* 12 inches 10 10

*NOTES: Where All State is open, this does not include private lakes closed to the public or areas closed by Federal or State Law or City Ordinance.

**Except in Cherry, Brown and Rock Counties where there is no limit.

Changes in regulations are found in bold face type.

Copies of the complete 1951 fishing regulations can be obtained from your local permit dealer, district warden or by writing to the Game Commission office, State House, Lincoln.

(Continued from Page 12)

will be placed during the current year, both in the public use area and the wildlife management area.

It will take several years before all trees obtain their lofty position and beauty. But once full grown, both the Medicine Creek and Enders reservoir areas should provide a scenic attraction. This combined with the fishing and hunting facilities will enhance southwest Nebraska's recreational rating with other sections of the state.

Outdoor Nebraska 15

EASTERN WATERS DRAW PRIORITY ... In Lake Construction Plan

There is always need for improvement —constant improvement. With this in mind, the Nebraska Game Commission has scheduled one of the most extensive lake construction and improvement programs ever undertaken by the state. Work on the planned accelerated program is scheduled to begin immediately upon the advent of favorable weather.

Eastern Nebraska, where fishing waters do not abound, will get priority rating in the work of the construction crew this spring. Two major projects are slated for the eastern sector of the state.

The No. 1 assignment according to Carl Anderson, supervisor of the state lands and waters division, is Memphis lake where an unusual wet summer and a reluctant drying bed postponed rennovation work in 1950. Earlier in '50, the Game Commission had drained and seined the lake preparatory to the remodeling project.

Sportsmen and recreationists familiar with the pre-renovation Memphis lake era will have difficulty recognizing the lake when planned construction work is completed. An additional 10 acres has been purchased to permit enlargement of the surface area of the lake.

The progress of reconstruction hinges entirely on the condition of the lake bed. It is hoped the bed will be dry enough to permit use of necessary heavy equipment, at least around the perimeter of the lake.

All present dikes will be reconstructed which will provide an additional and needed four foot depth to the lake. The dam will be repaired. Headgates will be removed and more modern,   16 Outdoor Nebraska easier operating overflow gates installed. A diversion dam will be constructed on Silver creek. The diversion dam will divert water into a short canal which empties into the lake.

Upon completion of the project, Memphis lake should have a surface area which will approach 80 to 90 acres. With the added depth and noted abundance of vegetation, the new Memphis lake should be one of the leading eastern Nebraska fishing waters. It is hoped that Memphis lake will regain its lofty position- of many years back when most eastern Nebraskans knew Memphis lake and fished Memphis lake because game fish of most species were found to abound there and productive fishing was the habit.

Eastern Nebraska's second gift to fishing in 1951 will be the completion of the third lake at the Alexandria state recreation grounds. Construction began late in '50 and had to be postponed as frigid weather arrived. The Game Commission had earlier that year purchased an additional 55 acres for expansion of the recreation grounds area.

Already completed at Alexandria is the installation of a headgate. The 1,800 foot long dam is approximately one-half finished.

The other two lakes in the Alexandria group have an excellent growth of vegetation and it is believed the third lake will be equally as outstanding in that respect. All three lakes are spring-fed.

Access roads, picnic areas and signs will be constructed. Also planned are blue grass and ornamental tree plantings. The new Alexandria lake, like Memphis lake, will be closed to fishing this year in order to permit the fish an opportunity to become adjusted, grow and spawn.

Journeying to Crystal lake at South Sioux City, the Game Commission will dredge the west and east ends of the lake adjacent to the state recreation grounds.

Tentative plans also call for the draining of Verdon lake preparatory to lake improvement. Verdon lake is located one mile west of Verdon.

Dredging will give the lake additional depth which definitely should benefit fishing. It is expected that the entire project will require approximately 90 days work. Sand removed from the lake bottom will be used to provide a more attractive shoreline for the many anglers who will frequent the lake. Access roads will be constructed and grass and ornamental tree plantings made.

Other work on the '51 agenda calls for the repairing and graveling of all roads at the Bowman recreation grounds at Loup City. Drain tubes will also be installed. Roads will be constructed at Smith lake.

Survey work will begin on the new Verdigre lake site, three miles north of Royal. The Verdigre site has been termed the outstanding prospect investigated during 1950. The Game Commission has already taken an option to purchase 200 acres for the lake and accompanying recreation grounds.

The Game Commission is at present negotiating to purchase additional land necessary for the area. Glen Foster, supervisor of fisheries and who has been, active with the Game Commission for 22 years, described the potential lake as;   Outdoor Nebraska 17 being one of the finest in the state if it becomes a reality. The lake would range between 70 and 100 acres in surface area and from 30 to 45 feet in depth.

The search for a southeastern lake site will continue with increased vigor. Sites investigated during the past year and all of which failed to meet specifications were located southeast of Beatrice, near Falls City and adjacent to Beaver Crossing. Sites already on the inspection trip agenda are found southwest of Lincoln, south of Fairbury, near Burchard and several near Nebraska City.

The Game Commission has no intention of purchasing or developing any new lakes which are river cut-offs or are subject to siltation, flooding or fluctuating water levels. Such developments in the past have proven futile. Any sportsman finding a site which has potentialities is invited to submit a letter to this office describing and locating the area.

Major accomplishments during the past year were the construction and development of Atkinson, Hull and Smith lakes. All three lakes are closed to fishing for the year. In all probability, anglers will be given an opportunity to reap the harvests at the lakes in '52.

Atkinson lake, one-half mile west of Atkinson, was started in late 1949. Flood waters destroyed the original dam and spillway. During the past year, construction crews built a new and enlarged dam and erected an emergency spillway.

One of the largest state-owned lakes and recreation grounds is the new Smith lake area, 14 miles northeast of Gordon in Cherry county. Smith lake should be one of the prizes in the state lake group. The lake itself has an appealing surface area of almost 200 acres. An additional 440 acres are being utilized for picnicking and camping. The complete area has been fenced and trees planted.

Hull lake, three miles southwest of Butte, makes up for its small surface area by its tremendous depth. Water was impounded early last summer and the depth now reaches 32 % feet.

Following are brief summaries of work carried out at other recreation grounds during the past year:

ARNOLD LAKE (1 mile south of Arnold in Custer county)—Entire lake drained. Lake bed excavated, deepening lake six feet. Average depth now about 10 feet.

BOWMAN LAKE (2 miles east of Loup City in Sherman county)—Dike   18 Outdoor Nebraska repaired at headgates to prevent reoccurrence of flood damage.

CRYSTAL LAKE (1 mile north of Ayr in Adams county)—Area flooded six times during the past year. On each occasion almost two feet of mud had to be removed from buildings and area.

DUKE ALEXIS (12 miles northeast of Hayes Center in Hayes county)— Area wired for electricity. New water pressure system installed.

FREMONT (4 miles west of Fremont in Dodge county)—Several new wells dug. All roads graded and graveled.

OTTER CREEK (30 miles northwest of Ogallala in Keith county)—Public boat dock constructed and installed. Area near entrance leased to private party for construction of cabins and lodge to accommodate anglers.

PAWNEE LAKE (2 miles west of Guide Rock in Webster county)—Lake dredged. Depth in some parts of lake now hit 14 feet.

PLATTEVIEW (Adjacent to Louisville in Cass county)—Roadway reconstructed. New tables, fireplaces and toilets installed.

RAVENNA LAKE (1 mile east of Ravenna in Buffalo county)—Dike enlarged. New wells dug.

RED DEER LAKE (21 miles south of Valentine)—Almost 800 feet of steel sheet piling drove in to close break, in spillway. Several new drain tubes installed.

ROCK CREEK LAKE (5 miles north of Parks in Dundy county)—Washouts filled. Roads regraded. Dam rip-rapped.

WALGREN LAKE (5 miles southwest of Hays Springs in Sheridan county)— New well dug (previously no drinking water available). Buildings painted.

WILLOW LAKE (20 miles south of Valentine)—Size of dam increased four feet in depth to take care of occasional high water conditions.

