Fisheries Management Taken Further
Blue Wing Outdoors is where big fish dreams meet big fish science. Created by Drs. Katie and Brian Graeb, Blue Wing Outdoors is a fisheries and wildlife management business that takes the next step in applying our research on private and public lands and waters. Blue Wing does more than just stock fish; we take a comprehensive approach to monitoring and managing the entire system, from analyzing microbes all the way up to watershed-level management practices. Our specializations are a testament to that process, with Brian’s expertise in population level sport-fish and lake management being the perfect complement to Katie’s community and ecosystem non-game conservation knowledge.
Where we operate:
With ponds and lakes large and small under our management from South Dakota, to Kansas, and all the way to Texas, you can be sure Blue Wing Outdoors can provide high-quality pond and lake management services to clients up and down the central United States.
Who We Are
Brian D.S. Graeb, Ph.D.
Brian hails from the shortgrass prairie of Eastern Colorado. As a boy, he fished the Republican River, and his first fisheries job was right in his hometown at the Wray State Fish Hatchery. First getting a bachelor’s in Fisheries Science from Colorado State University, he went on to earn his Master’s from the University of Illinois and then his Doctoral Degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science at South Dakota State University.
As a professor, Brian became a trusted resource for state and federal biologists and managers, and his habitat research created a renaissance in fisheries science that has changed the landscape of lake and pond management. Teaching and research were just the beginning for Brian, who believes that science has to produce results.
Science-based fisheries management is what he calls it, and you’ll never hear him say, “because this is the way we’ve always done it.”
Click to visit Brian’s Google Scholar page.
Katie N.B. Graeb, Ph.D.
Katie has fishing in her DNA as a native of the big north woods and waters in Northern Minnesota. Family vacations were almost exclusively fishing trips, and Katie knew she had found her calling when she took a winter aquatic ecology course as a freshman at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.
She went on to earn her doctoral degree from Kansas State University, and as a fisheries professor at South Dakota State University, she re-wrote the map on stream fisheries resources in South Dakota.
Katie loves figuring out how the food web is functioning on a client’s property so that she can maximize the transfer of energy into top species, and optimize water quality for recreational enjoyment.
Click to visit Katie’s Google Scholar page.
Our Promise
At Blue Wing Outdoors, science-based management is the backbone of our business. We will uphold the traditions of stewardship and conservation, and leave an ecosystem better than we found it. We strive to make our business model and management system unique to every client, so that our ability to provide quality service and a quality outcome is never in doubt.
Learn About Our Work Here
About Us
Drs. Brian and Katie Graeb
Created by Drs. Katie and Brian Graeb, Blue Wing Outdoors is a fisheries and wildlife management business that takes the next step in applied fisheries science. Their specializations illustrate their comprehensive process, with Brian’s expertise in population level sport-fish and lake management being the perfect complement to Katie’s community and ecosystem non-game conservation knowledge.
Blue Wing Outdoors Blog Posts and Fisheries Science 101
Where We Go
With lakes large and small under our management from South Dakota all the way to Texas, you can be sure Blue Wing Outdoors can provide high-quality services to clients up and down the central United States. Our job as fisheries managers is to travel the Midwest, pickup bed full of research equipment and electrofishing boat in tow, making sure our clients beloved waters are meeting our goals. Our job is to use our experience and knowledge to stay ahead of Mother Nature and the 0-2 curveball she’s hiding in her mitt.
What We Do
At BWO Fisheries Science, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive aquatic management services designed to enhance and sustain healthy aquatic ecosystems. Our Electrofishing Surveys offer an effective way to assess fish populations and biodiversity in your water body. Using advanced equipment, we provide accurate data to evaluate fish health, population structure, and species composition, ensuring informed management decisions.
We specialize in Aquatic Weed Control to maintain ecological balance and aesthetic appeal. Our team identifies and implements tailored solutions, targeting invasive species while preserving beneficial aquatic plants. Paired with Water Quality Analysis and Remediation, we address issues like algae blooms, nutrient overloads, and oxygen depletion, employing state-of-the-art techniques to restore balance and improve water health.
Our Fish Stocking service is tailored to meet your goals, whether enhancing recreational fishing or maintaining ecological balance. From selecting the appropriate species to proper stocking techniques, we ensure sustainable fishery development. Additionally, our Fish Habitat Enhancement offerings, including artificial structures and vegetation management, provide the critical cover needed to support thriving aquatic life.
BWO Fisheries Science also excels in Bathymetric Mapping, providing detailed underwater topography for habitat placement, water storage management, and recreational planning. We design and install Aeration and Destratification systems to improve oxygen distribution, mitigate thermal stratification, and promote healthier aquatic environments.
Our process is all about knowing as many pieces of the puzzle as we can. The electrofishing boat, water and algae sampling, aging by otoliths; these are all just tools in the chest for how we can build a picture of what’s under the waves. The picture becomes a lot clearer as we analyze that data, add habitat, control populations, and follow the information the lake is giving us.
With lakes in our care from South Dakota all the way to Texas, we manage and see it all, from flooding to drought, record heat to record ice, and even just the important differences from northern species to southern species.
