Commissioners approve sportfishing orders

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved changes to sportfishing orders at its meeting Oct. 25 in Broken Bow. These orders regard daily bag limits, possession limits and open areas.

The amendments to sportfishing orders are:

• include statewide restrictions on rainbow/cutthroat hybrid trout;
• change the bag limit and size restriction for black bass as follows:
• no more than one fish 18 inches or longer in the five-fish daily bag limit at Frye Lake Wildlife Management Area;
• the five-fish limit has a protected slot of 15-18 inches with no more than one fish 18 inches or longer in the daily bag at Prairie View Lake, Wagon Train State Recreation Area/WMA, Duck Creek Recreation Area and Prairie Queen Recreation Area;
• Patriot Park Lake is added and Prairie View Recreation Area, Pawnee SRA/WMA, Duck Creek Recreation Area and Prairie Queen Recreation Area are removed from lakes that have a 21-inch minimum length limit;
• change the bag limit and size restriction for northern pike as follows:
• the three-fish limit has a protected slot of 24-34 inches with no more than one fish 34 inches or longer in the daily bag limit at Clear Lake, Dewey Lake, Hackberry Lake and Pelican Lake;
• Smith Lake WMA is added to the lakes that have a daily bag limit exception of three of the 10 fish in the bag can be over 22 inches and one can be over 34 inches;
• Lake Wanahoo is removed from the lakes where no harvest is allowed;
• change the size restriction on striped bass, white bass and wiper statewide – increasing the length limit to 18 inches or longer in which the daily bag limit may include one fish, in inland waters;
• revert Branched Oak Lake to statewide restrictions on walleye, sauger and saugeye;
• remove the size restriction on channel catfish from the Missouri River; and
• change the start date when anglers will be allowed to fish Two Rivers SRA Lake Trout Lake without a trout tag to June 1.

These changes will be published in the 2025 Fishing Guide in January.

The commissioners also amended orders to create a bighorn sheep management hunt for March 1-31, 2025. Two resident lottery permits are authorized, with a bag limit of one male bighorn sheep that is half curl or less. The goal of the hunt, which will take place in portions of Scotts Bluff and Banner counties, is to adjust the ram-ewe ratio.

To view orders, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Orders.”

In other business, commissioners approved:

• fisheries regulations regarding rules relating to bait collection by anglers and bait dealers, including listing of legal bait species, harvest methods and limits;
• wildlife regulations regarding threatened and endangered species to reflect state statute changes;
• fisheries regulations relating to aquatic invasive species, including listing invasive species, inspections, decontamination, impoundments and restrictions; and
• wildlife regulations to address changes in Nebraska statutes and update regulations to mirror the Federal Endangered Species Act consultation process, improve clarity, add efficiencies, address new technology and its use in the consultation process, and reduce restrictions.

See regulations at OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Regulations.”

Commissioners also approved a staff recommendation to enter into a supplemental agreement for Transportation Alternatives Funding to surface the Cowboy Trail from Rushville to mile marker 400 near Chadron.

The board also approved the agency Recreation Road Program’s 1- and 5-Year Plan. Commissioners also passed recommended fee increases for park activities, lodging and rental facilities. Fee increases support the needed long-term care, maintenance, and investments in Nebraska’s state parks system.

Nebraska Hunter Education Coordinator Kyle Gaston gave an overview of the 50-year history of the program in the state, as well as the 30 years of Bowhunter Education. In that time, more than 5,000 volunteer instructors have trained more than 340,000 students.

Cousins David and Kent Zeller of Ravenna were presented 50-Year Service Awards from the Hunter Education Program. Other instructors recognized, but not present, for their 50 years in the program, were Joseph Bober of Omaha, Dennis Bridge of Royal and Gaylan Steele of Alma. Also, William Kucera of Ravenna earned the status of Heritage Instructor.

Staff also presented a review of the state parks summer activities.

The commissioners set their 2025 meeting schedule.