Bait Regulations

Baitfish, listed amphibians and crayfish may not be sold, except by permit. The following regulations apply only to bait obtained for personal use. For commercial purposes (bait dealers, private aquaculturists and nonresident fish dealers), refer to the regulations supplied with your permit.

• It is unlawful to take baitfish, listed amphibians or crayfish from any public lake, reservoir or bayou unless otherwise stated below.
• Digging and trapping for bait or any other purpose is prohibited on all state-owned or controlled areas.
• It shall be unlawful for any individual or bait dealer to transport away from the river any live fish to be used for bait that has been collected on the Missouri River downstream below Gavins Point Dam to the Kansas border and all other rivers and streams located east of U.S. Hwy. 81 from the South Dakota border to York, north of Interstate 80 from York to Lincoln, and east of U. S. Hwy. 77 from Lincoln to the Kansas border. The use of baitfish seined by anglers from these rivers and streams may only be used at the body of water from which they were captured.
• Seining for baitfish, listed amphibians or crayfish is allowed on streams located on state recreation areas (SRA) and wildlife management areas (WMA) unless the stream is listed as closed.
• It is illegal to possess while fishing or use for bait Red Swamp Crayfish, White River Crayfish or Rusty Crayfish. If you suspect that you have either collected or purchased one of these species, bring them to a Game and Parks office.
• All non-baitfish taken while netting or seining for bait must be returned immediately to the waters from which taken.
• The bag and possession limit of baitfish and listed amphibians for personal use is 100.

NOTE: Anglers who seine their own baitfish must properly identify the fish species collected to avoid transfer of invasive species. It is illegal to dump baitfish or water from the seining location into a different water body as that could transfer invasive species and fish diseases. Seined baitfish should be transported in domestic water to reduce the chance of transporting diseases or aquatic invasive species.

Gizzard Shad and Alewife – May be taken for use as bait by legal dip nets from lakes, ponds, reservoirs, and below dams and other artificial obstructions for a distance of 200 yards below such obstructions.

• Live shad and alewife may be used only in the body of water from which they were captured.
• Shad and alewife may be taken by legal seine or dip net in streams, except those streams closed to the taking of baitfish or bait by such method, but cannot be transferred alive and used in other waters.

Below Dams – The seining of baitfish, listed amphibians or crayfish is unlawful for a distance of 200 yards below any dam or spillway. In these waters, baitfish, listed amphibians and crayfish may be taken by legal baitfish dip nets for personal use only.

Restricted Species – It is unlawful to sell, transport or offer for sale as bait, any live carp, carpsucker, bullhead, buffalo, gar, quillback, gizzard shad or alewife. Live fish of those species may be used for bait only in the same waters from which they are legally taken. Dead carp, carpsucker, bullhead, buffalo, gar, quillback, gizzard shad or alewife may be transported for use as bait.

Sport fish may be used for bait if:

• they are purchased from a bait dealer that has acquired them legally from a licensed aquaculturist or a nonresident fish dealer. The angler must keep a legible receipt or invoice from the dealer listing the date, seller’s name and address, and number and size of each species sold.
• they are captured using hook and line and used at the body of water from which they were captured. Anglers must follow both the length and bag limits for that body of water.

Importation – It is unlawful for individuals to import live baitfish from out of state for use in inland waters. This does not include the Missouri River. It is unlawful to import or transport live carp, carpsucker, buffalo, quillback, gar, gizzard shad or alewife into the state for use as bait. Special permits are required for a person to import and sell bait or baitfish.

Categories of Fish Species

Game Fish

Sport Fish:

• All Sunfish hybrids
• American Eel
• Black Crappie
• Blue Catfish
• Bluegill Brook
• Trout Brown
• Trout Burbot
• Channel Catfish
• Chinook Salmon
• Cutthroat Trout
• Flathead Catfish
• Goldeye
• Grass Pickerel
• Green Sunfish
• Largemouth Bass
• Muskellunge
• Northern Pike
• Orangespotted Sunfish
• Paddlefish
• Pumpkinseed
• Rainbow Trout
• Redear Sunfish
• Rock Bass
• Sauger Saugeye
• Shovelnose Sturgeon
• Skipjack Herring
• Smallmouth Bass
• Spotted Bass
• Striped Bass
• Striped Bass hybrid (Wiper)
• Tiger Muskellunge
• Tiger Trout
• Walleye
• White Bass
• White Crappie

Panfish:

• All Sunfish hybrids
• Black Crappie
• Bluegill
• Green Sunfish
• Crappie hybrid
• Orangespotted Sunfish
• Pumpkinseed
• Redear Sunfish
• Rock Bass
• White Crappie
• Yellow Perch

Sunfish:

• All Sunfish hybrids
• Bluegill
• Green Sunfish
• Orangespotted Sunfish
• Pumpkinseed
• Redear Sunfish

Commercial Fish:

• Black Bullhead
• Freshwater Drum
• Yellow Perch

Baitfish:

