Fishing
The Missouri River will allow some fishing before long but it’s
low and cold for now. Soon enough you’ll hear someone catching a few
small channels with stink bait or shad strips, but that hasn’t
happened yet. I guess the cabin fever hasn’t set in yet because soon
enough someone will get the itch.
Area ponds made for treacherous fishing in the
past month with the unseasonably warm temperatures, near 65 degrees. The
places I’ve checked out had water between the bank and the ice and the
ice is what we call rotten – where it’s no longer clear and has a
chalky look to it. This is not good. This usually means that the ice has
lost it’s strength and your taking you changes of getting wet by
fishing on it. It can refreeze hard but usually it’s never as strong
as it was when the ice was clear. Clear ice you can usually get out on
when there is 3 inches. But now that it’s been thawed and rotted, I
really don’t know if 6 inches is the best. On those warm days when its
thawing, the popping and cracking that goes on is enough to make you
quit any way but worrying about rotten ice really sometimes makes you
feel a whole lot safer if your on the bank waiting for a hole to open
up. So you can drop your line in it without the risk of getting wet or
worse.
Hunting
The snow has come and gone a couple of times and
with the few warmer days in between the frigid days there comes the hope
of spring. And with spring comes a whole new year’s hunting seasons.
Spring Turkey Seasons have been set by the
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission. And the application period has
also been determined (Starting February 14th). This year, as
was new for last year, our unit (East Missouri) has unlimited permits.
You say what’s that mean to me? Well this means “If you want a
Turkey Permit – Buy one.” You don’t have to worry about the
‘Draw’ as has been the case in recent years. Back then if you missed
the ‘Draw’ you missed the season. The only thing is you have to
determine now is what season you want to hunt. Also new this year is the
Youth Season to welcome all new comers to the sport. Youth Season
shotgun season starts one week prior to the regular shotgun season and
is statewide. Youth can also obtain a bow permit that is the same term
as the regular bow season. Youth is considered 15 years old and younger.
The Spring Turkey Seasons are as follows:
Note -
When applying for permits in the East Missouri Unit, hunters must
specify "Early" or "Late" on their application or it
will be returned.
Units
Youth Shotgun Statewide
April 9-May 22
East Missouri Early
April 16-April 24
East Missouri
Late
April 25-May 22
West
April 16-May 22
Archery
Statewide
March 25-May 22
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