Thursday, February 19th, 2026

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Thursday, February 19th, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

May 5, 2024

Behind the Scenes: New Illinois Natural History Survey scientist rejects myth: fish ‘are not gross!’

Shaley Valentine recently joined Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) as an assistant research scientist at the Illinois River Biological Station. Prior to joining INHS, Valentine completed a PhD at Southern Illinois University, specializing in the spatial and temporal habitat use and diet of native fish in the Mississippi River.
We sat down with Valentine to ask her a few questions about her work and how she got started in the sciences.

Behind the Scenes: New Illinois Natural History Survey scientist rejects myth: fish ‘are not gross!’ Read More »

Dated back to 1911, the “Nifty Minnie” was one mean lure

“Fish all day with one live minnow.” That was the marketing tag line for the Nifty Minnie. One source dated this unique lure back to 1911, when it was first available to fishermen.
The Minnie was manufactured by the Joseph M. Ness company in Minneapolis, Minn., and, unlike competitors who were making lures with glass, Ness used celluloid (clear plastic), which was much more durable. I can picture a large northern thrashing around in a boat; a glass lure could easily be broken.

Dated back to 1911, the “Nifty Minnie” was one mean lure Read More »

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