Outdoor Nebraska 19

Three Fishing Records Established During '50 .. White Bass, Catfish, Trout

The 1950 fishing season in Nebraska was no exception to previous years. State fishing records again fell by the wayside.

Four Nebraskans combined their fishing talents to eclipse two records and establish another—brown trout, yellow catfish and white bass. There was no previous record on white bass.

They were L. B. Eby of Sidney, Tom Bradley of North Platte, Leo Wozny of Columbus and Roy Hamilton of Lincoln.

Probably the most outstanding of the record catches is credited to Eby, a Sidney steel worker. He landed a bulging 11-pound, 4-ounce brown trout while fishing in productive Otter creek. The catch was spectacular in that it almost doubled the previous state record. Old state mark claimant for the fightin' brown was Charles Terry of Lincoln who outmaneuvered and outfought a 6-pound, 12-ouncer in Long Pine creek during the 1949 festivities.

Eby and three friends were fishing for walleyes near the mouth of Otter creek soon after sunrise one morning last summer. The water, was very choppy. Eby cast from the boat and retrieved very slowly. When his leader was about 40 feet from him, something hit the line and made the clicker on the reel sound like a jet plane taking off. He set the hook with a strong jerk. The fish let Eby play him to within 15 feet of the boat and then started fighting again. This happened four times before Eby finally worked the "big boy" to the boat. The entire experience from the time the trout first hit to the time it was finally dragged aboard took about 30 minutes.

Leo Wozny and Roy Hamilton combined their fishing know-how to bring ashore a ponderous 46-pound yellow catfish,   20 Outdoor Nebraska erasing the former record 40-pounders taken by Ed Boss of Columbus and Henry Heidelk of Fairbury, both in '49. Wozny and Hamilton took their big trophy from the cat-infested Loup river power canal near Columbus.

Tom Bradley elevated himself to the throne of white bass anglers by hooking on to a 3-pound, 4-ounce beauty. Bradley caught the white bass in Otter creek, scene of the record brown trout haul.

Several other anglers landed near record fish. Of this group of challengers, Stanley Daft of Stromsburg led the way. He took a 8-pound, 2-ounce largemouth bass in a sand pit 15 miles west of Stromsburg. Daft was using a glass rod with a 12-pound test line, 10-pound leader and surface plug. Following is how Stan described the adventure:

"I was fishing a small sand pit, casting to the opposite bank. I saw the water boil. I let the plug lay still until the water was quiet. I then gave the plug a twitch and things really happened. The fish had hit again and connected. He made two rapid runs to deep water before I got him close enough to see him. After the third run, I reeled him in gradually, keeping the rod tip down so he wouldn't break water. I got him up to my left foot in shallow water and grabbed it with my hand in the gill."

A national outdoor magazine recognized Stan as the winner of its national Fisherman-Of-The-Month contest for the month of June in the Northern Zone. Stan received a number of prizes, including a glass rod, reel and creel.

Another stern challenger of state records was Elmer Flohr of Holdrege. Flohr landed an 8-pound, 12-ounce walleye with a girth of 16% inches and a length of 22 Vz inches. He made his catch in Johnson lake which produced many other fine walleyes during the past year. The record walleye weighs 10 pounds.

The four record breakers—Eby, Wozny, Hamilton and Bradley—will receive individually engraved 9 by 12-inch certificates, bearing the anglers' names and catches along with other decorative marks.

Five species of fish—smallmouth bass, rock bass, bullhead, brook trout and perch—are without record holders. The angler reporting the largest fish of any of these species during 1951 will automatically become a state record holder.

Any angler taking a fish exceeding or nearing any of the state record catches is urged to notify this department. For those with record fish, proper verification must be received before the fish can be recognized.

Information needed is: Date fish taken; time of day; name and address of person making catch; location where catch was made; type of tackle and bait used; species of fish, weight in pounds and ounces, girth and length from tip of nose to tip of tail; affidavits from two competent witnesses to weighing, measuring, ownership and type of scales; and a picture of angler and fish if available.

New state records will be mentioned in the Game Commission Notes and Outdoor Nebraska columns appearing in many newspapers throughout the state. Pictures of the new record holders of 1951 will appear in next year's Spring Issue.

OUTDOOR NEBRASKA 21

State Fishing Records

... AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1950 . . . BLACK BASS (Largemouth): 9 pounds, 3 ounces. Caught by Wentworth Clark, Omaha, 1943. BLACK BASS (Smallmouth): Open.. ROCK BASS: Open. *WHITE BASS: 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Caught by Tom Bradley, North Platte, in Otter creek, 1950. BLUEGILL: 2 pounds, 8 ounces. Caught jointly by Walter Beckman, Carl Bock, Bill Adams and Ervin Krueger, all of Garland, in Monroe power canal, 1949. BUFFALO: 32 pounds. Caught by L. Ashbaugh, Wilber, in Blue river near Wilber dam, 1944. BULLHEAD: Open. BLUE CATFISH: 25 pounds. Caught by Harold Woten, Lincoln, in Linoma Beach lake, 1949. CHANNEL CATFISH: 31 pounds, 12 ounces. Caught by Bob Nuquist, Broken Bow, in Lake Ericson, 1944. *YELLOW CATFISH: 46 pounds. Caught by Leo Wozny of Columbus and Roy Hamilton of Lincoln in Loup river power canal at Columbus, 1950. CRAPPIE: 3 pounds, 4 ounces. Caught by A. E. Hueppelsheuster, Lincoln, across lake from Otter creek, 1947. FRESH WATER DRUM: 14 pounds, 6 ounces. Caught by Shaw Little, Clarks, in Koch's sand pit, two miles east of Clarks, 1945. NORTHERN PIKE: 25 pounds. Caught by R. O. DeFord, Ogallala, in Lake McConaughy, 1949. WALLEYE: 10 pounds. Caught by Claude Whitcomb, Chadron, in Chadron City reservoir, 1949. PERCH: Open. BROOK TROUT: Open. *BROWN TROUT: 11 pounds, 4 ounces. Caught by L. B. Eby, Sidney, in Otter creek, 1950. RAINBOW TROUT: 11 pounds, 4 ounces. Caught by L. E. Houtz, Madrid, in Lake McConaughy, 1949.

*Denotes new record.

Readers, Toldtimers Help Asked

Readers of OUTDOOR NEBRASKA have three opportunities to assist in the preparation of the Summer Issue which marks the 25th anniversary of the magazine. The Summer Issue will be available for distribution on July 1.

Any sportsman having old pictures—hunting or fishing—which were taken during the last 25 years is urged to send them to the Editor, OUTDOOR NEBRASKA, Nebraska Game Commission, State House, Lincoln.

If you don't have any pictures, you can send that cherished hunting or fishing story of yours. How about that old hunting or fishing permit. The Game Commission is anxious to learn the date of the oldest such permit still in existence. The oldest permit will be reproduced in the magazine as will the best pictures. Both the permits and pictures will be returned to the respective owners in early July.

22 Outdoor Nebraska

The Missing Picture

Following are characteristics of a fish found in Nebraska. How many of these characteristics must you read before you can identify the missing picture. The name and picture of the fish can be found on page 46.

1. This fish is a member of the perch family. It is one of the most prolific spawners of all game fish.

2. The color of this fish varies, depending upon water conditions, but generally it is a dark olive mottled with, yellow, the latter color .forming indistinct oblique bars. The belly and lower fins are at times pinkish.

3. This fish's natural foods consist mostly of small fish and minnows of all kinds, also frogs, crawfish, worms and aquatic insects.

4. This fish is inclined to be a nocturnal feeder and leaves the deep water as night approaches to feed around the shallows, particularly sand or gravel bars and the flats below dams or rapids.

5. This fish goes for any active underwater plug, particularly one designed to go deeper than average and which has a good wiggle at slow retrieve.

6. This fish does not grab bait like many fish, but rather seizes it gently, and for that reason it is best not to strike too quickly—but give the fish ample time to get the bait completely in its mouth.

7. The accepted world record weight for this fish is 22 pounds, 4 ounces. Most of this species of fish average from 2 to 5 pounds.

