OutdoorNebraska

10 | Fishing Info: 402-471-0641 BAG, POSSESSION AND LENGTH LIMITS Bag and possession limits may vary between "inland waters" and "waters of the Missouri River." For this purpose only: • "inland waters" include all waters of the state except the waters of the Missouri River • "waters of the Missouri River" include all of the river along Nebraska's border and all reservoirs, oxbows, sloughs, chutes, backwaters, and marshes that have annual surface water connection to the river and the first 300 yards upstream from the mouth of all tributary streams • "statewide" includes all inland waters of the state and waters of the Missouri River Culling – Any fish that is not to be counted in the daily bag limit must be returned immediately to the water with as little injury as possible. Any fish placed on a stringer or in a container, or not returned to the water must be counted in the bag. Culling and high-grading are not allowed. Daily Bag Limit – The number of fish harvested from midnight to the following midnight taken by all legal methods combined. No person may possess more than one day's bag limit of fish while on the water. Restricted Species – It is unlawful to possess or transport any live white perch, black carp, silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp or yellow bass. Possession Limit – The total number of fish that a person may possess in portable coolers, home freezers, registered in his/her name in a commercial cold storage locker, or in any way under their control. Fish or aquatic animals placed in public storage or transferred must be labeled with the owner's name, address, phone number, date of birth, signature, date taken, species and numbers, and the name of recipient, if transferred. How to Measure a Fish – Lay the fish on its side with its mouth closed and the tail lobes pressed together. With a yardstick or tape measure under the fish, measure the length from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail. Do not follow the contour of the fish. Minimum Length Limit – A fish must be equal to or longer than the defined length to be legally harvested. Maximum Length Limit – A fish must be shorter than the defined length to be legally harvested. Protected Slot Limit – A range of lengths of a particular species that may not be harvested legally. For instance, a 20- to 28-inch protected slot limit on northern pike means that only northern pike less than 20 inches in length or greater than 28 inches may be harvested. One-Over Length Bag Limits – For some species, such as black bass and walleye, the number of large fish that may be harvested may be limited on some or all waters. For example, while it may be legal to harvest four black bass more than 15 inches from a given lake, statewide regulations prohibit an angler from harvesting more than one black bass 21 inches or longer each day from any waters. Therefore, for lakes with a 21-inch minimum length limit on black bass, the daily bag limit becomes one fish. IT IS UNLAWFUL TO ... • borrow or use the permit of another or lend your permit to another • leave dead fish or any part of one on the banks or in the water of any stream, lake or other body of water • fish on any private land without landowner permission • release into public waters of the state any fish that did not originate from that body of water, including the dumping of bait buckets. • seine sport fish of any size • leave fish in a trap for more than 24 hours • attempt to snag fish, except in designated areas • use limb lines or set lines in any pond, lake or reservoir • catch fish by hand • buy or attempt to buy a permit while under license suspension or revocation in any state • keep an externally foul-hooked fish, except those legally snagged • leave a water body with lake or river water present in a boat or container • transport any fish or baitfish in water from any stream, river, pond or lake

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