OutdoorNebraska

OutdoorNebraska.gov | 7 • Holes made for ice fishing may not exceed 10 inches in diameter on any area controlled or managed by Game and Parks, including U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuges. • A special $5 permit is required for a permanent shelter on state recreation areas and wildlife management area lakes. Applications and regulations are available from conservation officers or Game and Parks offices. This does not apply to temporary shelters used and removed each day. Rivers or Streams – Regulations regarding fishing in Nebraska rivers and streams are: • A total of 15 hooks are allowed, ranging from 15 lines each with a single hook attached, to three lines with a maximum of five hooks attached. • These hook-and-line limits apply to anglers who must be one- half mile from any lake, pond or reservoir that is associated with that river or stream. • These can be rods and reels, poles, bank lines, limb lines or setlines that are attached to a fixed object in a river, stream or canal and not free-floating. • Jug lines are illegal and are defined as a free-floating line that contains fishing hooks entirely supported by flotation. • All bank lines, limb lines and setlines must contain the angler's name, address and fishing-permit number or driver's license number. • Bank lines, limb lines and setlines must be checked every 24 hours. Removal of Bank Lines, Limb Lines and Setlines – Upon completion of fishing, all bank lines, limb lines and setlines must be removed. Within the boundaries of the Missouri National Recreational River, limb lines and setlines are prohibited within 200 feet of public boat landings or swimming areas. SNAGGING Snagging of paddlefish and nongame fish is permitted only in the Missouri River under season dates and limits specified in the Paddlefish snagging section. All other state waters are closed to snagging for all species at all times. All fish snagged accidentally or otherwise foul-hooked, must be returned to the water immediately. 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 HOW TO MEASURE LENGTH OF 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. of the Missouri River Culling – Culling and high-grading are not allowed. 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. 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. Possession Limit – The total number of fish that a person may possess in portable coolers, home freezers, registered in their 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. Restricted Species – It is unlawful to possess or transport any live white perch, black carp, silver carp, bighead carp or yellow bass. 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 walleye means that only walleye less than 20 inches in length or greater than 28 inches may be harvested. One-Over Length Bag Limits – For some species, 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.

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