For those of you that are unfamiliar with a set line, it is a long piece of heavy duty fishing line with a series of hooks located at certain intervals. One end is tied up to something on the shoreline like a stake, rock, tree stump, or even the limb of a tree. The other end is sometimes anchored somewhere out in the lake. This way the hooks are in the water at various depths ranging from very shallow to whatever depth is desired. This type of fishing is against the law in all inland lakes of Nebraska.
It seems that at least a couple of times each year these lines are found at Copper Dollar Cove, usually in Copper Penny Lake. Last week a set line was found in Copper Dollar Lake. This particular set line was much more of a professional grade than those that have been found here before. It had a series of large hooks and heavy duty line that would normally be used in places like the Missouri river for very large fish. The part of the line that was recovered was almost one hundred feet long. Copper Dollar Lake is considered the recreational lake and is used primarily for water skiing, tubing and swimming. Once again, this type of fishing is not only against the law but it poses a threat for everyone that enters the lake. If anyone was to get caught up in these lines under water, I guarantee you would never be able to get out alive.
In the past, even though I think we all knew better, we hoped that this type of fishing was done by trespassers who pulled in their lines from the shore. The type of set line found last week in Copper Dollar Lake was the kind that had to be worked from a boat. There is no telling the numbers, locations and the depths of these lines that could still be out in the lakes at the present time. I would like to suggest that when people are out enjoying the lakes to check the shorelines often and if you see anything that looks like a set line to report it to me or someone on the Board or Fish & Wildlife Committee. If you see anyone working these lines from either the shore or a boat, I encourage you to call the sheriff or local game warden immediately.
It seems that at least a couple of times each year these lines are found at Copper Dollar Cove, usually in Copper Penny Lake. Last week a set line was found in Copper Dollar Lake. This particular set line was much more of a professional grade than those that have been found here before. It had a series of large hooks and heavy duty line that would normally be used in places like the Missouri river for very large fish. The part of the line that was recovered was almost one hundred feet long. Copper Dollar Lake is considered the recreational lake and is used primarily for water skiing, tubing and swimming. Once again, this type of fishing is not only against the law but it poses a threat for everyone that enters the lake. If anyone was to get caught up in these lines under water, I guarantee you would never be able to get out alive.
In the past, even though I think we all knew better, we hoped that this type of fishing was done by trespassers who pulled in their lines from the shore. The type of set line found last week in Copper Dollar Lake was the kind that had to be worked from a boat. There is no telling the numbers, locations and the depths of these lines that could still be out in the lakes at the present time. I would like to suggest that when people are out enjoying the lakes to check the shorelines often and if you see anything that looks like a set line to report it to me or someone on the Board or Fish & Wildlife Committee. If you see anyone working these lines from either the shore or a boat, I encourage you to call the sheriff or local game warden immediately.
