Wiper and white bass activity has picked up at the Lake Maloney inlet. Dawn and dusk are the best times and live bait seems to be best.
Most of the walleye action at Lake Maloney is in the main lake on the east side of the islands. Trolling/drifting minnows and night crawlers in 8-10 feet has been productive. Live bait on a slip bobber in shallow water between the islands is a good technique right now. Set your bobber stop to suspend the bait about six inches off the bottom.
At the Sutherland Reservoir, walleye activity has shown a few signs of picking up around the Bubble. Dropping a nightcrawler and jigging it on the bottom has been productive. There has been a bit of wiper and white bass activity at the inlet. Catfishing has remained steady along southern and eastern shorelines. Cut baits are best to offer catfish.
Fishing activity at the upper end of Big Mac has been good. Most of the fishing action seems to be in the Lake View, Lemoyne and Cedar Vue triangle. Give it a try. Big Mac water levels are holding steady and that tends to be to the angler’s advantage.
Sonar is a must, and you should look for the fish in the submerged tree lines. You need to get your lures right down in the top of the trees. When you feel your lures “ticking” off the tops of the underwater vegetation, you are in the right place at the right depth. You will lose a few lures, but that is where the fish are.
Trout fishing at Lake Ogallala is about the same as last week — slow to fair in the main portion of the lake. Power Bait is the best bait to use lake and in the NPPD canal.
Dove season is underway
Nebraska’s 2022 dove season is underway. I had reports from all around the region of hunters seeing birds…some more, some less that last year. Personally, I saw less birds where I hunted than last year, bust still had a good time!
The US Fish and Wildlife Service conducts an annual survey on dove populations and the data from that study is outstanding. According to their estimates, there are some 250-300 million doves in North America this year. That is down from their high point of some 400 million a few years ago and you can bet the drought is partially part of the reason. Still, doves are easily the most populous game bird in North America.
If you have hunted doves or any other migratory bird in the past, you have probably received a Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey from the USFWS asking about your hunting success. Have you ever wondered what the USFWS does with that data? Well, it is used to determine the total harvest for the previous year and set limits on the next hunting season.
HIP data from 2021 showed that some 15 million doves were harvested last year. Approximately one million hunters spent about three million days in the field to do this. For those anti-hunting people who always claim hunting doves (or hunting anything) is bad, the HIP data clearly shows that we are in no danger of damaging the resource.
For the last several years I have been able to take three different subspecies of doves during the first days of the season: mourning dove, white-wing dove, and the Eurasian collared dove. Being able to shoot three subspecies of any bird on any hunt is quite unique, and for dove in a “northern” state, it is quite special. Only waterfowling can offer anything similar in our part of the world.
The weather forecast this week is warm and favorable for dove hunting. Get out and enjoy some wing shooting. However, you don’t want to wait too long. That first serious cold front that pushes south will trigger a mass migration and the doves will be on their way to Texas, Mexico and beyond.
Get out there and enjoy it while you can!
Dove hunting tips
If you would like to increase your chances of getting into some good shooting, have some camo or neutral-colored clothes on to break up your shape against a natural background. Doves have excellent eyesight and a human form on the landscape will cause them to flare hundreds of yards out.
I like to put out a few decoys. Doves like to be around other doves and they look for other birds to join up with. I think it is a ‘safety in numbers’ things for these birds. A few decoys in the trees or on a wire near a water hole are an excellent tactic and can really increase your shooting chances.
I also like to use a dove call. I believe doves can hear very well. I have seen doves change course too many times after I’ve blown my call and fly right to me to think it is just a coincidence. Give it a try. Good Luck!
Brule gun show
Sept. 10-11 are the dates for the Brule Gun Show. Show hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday. Keep in mind that Brule is in the Mountain Time Zone. This will be held in the Brule Activities Center at Eighth and Oak. Buy, sell, trade or display your firearms related items.
Admission is $5 per day. I recently talked to Stef Thompson, a promoter and she told me that she would have more than 100 tables for the show. There has been some reorganization of the floor plan and layout, but the show is still packed.
Food and refreshments are available on site and this show is famous for its food.
There will also be a raffle/drawing for $500 in Gun Show Bucks or a choice of either a Diamondback DB15 .223 Nano rifle or a sig Sauer P365 SAS 9mm pistol. You can call Stef at 308-233-2501 for more information on anything to do with this gun show.
© 2022 The North Platte Bulletin. All rights reserved.
Credit: Source link
