Whether you intend to release a fish you catch or plan to legally keep it, the fish should be handled properly. For the fish’s sake – and yours.

Any fish you do not intend to keep should be returned to the water immediately with as little stress to the fish as possible.

That means minimal handling of the fish.

Their coat of slime can make that challenging. The slime is what protects them from diseases and parasites, but it also potentially makes grasping and holding them difficult. The more a fish is handled, the more its protective slime coat is compromised. The best way to release a fish without damage is to remove the hook and release the fish while standing in the water. For boat anglers, net the fish, if possible, and remove the hook while the net and fish still are in the water.

For removing hooks from fish, use needle-nose pliers or forceps. If you plan on releasing all your fish, use the pliers to bend down the barb on the point of the hook, making hook removal easier.

Another tool you can use is a net made of fish-friendly material that minimizes stress on fish.

“The best fish handling is to keep a fish in the water as much as possible,” according to Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “Keep the fish in the water, handle them in the water, remove hooks, hold them up quickly, snap a photo, let ’em go.”

When holding a fish out of the water for a photo, the preferred method is to hold larger fish horizontally, supporting them from below.

When fishing, anglers also should avoid playing the fish to exhaustion and avoid touching a fish’s eyes or putting fingers in a fish’s gill flaps.

Knowing the sharp parts of a fish is the first step in avoiding them. Catfish and bullheads have sharp, barbed spines located on each pectoral fin and the dorsal fin. Carp have spines in the anal and dorsal fins. And white bass, striped bass, wiper, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, sunfish, and crappie have spines in their fins that can cause a small puncture.

On the other hand, if you want to harvest some fish for a meal, there are ways to handle that. A bucket of water or stringer will keep fish for a short time; otherwise take a cooler of ice to the lake. Place the caught fish on ice immediately.

“Fish are a perishable food product and the quality of the meal is only as good as the handling of the fish after the catch,” said Larry Pape, aquatic education specialist Game and Parks. “If possible, fish should be kept alive until just before cleaning.”

If you are just getting into fishing and want more details on planning a fishing adventure, a helpful resource is the Game and Parks’ Going Fishing Guide, available at OutdoorNebraska.gov by searching “Learn to Fish.”

Purchase a fishing permit at OutdoorNebraska.gov.

 

Get hooked on crappies this spring

By Daryl Bauer

There is no doubt the fish species that can send the largest number of anglers to the banks during the spring outbreak of fishing fever is crappies.

Everyone loves to sit on a shoreline on a warm afternoon and experience a good crappie bite. What can an angler do to maximize the number of spring days catching crappies?

Crappies love warm areas; they also love bays, coves, corners and areas protected from the wind, especially cold north and northwest winds. Find cover in those warming areas — near emergent vegetation, stalks of last summer’s submerged vegetation, brush piles, fallen trees or beaver lodges — and you likely will find crappies. Rocks and rocky habitats also hold fish, but, on many Nebraska reservoirs, those hold more crappies later in the spring after the water has warmed.

Where did they go?

Fish for crappies on a beautiful spring afternoon and everything can be grand. Go back the next day when the wind is blowing and you will be lucky to dry off one crappie. In some cases, those crappies may be in the same spot, just tucked deeper into cover, but it is more likely they went toward deeper water.

Depending on where they started, how shallow they were, and the severity of the weather change, crappie may not have moved far. Or they may have moved hundreds of yards back to the relative stability of deeper water.

If those crappies moved out of the shallows with the weather change, they likely will not be as active or as easy to catch. Vertical presentations probably will be the best way to catch a few fish.

As spring progresses, the water warms and the weather stabilizes, the wild shifts in crappie location and feeding attitude will lessen. Pick your days and fish when the crappies are most likely to be shallow and catchable or follow the movements and catch fish even when the weather changes.

Keep it simple

Presentations for spring crappies should be relatively simple.

Crappies will chase prey, and at times, they can be quite aggressive. Much of the time, however, they are laid back a lot more. Even though their intent is just as deadly as a muskellunge or flathead catfish, their feeding strategy is completely different. Remember that and you will catch more crappies at all times of year.

Slow and steady, nothing fancy, nothing too aggressive usually is best for crappies, especially in the cold water of early spring. Put a bait in their vicinity, keep it there and give them a chance to move in and eat it.

Where allowed, nothing is simpler than a bobber, split shot, light wire hook, and a small, lively minnow. