NDGF fishing
By Doug Leier
Even if you don’t have kids in school, the circadian rhythm as I refer to it is evident. When school is out, summer starts and when back to school sales and fall practices begin, the sand is almost out of the hourglass.
Some North Dakota schools didn’t hold graduation until June and by the first week of August school activities and informational meetings took the place of “free time” for kids. Our minds tend to remember history the way we want it rather than reality. Perception seems like summer use to be closer to 90 days than 60, and hunting season use to begin and end in fall.
Most hunters will lament how short the seasons are for shotguns, bows and rifles is in North Dakota, as they lose a bead on the fishing target. I’ll acknowledge the bull’s-eye when they hit on the fact fishing is open 365 days a year in North Dakota. But I’ll argue with the Aug. 15 opening of early Canada goose conservation season and archery deer season, which begins Aug. 30 this year and is doesn’t close until the calendar shows 2025, our hunting season isn’t as short as it used to be either.
Personally, I say don’t put the rod and reel away just yet. If you’d like to hunt geese in August, by all means do so. The early goose season first began a short 25 years ago in 1999 as another tool to help reduce the resident giant Canada goose population including increased limits, and all day hunting.
For me, August doesn’t feel like football weather and has always been associated with baseball and fishing. Judging by comments and conversations, the crossover of anglers who also hunt are anxiously awaiting September more than usual. It could be the lack of true Midwest winter from last year, early arrival of spring or most likely a combination of both.
But for those who feel a bit lulled into the backside of summer, let me offer up a suggestion to perk up summer fishing. Take a kid fishing. Not your own. I’m not saying leave your own children at home but ask if they have a friend who might not have had the same opportunity to fish. Fact is, with more than 400 fishing waters in North Dakota, most veteran anglers of our state will agree this is the heyday of fishing or as late Game and Fish director Dean Hildebrand acknowledged years ago, this right here and now is and continues to “be the good old days.”
Beyond taking a kid fishing, how about a neighbor or friend who may have not been fishing in awhile.
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