• Alewife
• Bigmouth Shiner
• Brassy Minnow
• Creek Chub
• Devil Crayfish*
• Emerald Shiner
• Fathead Minnow
• Gizzard Shad
• Golden Shiner
• Goldfish
• Longnose Dace
• Northern Crayfish*
• Papershell Crayfish*
• Plains Killifish
• Red Shiner
• Ringed Crayfish*
• River Shiner
• Sand Shiner
• Stoneroller
• Suckermouth Minnow
• Barred Salamander*
• White Sucker

* covered under baitfish regulations

Threatened and Endangered Species

Illegal to possess:

• Finscale Dace
• Lake Sturgeon
• Northern Redbelly Dace
• Pallid Sturgeon
• Pearl Dace
• Sturgeon Chub
• Topeka Shiner
• Blacknose Shiner

Nongame Fish

Includes all species not on any of the above lists.

captured. Anglers must follow both the length and bag limits for that body of water.

Importation – It is unlawful for individuals to import live baitfish from out of state for use in inland waters. This does not include the Missouri River. It is unlawful to import or transport live carp, carpsucker, buffalo, quillback, gar, gizzard shad or alewife into the state for use as bait. Special permits are required for a person to import and sell bait or baitfish.

Threatened and Endangered Species

It is unlawful to take by seine, dip net or trap any baitfish in the following streams, which contain threatened and endangered fish species:

• Cherry County – Brush Creek west of Brownlee, and Gordon Creek west of Neb. Hwy. 61
• Dawes County – Niobrara River east of Box Butte Reservoir and west of U.S. Hwy. 385
• Keya Paha County – Cottonwood Creek, East Holt Creek and Holt Creek
• Madison County – Taylor Creek west of U.S. Hwy. 81

No-Live-Baitfish Areas

The following areas do not allow the use or possession of live baitfish:

Southeast:

• Bennington Lake
• Big Elk Lake (WP 7)
• Conestoga Lake
• Duck Creek Recreation Area
• Flanagan Lake
• Glenn Cunningham Lake
• Hedgefield Lake
• Holmes Lake
• Iron Horse Trail Lake
• Meadowlark Lake
• Olive Creek Lake
• Portal Lake (WP 6)
• Prairie Queen Recreation Area
• Stagecoach Lake
• Standing Bear Lake
• Wagon Train SRA/WMA
• Wehrspann Lake
• Wilber Reservoir,
• Wildwood Lake
• Yankee Hill Lake

South-central:

• Ansley City Lake
• Arnold Lake Bethphage Pond
• Bowman Lake
• Cottonmill Lake
• Crystal Lake (Adams County)
• Holdrege City North Lake
• Kirkpatrick Lake
• Lake Helen
• Melham Lake
• Plum Creek Park Lake
• Ravenna Lake
• Rock Creek Lake SRA
• West Cozad WMA
• Yanney Park Lake

Southwest:

• East Sutherland WMA
• North Platte I-80 Lake

Northwest:

• Avocet WMA
• Clear Lake (Brown County)
• Crescent Lake NWR
• Frye Lake
• Defair Lake WMA
• Rat and Beaver Lake
• Valentine NWR

Northeast:

• Chalkrock Lake
• Kramper Lake
• Pibel Lake
• Skyview Lake
• TaHaZouka Park Pond

Other Bait Restrictions

White Perch – It is illegal to transport or possess live white perch. The introduction of white perch into new bodies of water may destroy the quality of the fish community and may require the total renovation of the fishery.

Dumping – It is illegal to release baitfish or any fish caught from a different body of water into public waters.

Exportation – Up to 100 legally captured baitfish and/or listed amphibians may be exported by a resident for personal use for fishing outside the state if allowed by the destination state. Licensed aquaculturists may transport an unlimited number of baitfish that have been artificially propagated in man-made impoundments out of state if allowed by the destination state.

Baits and Scents – Cutbait is legal if the fish used has been legally acquired and the size, bag and possession limits for that species and body of water have been followed. It also is legal to chum for fish using nonharmful baits. Anise oil and other scents that do not stun, kill or harm fish are permitted.

Leopard Frogs and Barred (formerly tiger) Salamanders – All regulations that cover the legal use of baitfish also apply to these species. Leopard frogs can only be collected for individual use, not commercial use.

Crayfish – There is no daily possession limit on crayfish. Anyone over the age of 16 must have a bait dealer’s license in order to sell crayfish. Crayfish may be captured by hook and line, by hand or by legal fish nets and traps as described below.No permit is needed to collect for personal use.

Fish Nets and Traps – The possession or use of nets, traps and electrical gear capable of stunning fish is prohibited except for the following:

• Baitfish seines of 1/4 inch nonmetallic square mesh only and not more than 20 feet long and 4 feet deep.
• Baitfish dip nets of 1/4 inch, nonmetallic square mesh. Neither length nor width may exceed 36 inches.
• Baitfish and bait traps of 1/4 inch square mesh material with a length of 24 inches or less, a diameter of 16 inches or less and a throat 2¼ inches or less in diameter. All minnow traps shall be raised, and the baitfish removed at least every24 hours.
• Landing nets, made of nonmetallic mesh, used only for landing fish caught on hook-and-line.

