OutdoorNebraska

OutdoorNebraska.gov | 5 New for 2026 Bait – The following areas are added to the list of waters where no live baitfish may be used or possessed: Marlin Petermann Recreation Area, Douglas County; Frenchman Wildlife Management Area, Hayes County; Forest City Recreation Area, Sarpy County; Mad Bear Recreation Area, Sarpy County. Black Bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted) – Wolbach City Pond, Greeley County; Forest City Recreation Area and Mad Bear Recreation Area are added to the list of lakes that have a 21-inch minimum length. • Smallmouth Bass daily bag limit of two fish and 12-inch maximum length limit established at Marlin Petermann Recreation Area. Yellow Perch – A daily bag limit of five fish is established at Marlin Petermann Recreation Area. Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge – The exceptions (one over 34 inches or longer, no minimum length, three fish bag limit, three fish possession limit) to the statewide length, bag and possession limits at Pelican Lake in Cherry County are rescinded. Permit Information WHO NEEDS A FISHING PERMIT? A Nebraska permit is required of residents and nonresidents age 16 and over. Nonresidents under age 16 need not have a fishing permit if they are accompanied by someone who has a Nebraska fishing permit. A fishing permit is required to take or attempt to take fish, bullfrogs, snapping turtles, barred salamanders or mussels by any legal method. An angler must carry the fishing permit while actively fishing. RESIDENT PERMITS The requirements to qualify as a Nebraska resident to buy a fishing permit: • Reside in Nebraska continuously for at least 30 days before making application for a permit and intend to become a Nebraska resident. • Residents in school in another state or stationed outside Nebraska as part of a military assignment that have maintained Nebraska as their state of legal residency. • Active-duty military personnel and full-time students stationed or attending school in Nebraska for a period of at least 30 days. • A new resident should be prepared to provide documentation of residency (driver's license, voter registration, etc.) to an officer when in possession of a permit. NONRESIDENT PERMITS A nonresident fishing permit is required of all people who are not 2026 Season Dates Season Dates More Hook and Line Year-round Page 6 Paddlefish Archery: June 1 - 30; Snagging: Oct. 1 - 31 Page 14 Underwater Spearfishing Game Fish: July 1 - Dec. 31 statewide, except Box Butte Reservoir and private waters, where the season is June 1 - Dec. 31; Nongame Fish: year-round Page 13 Surface Spearfishing Year-round for nongame fish only Page 13 Archery July 1- Dec. 31 for game fish; Year-round for nongame fish Page 13 Bullfrog Aug. 15 - Oct. 31, east of Hwy. 81; Year-round, west of Hwy. 81 Page 13 Snapping turtle Year-round Page 13 Mussel Year-round, no harvest in any river or stream Page 13 Nebraska residents, except those listed above and those under 16 years of age who are accompanied by someone with a Nebraska fishing permit. MOBILE PERMITS Nebraska hunt (small game), fish, resident fur harvest permits and associated stamps may be purchased, accessed or displayed on a mobile device. The image of a mobile permit may be displayed and saved on a device such as a phone or tablet. See more at OutdoorNebraska.gov. OTHER PERMIT TYPES Fee-Exempt Permits – These are available to resident veterans who: • are 50% disabled as a result of armed forces service • receive a pension from the Veterans Administration as a result of a total and permanent disability not incurred in the line of duty while in military service • obtained fee-exempt permits before Jan. 1, 2006 Veteran and Senior Permits – An annual fish/hunt permit is available for resident veterans age 64 and older and resident seniors age 69 and older. Special Fishing Permit – This annual permit is for physically or developmentally disabled residents who cannot cast or retrieve unassisted. • This entitles the disabled person and one person assisting to take, fish, catch, harvest or possess any aquatic organism in compliance with state regulations. • If the person assisting does not have a valid fishing permit, they are restricted to one daily bag limit between the two anglers.

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