BOW MONTHLY NEWSLETTER - MAY
 May and June are two of the best fishing months in Nebraska. That is true for a variety of species and a variety of waters. If you are sitting around waiting for a good fishing report, the fish are biting!
Walleye Fishing
As the days get longer and the weather gets warmer, anglers hit the water to take advantage of spring spawning. One of the most popular fish anglers fish for during this time is walleye. While they are in the shallow water for spawning, they will “zone in” on small fish, but they will eat anything they can find. So, chances are your favorite fishing technique, whatever that may be, will catch walleyes in May and June.
Nebraska anglers can also compete in the Midwest Walleye Challenge that is open March 30-June 30, 2024. Anglers who participate provide valuable date to Nebraska fisheries biologists, who'll use the data hoping to learn more about the status of walleye in Nebraska. Participants are also eligible to win cash or noncash prizes.
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Nebraska Walleye Spawn
In Nebraska, walleye spawn happens annually in early April. Walleye in Nebraska naturally reproduce in some lakes, but many of our reservoirs need help to meet the demand from our anglers. This is where the fisheries biologists step in with the assist.
Mature walleye are typically collected from two waterbodies, Sherman and Merritt reservoirs, with a third location at Lake McConaughy, if necessary. The process begins by daytime electrofishing to collect male walleye. To determine their sex, biologists will squeeze their bellies, expelling a white milk for males and yellow eggs for females. Females are typically collected from 300-foot gill nets that are set along the dam and the rocky banks at dusk. The nets are left for a few hours before they are checked for fish. Any walleye caught in the nets are picked out and put into tanks. The first check of the nets typically produces the most female walleye because they are most active at dusk. Depending on the numbers, nets might need to be reset several times until the action slows down around 2 a.m.
Then the action begins! Milt (sperm) is collected from the males, and it is kept on ice until the eggs are ready. While the males are easy to collect and are always ready to go, the females are tougher to collect and require several nights of work. Any unripe females (also known as green females) are kept in holding pens until they ripen and are ready to be spawned.
The next morning is when the baby making begins. Eggs are expressed from the females and milt is added to fertilize the eggs. Water activates the milt and a high-quality clay mixture called Fuller’s earth is added to keep them from sticking together. The eggs require a specific touch, using a turkey feather to mix. Eggs are mixed and placed in jars where they have a continuous running water supply, and the eggs begin to harden.
Approximately 70% of the fertilized eggs will hatch and produce roughly 130 million walleyes, depending on fisheries management requests and what our hatchery production staff can raise with the available space. This process continues for several days and helps create angling opportunities across the state of Nebraska.
Article written by: Rebecca Munter, NE District Fisheries Biologist
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FIELD TO TABLE
Fish California Bowl
If you are a fan of sushi or poke bowls, then this is a great way to eat the fish you are going to catch this year! Even if you are not a sushi or poke bowl lover, this recipe is a must-try. With basic ingredients such as soy sauce, rice, carrots and cucumbers, this is a quick, flavorful and healthy meal to make.
This recipe was provided by Food for Hunters, who will be providing a delicious recipe to share with you every month!
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UPCOMING EVENTS
Upcoming BOW Events
Nebraska BOW has several summer programs with registration that is now open! You can register for our annual Summer Shooting Series, Summer Paddling Series and BOW Weekend on the new BOW event website.
Free Fishing Day at Nebraska Parks
Visit a state park for Free Fishing and Free Park Entry Day on May 18! Enjoy a Saturday of fishing or state park activities without the need to purchase a fishing or park entry permit for the day. Free Fishing and Park Entry Day, held annually in Nebraska on the Saturday preceding Memorial Day weekend, means anyone can explore outdoor opportunities at any Nebraska state park, state recreation area or state historical park. Anglers must observe all fishing regulations. Camping, lodging and all other user fees still apply at state park areas. Find more details online.
Community Fishing Events
Community Fishing nights, Discover Fly Fishing and Discover Bow Fishing events will be held at venues across the state. Look for the Family Fishing Trailer, where loaner rods and reels, bait and fishing instruction are available free to participants. This is the perfect opportunity for people of all ages who have never been fishing or haven’t fished for years to learn. All participants ages 16 and older need a fishing license. Find local events online.
Enders Outdoor Extravaganza
Join us at Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area on Saturday, June 8, beginning at 9 a.m. Mountain Time for Enders Outdoor Extravaganza! This year we are celebrating 50 years of Hunter Education in Nebraska. Activities will include a 5K run, car show, working truck show, tractor show, Dutch oven cooking, BBQ smoke-off, outdoor games, kayaking, and a living history reenactment of Teddy Roosevelt. Find more details online.
Every Monday, you are invited to join in an evening of firearm education for women, taught by women. Choose from a three-week intro pistol class or a 'next-level' weekly practice and skill-building section. The main focus will be on pistol, but firearms such as rifles, shotguns and muzzleloaders may also be covered. Coaching will be available from 7-8 p.m. This class is held every month. Find the schedules and register online.
Every Monday, you are invited to join in an evening of archery for women, taught by women. Choose from a three-week intro class or 'next-level' advice section. Class goes from 5:30-6:30 p.m. and has a flexible arrival time. This class is held every month. Find the schedules and register online.
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BOW Spotlight: Rebecca Munter
Although I reside in northeastern Nebraska with my young family, my heart still lies in Wisconsin where I grew up. I did not grow up hunting or fishing. My love for the outdoors began as a young kid going on camping trips and vacations with my family and playing outside all the time. I was the girl that brought the Barbies outside, climbed up the biggest trees in the neighborhood, made mudpies, and rode my bike 10 miles one way to get to Lake Michigan and walk the beach. Even my time fishing was limited as I spent most of the “fishing” time organizing my dad’s tackle box and anxiously waiting for the moment my dad would tell me I could jump off the boat and go swimming. It’s never mattered to me how you spend your time outside, just so long as you get out.
I knew when I went off to college that I wanted a job where I could spend more time outside than inside and that is where the pursuit began and my exposure to hunting and fishing developed. College friends would take me fishing and bring me out while they hunted for deer, ducks, doves, sheds and turkeys. We’d forage for edible plants, have campfires along the river, shoot bows on gravel roads, and go for bike rides and hikes. There wasn’t much to dislike about any of those experiences and I started doing them on my own and taking them up as hobbies. I’m very appreciative of those friends that were willing to give up a hunt or two to teach me the ropes.
I’ve moved around a lot over the years as I gained my footing in the field of fisheries, and it has brought me to some neat places where I’ve been able to enjoy nature and the different activities nature has to offer in those places. I now work as a fisheries biologist with Nebraska Game and Parks out of the Norfolk, NE office, and I have already had some memorable stories while out doing field work with the people I work with. Having kids and settling down has slowed me down in my adventures outside of work for now, but I’m enjoying seeing the joy in my girls when I teach them about nature and get them exposed to the outdoors. Hopefully their childhood will be filled with as many, or more, happy outdoor experiences as I’ve been blessed with over my life!
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