GRANITE FALLS, Minnesota, February 20, 2025—In this upcoming episode of Prairie Sportsman entitled “Catfish and Cattails” host Bret Amundson visits Horseshoe Lake to learn about successful stocking of catfish and researchers remove invasive hybrid cattails from lakeshore test sites to evaluate the impacts on fish. The episode airs Sunday, February 23, at 7:30 p.m. on Pioneer PBS, and repeat broadcasts air Monday at 12:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Check local listings and our showtimes landing page for air dates and times on other PBS stations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Wyoming.
In “Catfish Control,” visit the Sauk River chain of lakes, which has become a popular destination for anglers targeting channel catfish. Special regulations have been implemented to encourage this opportunity. We’ll learn the history surrounding these fish and jump in the boat with Darren Troseth to try and catch them using a surprise bait that can be found at your local grocery store.
Then, “Cattail Imposters” looks at the impacts of invasive hybrid cattails on water quality and fish habitat. University researchers are trapping minnows and testing oxygen levels at six test sites where hybrids have been removed. The cross between native broadleaf and non-native narrowleaf cattail can grow in deeper and shallower waters than natives and take over shoreline lake habitat.
The last segment, “Fast Forage: Catnip, Harvesting Nature’s Bounty,” features Nicole Zempel helping viewers identify wild catnip, a member of the mint family. She explores what makes it so attractive to cats as well as medicinal attributes humans may find useful.s.
Individuals in Pioneer PBS’s viewing area can livestream this episode at pioneer.org/live. All episodes and segments can also be viewed on the PBS app and online at pioneer.org/prairiesportsman, video.pioneer.org/show/prairie-sportsman/, and youtube.com/@PrairieSportsman.
About Prairie Sportsman
Produced by Pioneer PBS, Prairie Sportsman is an Emmy-awarded series that celebrates the love of the outdoors by featuring topics on hunting, fishing, and recreation while promoting environmental stewardship. The team of Prairie Sportsman consists of Host, Producer, Videographer, and Editor Bret Amundson, Writer and Producer Cindy Dorn, Videographer and Editor Dan Amundson, along with Series Editor Bradley Keely. The 2025 season is made possible by funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, Shalom Hill Farm, Live Wide Open, Western Minnesota Prairie Waters, and members of Pioneer PBS. If you enjoy Prairie Sportsman, become a friend of Prairie Sportsman by filling out a Google Form.
About Pioneer PBS
Established in 1966, Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station dedicated to sharing stories from rural Minnesota with the world. Pioneer PBS is headquartered in Granite Falls, Minnesota, with towers in Appleton, Worthington, and Fergus Falls. Pioneer PBS reaches more than a million people in rural areas and small towns in western Minnesota, the eastern Dakotas, and northern Iowa. Pioneer PBS is honored to be your television station—the only station in western Minnesota telling your stories and raising your voices into the media landscape. Our members help make programs like this possible with their generous support. For more information about Pioneer PBS or how you can help us make these stories a reality, visit pioneer.org/support or call 800-726-3178.
