Nebraska Panfish – In-Depthoutdoors Season 13, Episode 16

Season 13 – Episode 16 is live on Youtube!

James Holst heads to Nebraska to fish for giant panfish with Steve Gildersleeve.

Did Team Holst bump Team McSharry from the top Crappie spot for the 18-19 season with those pigs from Nebraska?

Was the lake public? Could you walk to the spot?
Thanks-Great show BTW

Very cool…. love the drone footage showing the terrain. Never seen or heard anything about Nebraska and fishing before this.

Is Nebraska known for a lot of wind? I ask as waters that size (look small enough) look like they would be fun for a kayak in the spring – if the wind isn’t typically pounding as I suspect it may by the sand dunes.

My absolute favorite kind of panfishing. Shallow, in the reeds, through the ice. Great show guys.

One more question:how thick was the ice? (i have inlaws in Neb. so this could be a trip to take)

tim hurley wrote:

One more question:how thick was the ice? (i have inlaws in Neb. so this could be a trip to take)

When James drilled the first hole it looked to be 12″? or so.

Fished that area years ago for pike and bass…a lot of the lakes are private or very hard to get to. A lot of unmaintained roads and unmapped lakes. There are some small resorts and camps to stay at that can help you get in lakes. Some big catfish in some of the lakes, too.

The wind can get brutal….it’s similar to being in South Dakota or southern Minnesota. Nothing out there to stop the wind once it starts.

tim hurley wrote:

Was the lake public? Could you walk to the spot?
Thanks-Great show BTW

I’d be interested in the answer to this as well.

There are few lakes in the area you can take motorized vehicles on so my guess is private.

For anyone wondering, confirmed on a local forum here in NE, this was filmed at a private body of water.

this is why a few years back there was thirty to fifty boats on this lake, it got so bad the rancher had to shut it down, vehicles from KS., CO. S.D. he just got tired of picking up trash, someone got stuck unloading their boat just went took a tractor out of his yard to pull themselves out.

Filming on a private body of water…. that’s disappointing. Sort of taints the dream of having the same experience a bit.

Like going to a private, managed and stocked water and bragging about the catch…. it simply isn’t the same as it would be if it was finding success on the same waters we all have access to.

Chuck Melcher wrote:

Filming on a private body of water…. that’s disappointing. Sort of taints the dream of having the same experience a bit.

Like going to a private, managed and stocked water and bragging about the catch…. it simply isn’t the same as it would be if it was finding success on the same waters we all have access to.

Agreed. But the conditions here in mn that week were cold windy and lots of snow. I assume that’s what pushed them south. But yeah private waters kind of ruins the excitement

Seeing the Nebraska segment brought back good memories of my time there (25 years). A lot of the lakes in the area are small and on private land with little or no easy access (that’s how the fish got big). Obtaining access is touch and go due to prior problems – tearing up trail roads, leaving trash, leaving gates open, bringing in a bunch of friends on additional trips without stopping in and getting permission from the rancher. Remember – there aren’t many people living out in the sandhills – and they like it that way.

I absolutely understand the filming on a private water–only so much time to put video in the can and produce an episode. When the camera is rolling, you gotta catch fish, big fish!

Having said that, there is plenty of comparable opportunity on public waters in Nebraska! If you want some ideas on where, make sure to check out the annual Fishing Forecast. To give you an even bigger hint, be sure to check out the forecast for the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.

Valentine is mentioned in the video, and that is one of the best places to base out of, plenty of lodging, dining, etc., Visit Valentine. If you make a trip, at least one night you have to have a Nebraska steak!

I am a Nebraska native, have fished those lakes all my life. Most winters at least a few fish like those in the episode come through my ice holes, most on public waters. If you have any questions, just ask,

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
Bauer’s Barbs and Backlashes

whitetips2 wrote:

I absolutely understand the filming on a private water–only so much time to put video in the can and produce an episode. When the camera is rolling, you gotta catch fish, big fish!