Turtle Traps – A legal snapping turtle trap must contain a throat or funnel to be constructed of netting that is at least 4 inches square mesh. The trap must have an entrance possible only from above the water’s surface and must allow turtles to reach the surface to breathe. The trap must be personally checked at least every 24 hours and tagged with a metal tag listing the owner’s name, address, and fishing permit number or driver’s license number. Turtle traps can only be used on private waters, and it is unlawful to sell, offer for sale or barter any snapping turtles. Any turtle(s) exceeding the daily bag limits shall be released immediately.

Cast Nets

• Only cast nets up to 10 feet in diameter with a mesh size no larger than 3/8 inches square measure are legal gear.
• Cast nets may be used only during July, August, September, October and November.
• Cast nets may be used to collect gizzard shad and alewife only.
• Live gizzard shad and alewife may only be used for bait the same day they were captured and only in the same body of water where they were collected.
• Cast nets may be used to collect bait only on the following bodies of water:

Northeast:

• Calamus Reservoir

South-central:

• Davis Creek Reservoir
• Elwood Reservoir
• Farwell South Reservoir
• Gallagher Canyon Reservoir
• Harlan County Reservoir
• Johnson Lake
• Midway complex reservoirs
• Phillips Canyon Reservoir
• Plum Creek Reservoir
• Sherman Reservoir

South-central/Southwest:

• Tri-County Canal from diversion dam in Lincoln County to J-2 return

Southwest:

• Enders Reservoir
• Jeffrey Reservoir
• Lake Maloney
• Medicine Creek Reservoir
• Lake McConaughy
• Red Willow Reservoir
• Sutherland Reservoir
• Swanson Reservoir

Fish Stocking

It is unlawful to release any non-native fish, reptile or amphibian in waters of the state or to release any fish or any aquatic organism in any public waters in the state except in those waters from which it came, without written authorization from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Trout Waters

It is unlawful to possess a seine of any type on trout streams in Sioux, Scotts Bluff, Morrill, Garden, and Keith counties that are tributaries of the North Platte River and Lake McConaughy, including Red Willow, Wildhorse, Stuckenhole, Ninemile, Tub Springs, Winter, Sheep, Dry Sheep, Spotted Tail, Dry Spotted Tail, Otter, Clear Lonergan or Cedar creeks.

Legal landing nets on these waters can have a maximum diameter of 12 inches, a maximum depth of 15 inches and a maximum handle length of 3 feet.

It is unlawful for anyone to use a seine, baitfish dip net or bait trap in any of the following trout streams:

Northeast:

Rock County

• Long Pine Creek

Antelope County

• Verdigre Creek/tributaries

Brown County

• Bone Creek/tributaries
• Long Pine Creek/tributaries
• Fairfield Creek
• Plum Creek/tributaries

Holt County

• Steel Creek
• North, Middle and South branches of Verdigre Creek

Loup County

• Gracie Creek

Knox County

• North, Middle and South branches of Verdigre Creek/ tributaries above

Verdigre

• Steel Creek

Northwest:

Box Butte County

• Niobrara River

Cherry County

• Middle Loup River/ tributaries
• North Loup River/tributaries
• Schlagel Creek
• Snake River/tributaries
• Plum Creek/tributaries
• Fairfield Creek

Cheyenne County

• Lodgepole Creek west of Brownson

Dawes County

• Chadron Creek
• Big Bordeaux Creek
• Little Bordeaux Creek
• Dead Horse Creek
• Squaw Creek
• White Clay Creek
• White River above Crawford
• Niobrara River from Box Butte Reservoir west to Wyoming border/tributaries (and below Box Butte Reservoir downstream to Hwy. 385)

Garden County

• Blue Creek

Hooker County

• Dismal River/tributaries

Keith County

• Otter Creek
• Whitetail Creek
• Lonergan Creek/tributaries

Kimball County

• Lodgepole Creek/tributaries

Morrill County

• Red Willow Creek
• Cedar Creek
• Greenwood Creek\Wildhorse Creek
• Lawrence Fork Creek
• Silvernail Drain
• Indian Creek
• Stuckenhole Creek
• Pumpkin Creek below Hwy. 88

Scotts Bluff County

• Ninemile Creek
• Winters Creek
• Tub Springs
• Wet Spotted Tail Creek
• Dry Spotted Tail Creek
• Sheep Creek
• Dry Sheep Creek
• Stuckenhole Creek
• Akers Draw
• Mitchell Drain
• Moffat Drain
• Alliance Drain
• Bayard Drain

Sheridan County

• Snake River
• Larabee Creek
• White Clay Creek
• Pine Creek
• Deer Creek
• Little Bordeaux Creek

Sioux County

• Sheep Creek Drain
• Dry Sheep Creek Drain
• Dry Spotted Tail Creek
• Spotted Tail Creek
• Sowbelly Creek
• White River
• Soldier Creek/tributaries
• Monroe Creek
• Hat Creek
• Niobrara River/tributaries

Southwest:

Webster County

• Elm Creek