8. A distinguishing characteristic is a single black blotch at the rear end of the front dorsal fin.

9. This fish has large, whitish eyes and strong canine teeth.

10. At times, this fish is called glasseye, marble-eye, sauger, and yellow perch.

ADULT FISH STOCKING DURING '50 SURPASSES ANY PREVIOUS

Though the Nebraska Game Commission failed to stock more fish last year than it did in 1949, the Commission did succeed as planned in eclipsing one major stocking record which will definitely benefit the Nebraska angler.

Twenty-one percent of all fish stocked during '50 were adults, an all-time high in the state of Nebraska. In all, 2,089,000 fish, both warm and cold water species, were planted in scattered waters of 82 counties during the year. Adult fish stocked soared to 438,000.

The significance of stocking more adult fish is readily realized. It means anglers won't have to wait for the fish to grow. They're large enough when stocked to be any angler's cherished prize.

Following is a complete list of the number of fish and kinds of fish, either cold or warm water species, stocked in each county during the past year. The warm water species consists of walleye, northern pike, perch, black bass, white bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie and bullheads while the cold water species is comprised of rainbow and brown trout.

ADAMS—4,800 (warm); ANTELOPE —5,300 (warm), 17,360 (cold); BLAINE —12,162 (warm); BOONE —9,530 (warm); BOX BUTTE—7,760 (warm), 1,500 (cold); BOYD—24,080 (warm); BROWN—32,006 (warm), 3,800 (cold); BUFFALO—82,070 (warm); BURT— 1,050 (warm); BU TLE R—19,454 (warm); CASS—17,679 (warm), 1,500 (cold); CEDAR—5,776 (warm); CHASE —234,245 (warm); CHERRY—83,264 (warm), 3,700 (cold); CHEYENNE— 2,800 (warm); COLFAX—6,514 (warm); CUMING—3,550 (warm); CUSTER— 59,360 (warm), 1,200 (cold); DAKOTA —16,320 (warm).

D A W E S — 12,361 (warm), 85,800 (cold); DAWSO N—75,113 (warm); DIXON—750 (warm); DODGE—19,492 (warm), 3,000 (cold); DOUGLAS—20,365 (warm); DUNDY—30,760 (warm), 8,100 (cold); FILLMORE —1,900 (warm); FRANKLIN—2,750 (warm); FRONTIER—10,290 (warm); FURNAS —1,800 (warm); GAGE—9,450 (warm); GARDEN—600 (warm), 1,000 (cold); GARFIELD—2,000 (warm); GOSPER —47,946 (warm); GRANT —61,500 (warm); HALL—7,033 (warm); HAMILTON—400 (warm); HARLAN—500 (warm); HAYES—20,160 (warm), 300 (cold).

HITCHCOCK—14,000 (warm); HOLT —66,790 (warm), 10,450 (cold); HOOKER—7,350 (warm); HOWARD—6,261 (warm); JEFFERSON—5,300 (warm); JOHNSON—1,300 (warm); KEARNEY —3,405 (warm); KEITH —122,318 (warm), 77,350 (cold); KEYA PAHA— 8,600 (warm); K I M B ALL —26,359 (warm), 2,500 (cold); KNOX—3,069 (warm), 500 (cold); LANCASTER— 28,966 (warm); L I N C O L N—102,371 (warm), 2,423 (cold); LOUP—3,350 (warm); MADISON—27,350 (warm); MERRICK—3,356 (warm); MORRILL— 7,638 (warm), 3,600 (cold).

NANCE—3,492 (warm); NEMAHA— 3,250 (warm); OTOE—4,300 (warm); PAWNEE—2,650 (warm); PIERCE— 13,802 (warm); PL AT TE —17,711 (warm); POLK—800 (warm); RED WILLOW—8,865 (warm), 500 (cold); RICHARDSON—3,736 (warm); ROCK —800 (warm); SALINE—11,500 (warm); SARPY—2,804 (warm); SAUNDERS— 2,675 (warm); SCOTTS BLUFF—193,281 (warm), 13,339 (cold); SEWARD— 10,606 (warm); SHERIDAN — 36,289 (warm), 38,800 cold; SHERMAN—7,968 (warm); SIOUX—8,544 (warm), 18,250 (cold); STANTON—3,100 (warm); THAYER—1,350 (warm).

THOMAS—13,500 (warm); THURSTON—800 (warm); VALLEY —7.100 (warm); WASHINGTON—150 (warm); WEBSTER—6,480 (warm), 1,800 (cold); WHEELER—11,560 (warm), 1,300 (cold); YORK—13,200 (warm).

IT PAYS TO KNOW Fishing Tips

STRINGING FISH

1. Don't put stringer through gills.

2. Don't put stringer through both upper and lower jaws.

3. DO put stringer through lower jaw.

PRESERVE FISH

If no ice available, cut fish open, remove entrails and all blood and pack fish in green grass. Place in shade. Will keep fish from spoiling for several hours. Fishing Tips

  UNDERSIZED FISH WITH HOOKS

1. If hook swallowed and can't be removed without injuring fish, cut line. Fish will either dissolve hook or later eject it.

2. Don't try to yank hook out or you will kill the fish.

26 Outdoor Nebraska

TROUT FISHING REPORTS ENCOURAGING . . . Major Nebraska Waters Tabulated . . .

Encouraging reports from late winter trout anglers give an optimistic outlook for fishing in Nebraska in 1951. If reports from numerous anglers braving cold wintry blasts during February and early March can serve as any indication of what other fishing has in prospect, then Nebraskans can look forward to good fishing throughout '51.

Numerous trout anglers reported taking bag and near bag limits of the cold water species. Nebraska's trout season was placed on a year-around basis effective Feb. 15.

Many trout streams were stocked prior to the 15th opening date while all others were planted with rainbows and browns during the latter part of February and early March.

Warm water fish stocking—which is carried out in the majority of the fishing waters scattered throughout the state— is scheduled to begin in mid-April. Catfish trapped in the Missouri river will be the first species of warm water fish stocked in '51, followed by bass, bluegill, crappie and walleyes.

At the Valentine state fish hatchery, 14 ponds containing thousands of bass, bluegill and crappie have been held over since last year for stocking in May. These fish will be yearlings in June.

Stocking of walleyes will probably begin in the latter part of July. Those stocked will be fingerlings. The first hatch of walleyes is expected to take place in June.

In an effort to provide Nebraska anglers with a reliable list of places to go fishing, Glen Foster, supervisor of fisheries, assisted the editor in preparing the following lengthy list of Nebraska fishing waters. The better waters of the state appear in bold face type and are based on recent fishing reports from those areas. Game Commission   Outdoor Nebraska 27 stocking reports were used to determine what species of fish predominated in the respective waters.

The state has been divided into four sections, the western part of Nebraska being section No. 1. The other sections are numbered in order according to their location in Nebraska. A carefully prepared map of each section accompanies the list.

The names of counties appearing in each section list are alphabetized. All rivers and creeks listed in the tabulation are named on the section maps while the lakes and reservoirs are found by numbers on the map. These can be identified by matching the number in the tabulation with the corresponding number on the map.

Section I

BANNER County: Pumpkin Cr. & tributaries — bullheads, sunfish; Lawrence Fork—trout, bullheads, sunfish.

BOX BUTTE County: Niobrara R.— trout.

  28 Outdoor Nebraska

CHEYENNE County: Lodge Pole Cr. —bullheads, bass.

DAWES County: Big Bordeaux Cr.— trout; Little Bordeaux Cr.—trout; Box Butte Res. (1)—trout, walleye, bass, bluegill, northern pike, bullheads; Chadron Cr.—trout; Chadron City Res. (2)— bass, bluegill, catfish, walleye, northern pike; Dead Man Cr.—trout; Niobrara R. —trout; Squaw Cr.—trout; West Ash Cr.   Outdoor Nebraska 29 —trout; White R.—trout, catfish; Whitney L. (3)—crappie, perch, bullheads, bass; Beaver Cr.—trout; Dead Horse Cr. —trout.

