DECEMBER 2018 • NEBRASKAland 31
goals: two-pound trophies of Nebraska's
three most popular panfish species –
yellow perch, crappie and bluegill – and
he wanted to do it on a public Sandhills
lake. "I've caught several crappie over
two pounds, and been close on the other
species, but I'm not there yet."
For a long time, he was convinced he
could accomplish this at the Refuge's
system of lakes. Through the years, he
upgraded his gear and increased his
knowledge to accomplish these goals,
asking questions, researching and
studying other anglers anytime he could.
They were also reading anything they
could get their hands on. "I would get
In-Fisherman's ice annual and it was
like getting a Christmas gift," Don said.
"There we learned about Dave Genz
and Ice Team, and found out that for
$25 per year Ice Team would send four
publications entirely about ice-fishing."
Eventually, through tournament
experience and practice all over
the country – including Minnesota,
the Dakotas, Idaho, New York, and
Canada, he was asked to join Genz's
Ice Team in 2002. In 2009 he won that
same tournament that had first skunked
him and Dave, then won it again in
2016 on Big Alkali.
"Those years of tournament fishing
are funny, and eye-opening, when we
look back now," said Don. "Many of
the faces you see on ice equipment
nowadays were fishing those same
tournaments. We were right in the
middle of the ice-fishing explosion."
However, as the ice-fishing scene has
expanded throughout the country, there
has been one serious decline that has
continued to affect Don. Because of the
introduction of carp into the Refuge's
system of lakes, Don's dreams of
finding his 2-pound bluegill and yellow
perch on public Sandhills lakes were
behind him.
With his years of knowledge, he has
pined for the good old Red Man-sized
fish that he couldn't catch when he
was getting started but is more than
equipped to catch now.
Because of recent plans by the
Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission, Valentine National
Wildlife Refuge and the Nebraska
Environmental Trust, he won't have to
wait much longer.
Renovations
A massive renovation project began
earlier this year on the Sandhills
Don releases a largemouth bass back into Pelican Lake.