Having said that, there is plenty of comparable opportunity on public waters in Nebraska!

I don’t know, but these statements seem to contradict each other. The first about having to fish private water to catch big fish in a limited period of time…which would be the case for visitors wanting to catch nice fish with the limited time they would be visiting.

But then the second statement you say there’s “plenty of comparable opportunity on public waters”…so why didn’t the show film on those “comparable” public waters?

I love the IDO shows for not only the entertainment, but the technique information as well as highlighting the region they are fishing. I’m sure this is a good promotion and brings awareness for those areas to have viewers consider a trip to those places and help support the local economy. As well as enjoy an area they may not normally know about as a fishing destination.

Not trying to be overly critical here, but I kind of agree with what some other’s have commented in that if anyone decided to fish that destination, we’d not have the same opportunity as was seen on the show.

Walleyestudent Andy Cox wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>whitetips2 wrote:</div>
I absolutely understand the filming on a private water–only so much time to put video in the can and produce an episode. When the camera is rolling, you gotta catch fish, big fish!

Having said that, there is plenty of comparable opportunity on public waters in Nebraska!

I don’t know, but these statements seem to contradict each other. The first about having to fish private water to catch big fish in a limited period of time…which would be the case for visitors wanting to catch nice fish with the limited time they would be visiting.

But then the second statement you say there’s “plenty of comparable opportunity on public waters”…so why didn’t the show film on those “comparable” public waters?

I love the IDO shows for not only the entertainment, but the technique information as well as highlighting the region they are fishing. I’m sure this is a good promotion and brings awareness for those areas to have viewers consider a trip to those places and help support the local economy. As well as enjoy an area they may not normally know about as a fishing destination.

Not trying to be overly critical here, but I kind of agree with what some other’s have commented in that if anyone decided to fish that destination, we’d not have the same opportunity as was seen on the show.

You would have the same opportunity, just have to work a little harder for it!

Daryl B.

You would have the same opportunity, just have to work a little harder for it!

Daryl B.
[/quote]

How would a normal guy like me have the same opportunity to go fish private locked waters? Just curious. What kind of work are we talking. Door knocking and begging or what ?

Bearcat89 wrote:

You would have the same opportunity, just have to work a little harder for it!

Daryl B.

How would a normal guy like me have the same opportunity to go fish private locked waters? Just curious. What kind of work are we talking. Door knocking and begging or what ?
[/quote]

Check out my first post, follow the links. You can have the same opportunity on public waters, you just gotta do your homework and put in the time!

Daryl B.

whitetips2 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
You would have the same opportunity, just have to work a little harder for it!

Daryl B.

How would a normal guy like me have the same opportunity to go fish private locked waters? Just curious. What kind of work are we talking. Door knocking and begging or what ?

Check out my first post, follow the links. You can have the same opportunity on public waters, you just gotta do your homework and put in the time!

[/quote]How would a normal guy like me have the same opportunity to go fish private locked waters? Just curious. What kind of work are we talking. Door knocking and begging or what ?

Those of us that hunt Waterfowl, Upland Game. etc. have to knock on doors, read plat books to find owners, make phone calls all the time.
I don’t see why having to do this for fishing in some areas on private property is such a big deal. Why not give it a try? The worst that can happen is they say NO. Then move on to the next landowner and see if your luck changes there.

Those of us that hunt Waterfowl, Upland Game. etc. have to knock on doors, read plat books to find owners, make phone calls all the time.
I don’t see why having to do this for fishing in some areas on private property is such a big deal. Why not give it a try? The worst that can happen is they say NO. Then move on to the next landowner and see if your luck changes there.
[/quote]

I understand that. He said I could fish those waters as well. I was asking how if they are private. I was just curious. I do lots of bird hunting. And I’ve done some door knocking as well. It’s hard for me to go to a stranger and ask them for something.
I was just asking about those waters being private. Not the public ones. I wouldn’t drive to Nebraska hoping to door knock. That’s why I was asking. I wasnt trying to be rude