DEUEL County: Whitney L. (1)— bluegill, crappie, bass; Lodge Pole Cr.— bullheads, sunfish.

GARDEN County: Blue Cr.—trout; Crane L. (Federal) (1)—perch, bass, crappie, bullheads; Island L. (Federal) (2)—perch, bass, crappie, bullheads; North Platte R.—walleye, catfish, bullheads, trout.

KIMBALL County: East Kimball Res. (1)—bullheads, bass, walleye, catfish, crappie, perch; West Kimball Res. (2)— trout, bullheads, bass, walleye, catfish, crappie, perch; Lodgepole Cr.—trout.

MORRILL County: Alliance Drain— trout; Cedar Cr.—trout; Bridgeport Sandpits (1)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie, catfish, walleye; Greenwood Cr. —trout, bullheads; Leavitts Drain— trout; Lyman Drain—trout; Miller Drain —trout; Myrtle Hill Drain—trout; North Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, walleye, trout; North and South Drain—trout; Red Willow Cr.—trout; Pumpkin Cr. at Bridgeport—trout; Silvernail Drain— trout; Suhr Drain—trout; Wild Horse Cr.—trout; West Wild Horse Cr.—trout; Indian Cr.—trout.

SCOTTS BLUFF County: Akers Draw —trout; Dry Sheep Cr.—trout; West Sheep Cr.—trout; Gering Sandpit (1)— bass, bullheads, crappie, perch; Kiowa Cr.—trout; Lake Alice (North of Scottsbluff) (2)—bullheads, bass, catfish; Lake Minatare (3)—northern pike, walleye, catfish, bass, perch, bullheads, crappie; Leavitt's Drain—trout; Lewis L. at Mitchell (4)—bullheads, bass, sunfish; Melbeta L. (5)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Morrill Sandpits (6) —bass, bluegill, crappie, perch; Nine Mile Cr.—trout; North Platte R.—carp, bullheads, catfish; Dry Spotted Tail Cr. —trout; Wet Spotted Tail Cr.—trout; Carpenter Sandpit at Gering (7)—bullheads, bluegill, bass, crappie, walleye, perch; Tub Springs Drain—trout; Winter Cr.—trout; University L. north of Scottsbluff (8)—bass, bullheads, crappie, perch.

SHERIDAN County: Beaver Cr — trout; Deer Cr.—trout; Larrabee Cr.— trout; Niobrara R.—catfish, bass, walleye; Pine Cr.—trout; Snake R.—trout; Walgren L. (State) (1)—crappie, bullheads, catfish, walleye, northern pike; White Clay Cr.—trout.

SIOUX County: Deadman Cr.—trout; Deep Cr.—trout; Government ponds north of Crawford (1)—crappie, bass, bluegill, bullheads; Hat Cr.—trout; East Hat Cr.—trout; West Hat Cr.—trout; Monroe Cr.—trout; Niobrara R.—trout; Sow Belly Cr.—trout; Squaw Cr.—trout; War Bonnet Cr.—trout; White R.—trout.

Section II

ARTHUR County: Privately-owned Sand Hills lakes (ask permission)— bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, perch.

CHASE County: Arterburn L. (1)— bass, bluegill, bullheads; Baker's L. (2) —bass, crappie, perch; Frenchman R.— catfish, bullheads, bass, bluegill, crappie, rainbow trout; Imperial Light Plant L. (3)—catfish, bullheads, bass, bluegill, crappie; Champion L. (State) (4)—catfish, bullheads, bass, bluegill, crappie; Stinking Water Cr.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; Enders Reservoir (5)—(Not open yet).

CHERRY County: Big Alkali L. (1)— bullheads, perch, bass, bluegill, crappie; Niobrara R.—catfish, walleye, bullheads; Niobrara River Bayous—bass, bullheads, bluegill; Bear Cr.—trout; Bull L at Kennedy (2)—bass, bullheads; Cedar Cr.— Clear L. south of Valentine (3)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie; Cottonwood L. (State) at Merriman (4)—perch, bullheads, crappie, bass, bluegill; Dads L. (5)—bullheads; Dewey L. (6)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie; Gay L. (7) —bass, bluegill, crappie; Goose Cr.— trout; Hackberry L. (8)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Valentine Mill Pond (9)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Hatchery Supply L. (10)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Minnechaduza Cr.— trout, bass, bullheads, catfish, northern pike; Mothers L. at Hyannis (11)— northern pike, perch, bullheads, crappie; North Loup R.—trout, walleye, northern pike, catfish; Plum Cr.—trout; Ever   30 Outdoor Nebraska green Cr.—trout; Rat and Beaver L. (12)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, perch, crappie; Red Deer L. (13)—bass, bluegrill, bullheads, perch, crappie; Round L. (14)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, perch, crappie; Schlagel Cr.—trout; Shell L. (State) at Gordon (15)—bass, bluegill, perch, crappie; Snake R.—trout, catfish, walleye; Swan L. (16)—bass, bluegill, bullheads; Trout L. (17)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Willow L. (State) (18)—bass, bluegill, perch, crappie; Wood L. City Pond (19)—crappie, bluegill, bullheads, bass. (Hundreds of other lakes, privately owned and natural sand hills lakes, are open to fishing by permission).

DUNDY County: Rock Creek L. (State) (1)—trout, bass, bluegill, catfish, walleye, bullheads; Buffalo Cr. at Haigler—bullheads; Rock Cr.—catfish, bullheads.

FRONTIER County: Medicine Cr — catfish, bullheads; Red Willow Cr.— bullheads, sunfish; Medicine Cr. Res. (Not open yet).

GRANT County: Many sand hills lakes privately-owned, but most open to public upon request for permission to fish.

HAYES County: Hayes Center L. (State) (1)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie, rock bass, catfish; Palisade Sandpit (2)—bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, bullheads, trout; Stinking Water Cr.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; Frenchman R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; Red Willow Cr.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, carp.

HITCHCOCK County: Diehl L. at Stratton (1)—crappie, catfish, bass, bluegill, bullheads; Frenchman R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, carp; Republican R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Driftwood Cr.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, carp.

HOOKER County: Dismal R.—trout, catfish; Middle Loup R.—catfish, rock bass, bullheads.

KEITH County: Keystone Dam (1)— trout, bass, catfish, crappie, perch; Ogallala L. (2)—trout, bass, catfish, crappie, perch; McConaughy Res. (3)—northern pike, walleye, trout, catfish, white bass, crappie, bluegill, bullheads; Lonergin Cr. —trout; Otter Cr.—trout; White Tail Cr. —trout; North Platte & South Platte R's—catfish, bullheads, walleye, crappie. heads, bass, sunfish.

LINCOLN County: Moran Canyon Res. (1)—walleye, catfish, crappie, bullheads, bluegill; Box Elder Canyon Res. (2)—walleye, catfish, crappie, bullheads; Cottonwood Canyon Res. (3)—walleye, catfish, crappie, bullheads; Target Canyon Res. (4)—walleye, catfish, crappie, bullheads; Snell Canyon Res. (5)—bluegill, bass, walleye, catfish, crappie, northern pike, perch; Jeffrey Canyon Res. (6)—bass, bluegill, walleye, catfish, crappie, bullheads, northern pike, perch; Platte R. (North & South)—catfish, walleye, bullheads; Hershey Drains (7)—trout, bullheads; Wellfleet L. (State) (8)—catfish, bullheads, bluegill, bass, crappie; Sutherland Drain Ditch— trout; Sutherland Res. (9)—walleye, catfish, carp, bullheads, bass, northern pike, bluegill; North Platte Tailrace— catfish; Maloney L. (10)—walleye, catfish, crappie, bullheads, bass, northern pike, bluegill.

LOGAN County: South Loup R — trout, catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie.

McPHERSON County: Birdwood Cr — bullheads, sunfish; Sand hills lakes (most open to public)—bullheads, bass, perch.

RED WILLOW County: Republican R. —catfish, bullheads, carp; McCook Sandpits—rock bass, crappie, sunfish, bullheads, catfish, black bass; Beaver Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Driftwood Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Red Willow Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

THOMAS County: Dismal R— trout, catfish, bullheads; Middle Loup R.—catfish, rock bass, bullheads; Sandpit at Halsey (1)—bullheads.

