Welcome to Nebraska Backcountry Hunters & Anglers April update!

Latest:

• Nebraska BHA met with Nebraska Game and Parks biologist Adam Kester in North Platte to discuss public hunting programs and some of the partnerships to increase hunter opportunity. We discussed ways that NEBHA could support public hunting sites with our volunteer projects. Locally, NGPC has a partnership with NCORPE funding several access/fencing projects on tracts open to hunting. Stayed tuned for future updates on this effort!
• Nebraska BHA was also interviewed on the Outdoor Connections with Rick Windham radio program in North Platte. The mission of BHA and our chapter was discussed as well as our upcoming volunteer events.

Other News, Requests, and Reminders:

• EVENT! Join your Nebraska BHA Chapter on May 2-4 at Two Rivers SRA for a weekend of fun, fishing, site clean-up, and camping! We'll have giveaways, merch to buy, and chapter sign ups. We encourage the use of set lines, bank lines, and trot lines in accordance with state regulations.

More information and to RSVP click HERE

• EVENT! Save the date June 21^st! Help fight back the exotic trees and shrubs taking over the East Willow Island WMA. We'll be nicking the bark on exotic chinese elm and honeysuckle and squirting them with an herbicide. We'll also be cutting small invasive eastern red cedar. These woody plants are degrading the wildlife habitat at this management area and this restoration project will benefit deer, songbirds, and game birds in the region.

More Info and RSVP click HERE

• Did you know that Nebraska has the lowest Outdoor Recreational Economy of any state outside of the eastern U.S.? Increasing the amount of public land, and its access, will not only help increase hunting and fishing opportunities but will also improve Nebraska’s economy, especially in our rural communities.  So, please help Nebraska BHA by identifying areas where we can help improve public access and getting others to join in our efforts.

• Interested in a couple of relatively new podcasts/youtube on our public lands? Here’s an enlightening update on the proposed sale of our BLM land and on mining our public lands  

• State Meeting Fishing Update:
• • Updated and improved North Platte hatchery
  • 57k trout stocked statewide in March
  • 28k Trout stocked to be stocked statewide in April
  • Raising trout to larger size-Leads to better survival rates
  • Asking for help on live imaging sonar study- Will be taking place in the SE- I might participate
  • Crappie to be stocked in Standing Bear this spring
  • Harlan county- Methodist cove improvement-dredged, added riprap to shore, pier to mitigate silting of cove
  • Partial restoration of East Twin Lake-Lake too far gone for full renovation
  • Current administrations cuts will not affect fisheries budget-a lot of uncertainties
  • Secured funding to address invasive aquatic plants-will be aggressive with containment and eradication this year
  • SE District:
  • New Resevoirs: Omaha area
  • Forest River (East Gretna) open this summer-No wake- Bass, gill, cats, crappie
  • Mad bear rec area open this summer (Omaha)-No wake-Bass, gill, cats, crappie
  • Marlin Peterman rec area-By Flanagen-No wake-Smallmouth, trout and yellow perch-open 2026
  • New slot limits for largemouth bass-Prairie queen, Prairie View, Duck Creek, Wagon Train-15-18 inches-slot- can keep 5 fish below the slot, only one over 18 inches
  • Big Indian will receive fish this spring-Bluegill/Saugeye-large fish kill summer of 2024
  • Preliminary results from creel limits say Livescope increases catch rates
  • Asking for volunteers for livescope study-Study will look at different seasons- 8 day commitment for volunteers- one day fishing with live sonar, one day without, each season-Email Jake Werner
  • Live bait regs still in place at Holmes lake and Yankee Hill despite invasive species being present- Don’t want to flip flop on regs or introduce more invasive species
  • Live bait now allowed at Wanahoo-Gizzard shad present
  • Wanahoo-now managed as a walleye-wiper lake. Wiper fry doing well. Flood knocked down crappie density-size structure improved. Fingerling walleye stocking planned for summer 2025. Will be stocking saugeye as well
  • Rockford, Bear Cedar and East twin- on list for renovation-hopefully within next 5-6 years-East twin higher priority. Bear likely to start prior to Rockford due to size
  • Good Smallmouth and Perch at two rivers
  • Getting blue cats from Arkansas-no brood source in Nebraska- no plans to stock Rockford. Sampling found a lot of small blues in Rockford. Please catch and release any caught out of Rockford!

• Finally, would you be willing to spend a few minutes each time you’re out fishing, hunting, foraging, etc. on public lands to clean up the area a bit??? ANY public lands (for example, NPPD canals, state wildlife areas, US Forest Service lands, US Fish and Wildlife Refuges) are good! We certainly would encourage you to do so and send us a photo of the trash pickup and its location. We will then use those photos in future social media and newsletters! Not only will this help the environment and improve the experience of future visitors to the site but also help with how adjacent landowners view public land and the people that use them.

As always have fun outdoors and if you have any comments or concerns, such as access to particular public lands in our state, please reach out to the chapter at [email protected]