Daily Archives: June 18, 2014

Frog Fishing Opens July 1

Bullfrogs can prove quite the challenge, but offer tasty cuisine

Kansas bullfrog season is less than two weeks away, and for those looking for the ultimate summer fishing challenge, this is it. From July 1-October 31, anglers can attempt to catch these four-legged amphibians with several different techniques.

Bullfrogs may be taken by hook and line, dip net, gig, bow and arrow, or crossbow, and a line must attach bow to arrow, and the arrow must have a barbed head. If you’re really up for a challenge, bullfrogs can also be taken by hand. The best method is to walk quietly through the water at night and shine a bright light along the bank until a pair of glowing eyes appear. Temporarily blinded by the light, frogs can be grabbed or netted.

The daily creel limit is eight, with a possession limit of 24. A valid fishing license is required for any person to take, catch, or kill bullfrogs, except persons exempt by law from having such license.

Considered by some as a delicacy, frog legs have a taste and texture that resembles a cross between shrimp and fish. A popular way to cook them is to dip the legs in egg and then into a mixture of flour and corn meal, seasoning salt, and pepper. The legs are then fried to a golden brown and served up hot.

For more information on bullfrog season, visit www.ksoutdoors.com and click “Fishing / Fishing Regulations / Bullfrogs” or consult the 2014 Kansas Fishing Regulations Summary.

Next Generation Kansas State Parks Pocket Ranger App now Available

Outdoor enthusiasts can download the free app by visiting pocketranger.com

If you enjoy Kansas outdoors, but have trouble getting the information you need quickly, consider downloading the newly-redesigned Kansas State Parks Pocket Ranger App today.

Available for iPhone and Android devices, and now Amazon Kindle Fires, this interactive outdoor guide is the ultimate guide to exploring Kansas’s state parks. Created by ParksByNature Network™ in partnership with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the updated app now includes:

◊ A new user interface (UI) with a sleek, more photo-centric home screen design.

◊ Photo galleries on park description pages.

◊ A new Explore feature to optimize search capabilities, allowing a 4-in-1 search by location, activities, category, and site name.

Haven’t used the app before? You might be interested to know the Kansas State Parks Pocket Ranger app features all these and more to maximize your outdoor adventure:

◊ Educational info, amenities, maps & directions

◊ Real-time Calendar of Events

◊ News, advisories, and weather alerts

◊ Social networking and photo/video sharing

◊ Potentially life-saving Alert feature

◊ GPS Tours

◊ Advanced GPS mapping features

▪ Record trail distance and time elapsed

▪ Mark photo waypoints

▪ Recall, post or share saved data

▪ Friend Finder

▪ Built-in compass

To learn more, or to download your copy today, visit www.PocketRanger.com.

Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)

Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch, U.S.D.A.

Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)

The yellow perch has a yellow to brass-colored body with a distinct pattern of 5-9 olive-green, vertical, triangular stripes on its sides. Its fins are lighter in color with orange margins. The anterior portion of the body tapers to a slender caudal peduncle. Yellow perch have two dorsal fins and a forked caudal fin.

They spawn in the spring at night when water temperatures are between 2.0 and 18.6°C. Eggs are fertilized externally. Egg strands are commonly draped over submerged vegetation. Yellow perch are found in shallow water such as shorelines of lakes and slow-moving rivers and streams where the water is clear and cool. In summer, as the water warms, perch seek deeper, cooler water. Trout populations suffer in lakes where perch have been introduced since they cannot compete successfully for food.

Yellow perch are an important food source for birds such as double-crested cormorants, eagles, hawks, herons, kingfishers, mergansers, loons and white pelicans.