Section III

ADAMS County: City Park L. at Hastings (1)—bullheads, bluegill; Crystal L. at Ayr (State) (2)—crappie, bullheads, catfish, bass; Little Blue R.—catfish, bullheads.

ANTELOPE County: Cedar Cr.—bullheads, catfish, bass, bluegill; Country Club L. at Neligh (1)—bullheads, bass, bluegill; Clearwater Cr.—catfish, bullheads; County Farm L. at Oakdale (2)—   Outdoor Nebraska 31

  32 Outdoor Nebraska bullheads, crappie, bass, bluegill; Elkhorn R. Bayous — catfish, bullheads, bluegill, crappie; Elkhorn R.—catfish, bullheads; Evans Slough at Clearwater (3)—crappie, bass; Atwood Slough at Neligh (4)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, catfish; South Branch Verdigre Cr.—trout.

BLAINE County: Dismal R.—catfish, bass, bluegill, bullheads; Middle Loup R.—catfish, bullheads; North Loup R.— catfish, rainbow trout, bullheads, walleye.

BOONE County: Beaver Cr.—catfish, bullheads, bass; Cedar R.—catfish, bullheads, bass, rainbow trout; Shell Cr.— bullheads, catfish.

BOYD County: Niobrara R.—bullheads, crappie, bass, catfish; Niobrara R. Bayous—bullheads, crappie, bass, catfish; Spencer Dam (1)—catfish, bullheads.

BROWN County: Calamus R.—walleye, northern pike, catfish, rainbow trout, bass, bluegill; Fairfield Cr.— trout; Long L. (State) (1)—bass, bluegill, perch, crappie, bullheads; Long Pine Cr.—trout; Long Pine L. (2)—trout, bass, bluegill, bullheads; Plum Cr.— trout; Ainsworth Sandpits (3)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie; Evergreen Cr.—trout; Niobrara R.—catfish, bass, bullheads, crappie.

BUFFALO County: Cottonmill L. (State) (1)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie, catfish; South Loup R.—catfish, bullheads; Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, bass, bluegill; Oliver Sandpit at Shelton (2)—catfish, bass, bluegill; Olsen Sandpit at Gibbon (3)—bass, bluegill, bullheads; Ravenna L. (State) (4)—bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, bullheads. CLAY County: West Blue R.—catfish, sunfish, crappie; Little Blue R.—catfish, bullheads, bass, sunfish, crappie; Sandy Cr.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, crappie.

CUSTER County: Clear Cr.—bullheads; Middle Loup R. and Bayous— catfish, bullheads; Muddy Cr.—catfish, bullheads; South Loup R. and Bayous— catfish, bullheads; Spring Cr.—bullheads; Arnold L. (State)—bass, bluegill; Victoria Springs pond (State) (2)— bullheads, catfish, crappie, bass.

DAWSON County: Buffalo Cr.— crappie, bullheads; Little Canyon Res., No. 1 & 2—northern pike, bass, walleyes, catfish, bluegill, crappie; Midway Canyon Res. (3)—bass, walleyes, catfish, crappie, bluegill; Gallagher Canyon Res. (4)—northern pike, walleye, catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie, perch; Plum Cr. Canyon Res. (5)—northern pike, walleye, . catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie, perch; Johnson Canyon Res. (6)—northern pike, walleye, catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie, perch; Gothenburg City L. (7) —bass, crappie, bluegill, bullheads, catfish, drum; Lexington City Park L. (8) —bass, crappie, bluegill, bullheads, catfish, drum; North Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish.

FRANKLIN County: Republican R — catfish, bullheads; Thompson Cr.—bass, sunfish, bullheads; Turkey Cr.—bullheads.

FURNAS County: Cambridge L. (1)— bass, bullheads; Medicine Cr.—catfish, bullheads; Republican R.—catfish, bullheads; Turkey Cr.—bullheads; Twin Lakes at Cambridge (2)—bullheads, crappie, catfish; Beaver Cr.—bullheads.

GARFIELD County: Calamus R.—catfish, walleye, rock bass; North Loup R. & Bayous—catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie, perch, bullheads, walleyes; Cedar R. —trout, bass, carp.

GOSPER County: Johnson Res. (1) — northern pike, walleye, bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie, perch; Johnson Res. No. 2 (2)—northern pike, walleye, bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie, perch; Turkey Cr.—bullheads, carp, sunfish.

GREELEY County: Cedar R.—walleye, rock bass, catfish, bullheads, crappie; Wolbach Park L. (1)—bass, bluegill, bullheads; North Loup R.—walleye, catfish, bullheads.

HALL County: Pier L. at Grand Island (1)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, walleye, catfish; Platte R. & Bayous—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; South Loup R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish.

HAMILTON County: West Blue R.— catfish, bullheads, crappie; Lincoln Cr.— bullheads, catfish; Platte R. & Bayous— catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads.

HARLAN County: Beaver Cr.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, carp; Republican R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, carp;   Outdoor Nebraska 33

  34 Outdoor Nebraska Sandpits at Orleans (1)—bullheads, perch, crappie; Turkey Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Prairie Dog Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Spring Cr.—carp, bullheads.

HOLT County: Clearwater Cr.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; Dora L. at Stuart (1)—bullheads, bass, bluegill, crappie; Eagle Cr.—trout, bullheads, Elkhorn R. & cutoffs—catfish, bass, bullheads, crappie, carp, pickerel; Goose L. (State) at Bliss (2)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie; O'Donnell L. (3)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie; Sand Cr.—bass, crappie, trout; Stuart Sandpits (4)— bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie; Steel Cr.—trout; Swan L. south of Atkinson (5)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie, northern pike; Verdigre Creeks—trout; Cedar Cr.—bullheads, carp; South fork of Elkhorn R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, pickerel; Redbird Cr.—bullheads, sunfish, trout; Niobrara R.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

HOWARD County: South, Middle, North Loup R's—catfish, bullheads, carp; Oak Cr.—bullheads, carp.

KEARNEY County: Better Fishing Ass'n Pits at Newark (1)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, walleye; Newark Sandpits (2)—bass, bluegill, crappie,, perch, catfish, walleye; Platte R.—catfish, carp, bullheads.

KEYA PAHA County: Meadville Bayou—catfish, bullheads, crappie; Niobrara R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, carp.

KNOX County: Niobrara Park L. (State) (1)—catfish, bullheads, crappie, bass, sunfish; Steel Cr.—trout; Verdigre Cr's (North, Middle, South branches)— trout; Niobrara R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Missouri R.—catfish, bullheads, carp,sturgeon.

LOUP County: Mud Bayou north of Taylor (1)—crappie, bluegill, bass, bullheads; Calamus R.—rock bass, black bass, walleye, catfish; Gracie Cr.—trout; North Loup R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish, bass, carp, walleye.

MERRICK County: Booth Sandpit at Central City (1)—bass, bluegill; Hord L. (State) at Central City (2)—crappie, perch, bass, bluegill, bullheads, walleye; Scotts Sandpits at Clarks (3)—crappie, bullheads, bass, bluegill, catfish; Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish.

NANCE County: Beaver R.—catfish, bullheads; Cedar R.—catfish, bullheads; Commercial Club Lakes at Geneva (1) —catfish, bass, bluegill, crappie; Loup R.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

NUCKOLLS County: Little Blue R.— catfish, bullheads, carp; Republican R.— catfish, bullheads, carp; Sandy Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

PHELPS County: Sawyer Sandpits (1)—bullheads, crappie, bluegill, bass, catfish; North Platte R.—bullheads, carp, catfish.

. ROCK County: Calamus R.—catfish, walleye, northern pike, bullheads, rock bass; Fish L. at Bassett (1)—bass, walleye, bullheads; Goose L. at Bassett (2) —bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Wolf L. at Newport (3)—bullheads, bluegill, bass, crappie; Niobrara R.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

SHERMAN County: Middle Loup R.— catfish, bullheads, carp, bass, bluegill; Oak Cr.—bullheads, carp; Bowman L. (State) (1)-—bass, bluegill, crappie, catfish, walleyes; Litchfield L. (State) (2) —carp; Mud Cr.—bullheads, catfish, carp.

