General Rules and Restrictions
Baitfish, listed amphibians and crayfish may not be sold, except by permit. For commercial purposes (bait dealers, private
aquaculturists and nonresident fish dealers), refer to the regulations supplied with your permit. The following regulations apply
only to bait obtained for personal use.
- 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
which 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 (special regulations).
- 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.
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 also
transfer invasive species including fish diseases. Seined baitfish must 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.
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
Other Bait Restrictions
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 one-fourth inch nonmetallic square mesh only and not more than 20 feet long and four feet deep.
- Baitfish dip nets of one-fourth inch, nonmetallic square mesh. Neither length nor width may exceed 36 inches.
- Baitfish and bait traps of one-fourth 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 every
24 hours.
- Landing nets, made of nonmetallic mesh, used only for landing fish caught on hook-and-line.
Cast Nets
- Only cast nets up to 10 feet in diameter with a mesh size no larger than three-eighths 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:
- Calamus Reservoir
- 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
- Enders Reservoir
- Jeffrey Reservoir
- Lake Maloney
- Medicine Creek Reservoir
- Lake McConaughy
- Red Willow Reservoir
- Sutherland Reservoir
- Swanson Reservoir
- Tri-County Canal from the diversion dam in Lincoln County to the J-2 return
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