VALLEY County: Middle Loup R.— catfish, bullheads, carp; North Loup R.— catfish, bullheads, carp; Mira Cr.—bullheads.

WEBSTER County: Elm Cr.—trout; Republican R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Pawnee L. (State) (1)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, walleye.

WHEELER County: Cedar R.—trout, sunfish, walleye, rock bass, black bass; Ericson L.—bass, bluegill, crappie, rock bass, walleye, catfish, trout; Pibel L. (State) (1)—catfish, bullheads, walleye, crappie, bass.

Section IV

BURT County: Logan Cr.—catfish, bullheads, bass, bluegill, crappie; Lyons Park Pond (1)—bullheads, bass, bluegill, crappie; Lake Quinnebaugh (2)— bass, bullheads, crappie, perch, catfish; Missouri R.—catfish, bullheads, sturgeon, carp.

BUTLER County: Big Blue R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; City Park L. at David City (1)—crappie, bass, bullheads.   Outdoor Nebraska 35

  36 Outdoor Nebraska bluegill, catfish; Platte R.—catfish, bull-

CASS County: Cedar Cr.—bullheads, catfish; City L. at Weeping Water (1)— bullheads, crappie, bass; Platte K.—catfish, bullheads, sturgeon; Salt Cr. and Bayous — catfish, bullheads, crappie; Platteview Sandpits (State) at Louisville (2)—catfish, bass, bullheads, bluegill, crappie, trout.

CEDAR County: Bow Cr.—bullheads, catfish; West Bow Cr.—bullheads, catfish; Missouri R.—catfish, bullheads, sturgeon, carp. n

COLFAX County: Schuyler City Park L. (1) crappie, bullheads, bass, bluegill, catfish; Columbus Power House Tail Kace (2)—catfish, bullheads; Shell Cr.— catfish, bullheads; Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, crappie, sunfish.

CUMING County: Club House Pond at Wisner (1)—bullheads; Elkhorn R.— catfish, bullheads, drum; Logan Cr.— catfish, bullheads; Rock Cr. at Beemer— bullheads, catfish; Elkhorn R. cutoffs— catfish, bullheads, sunfish.

DAKOTA County: Crystal L. (1)— catfish, bullheads, bass, crappie, walleyes; Missouri R.—catfish, bullheads, sturgeon, carp.

DIXON County: Missouri R.—catfish, bullheads, sturgeon, carp; Logan Cr.— catfish, bullheads.

DODGE County: Dead Timber L. at Scribner (State) (1)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, catfish; Fremont Lakes (State) (2)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, trout, catfish, carp; North Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; Elkhorn R.—catfish, bullheads, drum, carp, sunfish; Highway 77 Sandpit at Fremont (3)—bullheads, crappie, bass, catfish; Logan Cr.—bullheads, catfish.

DOUGLAS County: Benson Park L. at Omaha (1)—bullheads, carp; Carter L. at Omaha (2)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads, catfish, walleye; George's L. at Omaha (3)—bullheads; Hansom Park L. at Omaha (4)—bullheads, catfish, crappie; Hartford L. at Waterloo (5)—crappie, bass; Miller Park L. at Omaha (6)—bullheads, carp; Ralston L. at Ralston (7)—carp; Riverview Park L. at Omaha (8)—bullheads, carp; Missouri R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Elkhorn R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; North Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Papillion Cr.—bullheads.

FILLMORE County: West Blue R.— bullheads, catfish, carp; Lions Club L. at Geneva (1)—bullheads, bass, bluegill; North Pond at Shickley (2)—bullheads; Beatrice Gun Club L. at Shickley (3)— bullheads, crappie; Turkey Cr.—catfish, bullheads, crappie.

GAGE County: Arbor Park Pond at Wymore (1)—bullheads; Big Blue R.— catfish, bullheads, buffalo, carp; Indian Cr.—bullheads, sunfish, crappie, catfish; Turkey Cr.—catfish, bullheads; Wolf Cr. —bullheads.

JEFFERSON County: Alexandria Lakes- (State) (1)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Little Blue R.—bullheads, catfish, carp; Crystal Springs L. at Fairbury—bullheads, sunfish, crappie; Sandy Cr.—catfish, sunfish, crappie.

JOHNSON County: North fork of Nemaha R. and Bayous—bullheads, catfish; South fork of Little Nemaha R.— catfish, bullheads.

LANCASTER County: Camp Cr. at Waverly—bullheads; City Park L. at Hickman (1)—bullheads; Oak Cr.—bullheads, catfish, carp; Salt Cr. cut-off at Greenwood—bullheads; Oak Cr. L's at Lincoln (2)—catfish, bullheads, carp, walleye, sunfish, perch, crappie, buffalo; Salt Cr.—bullheads, catfish, sunfish; Rock Cr.—bullheads, catfish.

MADISON County: Battle Cr.—bullheads; Mill Pond at Norfolk (1)—bullheads, bass, crappie; North Branch of Elkhorn R.—bullheads, catfish; Pofahl L. at Norfolk (2)—bullheads, catfish, bass, sunfish; Shell Cr.—bullheads, bluegill, bass, crappie; Ta-Ha-Zouka Park L. at Norfolk (3)—bullheads, catfish, trout; Union Cr.—bullheads.

NEMAHA County: Little Nemaha R. —catfish, bullheads, carp; Muddy Cr.— catfish, bullheads, carp; Missouri R.— catfish, bullheads, carp.

OTOE County: Missouri R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Little Nemaha R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; North Fork of Nemaha R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; South Fork of Little Nemaha R.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

PAWNEE County: City Pond at Pawnee City (1)—bluegill, bullheads, carp,   Outdoor Nebraska 37 crappie; Izaak Walton L. at Table Rock (2)—bass, bluegill, bullhead; Turkey Cr. —bullheads, catfish; North Fork of Nemaha—catfish, carp, bullheads; South Fork of Nemaha—catfish, bullheads, carp.

PIERCE County: Pierce City L. (1)— bullheads, catfish; Gilman L. at Pierce (2)—bass, catfish, bullheads, crappie; Gregerson L. at Foster (3)—bullheads, crappie, bluegill, bass; North Fork of Elkhorn R.—bullheads, catfish, bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye; Plainview L. (4)—bass, bluegill, crappie, bullheads; Theisen L. at Osmond (5)—bass, bluegill, bullheads, crappie.

PLATTE County: Babcock L. at Columbus (1)—catfish, bullheads, crappie; Pawnee Park L. at Columbus (2)—bullheads, bluegill, crappie, bass; Shell Cr.— bullheads, catfish; Platte ' R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Monroe Power Canal at Monroe—catfish, drum, bullheads, carp.

POLK County: Clear Cr.—crappie, bluegill; Big Blue R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Platte R.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

RICHARDSON County: Four Mile Cr. at Humboldt—bullheads; Humboldt City L. (1)—bullheads, carp, catfish; Nemaha R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; South Fork of Nemaha—catfish, bullheads, carp; Muddy Cr.—carp, catfish, bullheads; Verdon L. (State) —crappie, catfish, bass, bullheads.

(Continued on Page 46)

ABOUT FISHING

Fish are affected by the temperature of the water. If the temperature is too high, fish will not bite. If the temperature is too low, digestion and feeding slow down. This is because the body temperature of a fish changes with that of the water, usually matching it to a degree.

Fish, like other game, have numerous natural enemies. Some of them are kingfishers, herons, fish ducks, turtles, water snakes, mink, otter and gars.

Fish feed by sight, taste and smell. Sight appears to be the most important, with its effectiveness aided by movement of the prey or lure in the feeding of predacious fishes such as bass, pike and walleyes. Catfish seem to rely mostly on the sense of taste for food-finding.

A fish can move each of its eyes independently of the other. The location of its eyes enable it to see much more of what is going on behind it than an angler can. Furthermore, a fish can move each eye independently of the other so that it can turn one to look up and the other to look down, or one to look forward and the other to look backward. But a poor fish cannot close its eyes. It has no eyelids.

The visibility of fish is limited from a few to several feet, dependent upon the clarity or visibility of the water.

Are you anxious to know how old that big fish you caught was? Chances are that he had recorded his birthdays on his scales for you in the form of annual rings. With some practice you can estimate the age of the fish by counting the rings on its scales similar to the manner in which you would count the growth rings on a tree. The year marks on fish scales are formed when a fish resumes active growth each year at the beginning of its growing season.

38 Outdoor Nebraska

Outdoor Nebraska Quiz

You are invited to test your ability .in answering the following pictorial questions. Count one point for each question answered correctly. A score of seven is excellent; six is very good; five is good; four or below poor. For answers see page 46.

Outdoor Nebraska 39

GAME COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT 1950 Activities of Divisions Outlined

The Game Commission, a non-political organization, is under the administration of seven Commissioners appointed for five-year terms by the Governor. Meetings are held in the Game Commission offices on the ninth floor of the State Capitol.

The Commission is the department's official body responsible by law for the over-all administration and general policy, including the checking of progress reports and records at each meeting, along with the responsibility of the Commission's executive secretary to place in effect through the following departmental administrative divisions:

The Nebraska Game, Forestation and Parks Commission is so organized that the department is self-sustaining without tax appropriations except for state park purposes. Sources of income are as follows:

1. Permit sales—hunting, fishing, trapping, game farmers, beaver, deer, commercial seining. 2. Land rentals and crop returns. 3. Federal-aid money from Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson projects. 4. Concessions from boat and cabin rentals. 5. Sale of rough fish (carp and buffalo). 6. Gun sale and other confiscated material. 7. Liquidated damages as assessed by court. 8. Tax appropriation for state parks only.

During the past year, the department's cash income totaled $774,076.04. The permit sales were $652,733.54, federal aid $104,558.78 and cash from parks $16,783.72.

As of the last payroll in 1950, the Commission listed 126 full-time employees with a total wage payment of $28,707.66 per month.

  Outdoor Nebraska 41

FISHERIES: The fisheries division established two records during '50, stocking a record number of adult fish and removing an all-time high amount of rough fish. Almost 450,000 of 2,089,900 fish stocked during the year were adult size.

The salvage crew, assigned the task of seining under the ice and removing coarse and game fish from overpopulated lakes, removed 163,025 pounds of rough fish, 53,000 pounds more than in '49. In addition, the crew seined 67 lakes and provided bullheads for 63 kids' fishing contests.

Following are reports of the activities of the state fish hatcheries:

VALENTINE: Produced and stocked 280,780 bass, bluegill, crappie and brown trout fingerlings and 14,324 adults of same varieties.

NORTH PLATTE: Produced and stocked 279,872 fingerling walleyes, 19,260 bass and 60,055 bluegill fingerlings. Culverts, drain ditches, new kettles, roadways and park areas were constructed and installed.

GRETNA: Produced 3,425 bass, 5,225 bluegiU, 2,636 bullheads, 4,805 channel catfish, 450 crappie and 7,500 rainbow trout. Catfish production was far below previous years' standards due probably to the prolonged cold weather during which time the catfish would not spawn.

ROCK CREEK: Produced 64,000 rainbow fry, 68,765 bass, 83,575 bluegill, 20,480 crappie, 42,100 bullheads. All but the rainbows were fingerlings. Also produced 8,868 bass, 17,150 bluegill, 110 crappie, 204 bullheads, 1,050 brown trout and 52,785 rainbow trout, all adults. Twenty new hatchery troughs were purchased, increasing the egg capacity of the hatchery.

The biology branch of the division continued its work in the laboratory analysis of the growth rate of fish. It also made a survey of the minnow situation and conducted investigations on possible trout runs, effects of crappie beds, pollution problems, fish mortality problems and individual farm pond and lake analysis.

  42 Outdoor Nebraska

Expenditures of the division were: Salvage crew, $51,273.54; Valentine hatchery, $13,365.49; North Platte hatchery, $16,618.60; Gretna hatchery, $15,127.46; Rock Creek hatchery, $44,774.48; biology branch, $7,755.72.

LANDS AND WATERS: This division is responsible for most all construction and maintenance within the department, including lake development and maintenance, recreation ground development and maintenance, the forestation and accompanying operations on all recreation areas, as well as the construction, maintenance and operation of all state parks.

The division shares a dual budget as the state parks and all operational activities and expenditures related to them, except top administration, is paid from Legislative tax appropriations, while all recreational areas, state lakes and picnic grounds are supported financially from income derived from the sale of hunting and fishing permits.

Work at the recreation grounds and other state-owned areas, excluding the state parks, is outlined on pages 17 and 18 in the "Lake Development" story. The total cost of all operations of this crew including salaries, trucks, new heavy dirt equipment and new lake development was $111,665.13.

Following are accomplishments, expenditures, revenue and attendance data at the state parks:

ARBOR LODGE: Plastering, papering and painting of mansion. Cleveland bathroom restored. Greenhouse reglazed. Mansion provided with lightning rods. Expenditures $12,000.33. Revenue $6,942.27. Estimated visitors 61,842.

NIOBRARA: Two new four-room cabins constructed, modernly equipped. Large mess hall refrigerator purchased. New floor installed in mess hall. Much maintenance and repair work due to extreme flooding in early spring. Expenditures $17,699.16. Revenue $4,114.30. Estimated visitors 24,707.

PONCA: Two new four-room cabins constructed, each modernly equipped. Electricity installed. Additional 40 acres of land purchased. Expenditures $10,160.85. Revenue $1,608.25. Estimated visitors 47,300.

Expenditures on following three parks were kept to minimum as little improvement \work was planned. Expenditures at Victoria Springs state park totaled $5,191.43. Revenue amounted to $442.35 and attendance was estimated at 9,645. Stolley expenditures totaled $5,064.73 while the revenue was $418.75 and attendance 27,930. No records were kept on the number of visitors at Ft. Kearny. Expenditures at Ft. ... Kearny were $105.71.

Forestry crews planted 50,000 trees. Total expense for operation was $30,274.62. In addition, the crews maintain the plantings and plant and mow grass. GAME: This division's budget is broken into several sub-divisions—game farm, farm management, predator control, waterfowl, fur and upland game and big game investigation, habitat development and research laboratory. All activities except the investigation, research laboratory and habitat development, as well as some land purchase funds, come 100% from permit fees.

Other listed projects and divisions, however, are classed as Pittman-Robertson projects under a Federal aid program. In this instance, after a given project is approved, the State spends the necessary funds from its own budget and then the Fish and Wildlife service through the Pittman-Robertson federal aid to wildlife reimburses the State 75% of what the State expended. The total expenditures for this division in '50 were $131,455.38 for the Federal aid projects and $54,908.70 for all other game activities.

Accomplishments of the division:

Conducted mid-winter waterfowl survey—observed almost 270,000 wintering waterfowl on Platte river (173,000 in '49).

  Outdoor Nebraska 43

Longer pheasant season than previous year with increased bag and possession limit.

First grouse season since late 1920's.

Second annual deer season. Of 1,000 deer permit holders, 686 shot deer.

Kehabilitated pheasants in cooperation with wildlife clubs in areas depleted by severe blizzards of winter of 1948 and '49 and in that section hit by blizzard of March 7, 1950. Released 17,261 pheasants.

Continued advances were made in Commission's Federal Aid division, particularly in regard to the wildlife survey, investigation project and habitat rehabilitation program. Intensive studies were conducted on pheasants, quail, grouse, waterfowl, deer and muskrat.

Report cards were distributed to 6,000 hunting permit holders to get data concerning the trapping and hunting take in '50.

Made food analysis of coyote scats, coyote, deer and miscellaneous mammal stomachs, miscellaneous bird and pheasant crops and duck, goose and pheasant gizzards.

Planted 725,000 trees and shrubs on 217 acres in 44 counties.

Divided the Sacramento area into two sections, one for a public shooting grounds and the other for a game refuge. The two sections worked well in conjunction with one another. The section set aside for a refuge served as a feeding and resting site for waterfowl. The ducks and geese worked from the refuge to other water sites in the general area, providing good hunting. It appears that had the entire area been opened, there probably would have been an earlier departure of the waterfowl.

(Anyone desiring more detailed information on any of the activities mentioned in this report are invited to contact the Game Commission office, Ninth Floor, State House, Lincoln.)

Who needs a fishing permit?

All residents of Nebraska, 16 years of age and over, must have a permit to fish or hunt in the state. All non-residents, regardless of age, are required to have a permit.

44 Outdoor Nebraska

Know Your Warden

SAM GRASMICK

In Holt, Boyd and Knox counties, natives acquaint a broad smile and warm greeting with Sam "Badger" Grasmick, district game warden. Young Sam, born May 7, 1920 at Sidney, Montana, is a comparatively new member of the Game Commission's law enforcement division. He began his tenure with the Game Commission in March of 1947.

When Sam was a few years old, his family moved to Scottsbluff. He spent most of the years of his youth on a nearby farm. Whenever the opportunity knocked, sports-minded Sam took a fling at hunting and fishing. He became adept, at trap shooting.

In the spring of 1943, Sam received his greetings from Uncle Sam. He took his training at the Military Police Training Center at Ft. Custer, Mich., and later saw service in New Guinea and the Philippine Islands.

Sam was married to Alta Caroline Mecham of Grand Island on Dec. 10, 1943 at Oakland, Calif. The Grasmicks now have two sons, David Michael, 4, and Richard Lee, 1%.

Soon after discharge from the service, Sam was appointed junior conservation officer with the Nebraska Game Commission. He was trained under the watchful eye of Art Edmunds, veteran game warden. Four months later, Oct., 1947, Sam's thorough familiarity with wildlife and his ability to get along with people was rewarded.

He was appointed warden of District No. 4, Holt, Boyd and Knox counties. He has held that post since and has headquarters at O'Neill. Sam's assignment represented a big challenge. His new district had been getting little attention, particularly during the war years. Many people couldn't understand the necessity of game laws and why a warden should have to live among them. Sam has accomplished wonders. Residents of his district are now among the most conservation-minded and game law abiding sportsmen of the state. His major problem at present is deer poaching.

District No. 4 has a varied supply of game—prairie chicken, grouse, ring-necked pheasant, deer, waterfowl, rabbits and many others. The district has numerous productive duck shooting areas and is studded with many fine fishing waters.

Outdoor Nebraska 45

Notes on Nebraska Fauna Channel Catfish

This is the sixth of a series of articles and drawings on Nebraska's small and big game animals, game birds and game fish. Glen Foster, supervisor of fisheries, prepared the written account while C. G. Pritchard, staff artist, made the drawing. The Summer Issue of OUTDOOR NEBRASKA, due off the press July 1, will feature the mourning dove.

Stream fishing in Nebraska, with the exception of trout streams in the northern and western parts of the state, would be of little significance without the streamlined channel catfish. The channel cat is one of the most popular and important game fish in our waters, having a high value both as a sport fish and a commercial species in the Missouri river.

The channel cat is a hardy fish and though it is constantly subjected to interference by man, has maintained itself well in Nebraska streams. The practice of channeling streams, cutting off oxbows and bayous and the constructionof dams pose a serious menace to its future.

Natural spawning areas for catfish are under logs and brush or in holes in banks where fish can remain out of the main current but still have fresh water passing over their eggs. Channeling and straightening streams destroy the sites where nests are generally built and eliminate the bends and deep holes where catfish can rest and feed.

The many dams now in our streams are barriers to upstream movement of the channel cat during the spawning run. The large number of proposed

(Continued on following page)

TROUT REPORTS

(Continued from Page 36)

SALINE County: Big Blue R.—catfish, bullheads, carp, walleye, black bass, crappie; Crete City Sandpits (1)—bullheads, bass, bluegill; College Pond at Crete (2)—bullheads; Crete Mill Pond (3)—bass, carp, bullheads, buffalo, catfish, bluegill; Dorchester L. (State) (4) —catfish, bullheads, carp; Turkey Cr.— catfish, bullheads, bass.

SARPY County: Salt Cr. cut-off at Ashland—catfish, bullheads, carp; Papillion Cr.—bullheads; Platte R.—catfish, carp, bullheads; Missouri R.—catfish, carp, bullheads, sturgeon.

SAUNDERS County: Clear Cr. at Ashland—bass, bullheads; Salt Cr. cutoff at Ashland—catfish, bullheads, sunfish; Fidler's sandpits at Ashland—bullheads, sunfish, bass, crappie; Oak Cr.— bullheads; Platte R.—carp, catfish, bullheads; Rock Cr.—bullheads; Memphis L. (State) (1)—catfish, walleye, bullheads, bluegill, bass, crappie; Sand Cr.— bullheads; Silver Cr.—bullheads, catfish; Wahoo Cr.—catfish, bullheads. main current but still have fresh water passing over their eggs. Channeling and straightening streams destroy the sites where nests are generally built and eliminate the bends and deep holes where catfish can rest and feed.

SEWARD County: Big Blue R.—catfish, carp, bullheads; West Blue R.—catfish, carp, bullheads; Seward City Park L. (1)—bullheads; Lincoln Cr.—bullheads, catfish; Blue R. Rec. Gr'nds. (State) (2)—-catfish, bullheads, crappie, perch.

STANTON County: Elkhorn R. & Bayous—catfish, bullheads, carp; Taylor Cr.'—bullheads, catfish.

THAYER County: Little Blue R.—catfish, bullheads, carp; Sandy Cr.—bullheads, catfish, perch, crappie; Spring Cr.—bullheads, carp, catfish.

THURSTON County: Missouri R.— catfish, bullheads, carp, sturgeon; Logan Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

WASHINGTON County: Elkhorn R.— catfish, bullheads, carp; Missouri R.— catfish, bullheads, carp, sturgeon.

WAYNE County: Logan Cr.—catfish, bullheads, carp.

YORK County: West Blue R—carp, catfish, bullheads; Beaver Cr.—carp, catfish, bullheads; Lincoln Cr. (1)—carp, catfish, bullheads.

46 Outdoor Nebraska

dams is not an encouraging picture as far as the channel cat is concerned.

The Game Commission's trapping and stocking program has been carried on many years in order to keep this popular fish stocked in streams above the dams. Catfish are trapped in the Missouri and Niobrara rivers and stocked above the dams in the spring of each year before spawning time. This gives the larger cat which are capable of spawning an opportunity to find suitable spawning sites and consequently help maintain the upper streams supplied with fish.

There is no other way in which the channel cat can reach the upper streams. Channel and blue catfish are also hatched artificially at the Gretna State Fish hatchery and stocked as fingerlings. These are stocked in the fall of the year. Many lakes have also been stocked with catfish where they generally make good growth but seldom spawn unless nests are prepared for them.

The ability of the channel cat to adjust itself to varying conditions and to eat almost anything living or dead have been big factors in its continued survival today in many of Nebraska's streams.

Since catfish live in more or less turbid water, their eyes are much reduced in size and efficiency. Their food is located more by their senses of taste and touch rather than by sight. The sense of touch seems to be highly developed in the catfish, especially in the barbels or feelers around the mouth. The barbels are always arranged in pairs around the mouth and are movable at will. There is little doubt that they aid in the search for food in muddy waters where eyes are of little use.

The channel catfish is more slender in shape than other members of its family and has a large, deeply forked-tail which enables it to live and move fast in swift water, its natural habitat. Seven species of the catfish have been found in Nebraska which includes the bullhead. The channel cat is the most popular member with the possible exception of the bullhead which can be found in all of the main streams in the state, the larger reservoirs and many smaller lakes and streams.

ANSWERS TO "OUTDOOR NEBRASKA" QUIZ

1.—(a); 2.—(a); 3—(a); 4*-e) 5.—(a); 6—(b); 7.—(a).

The Missing Picture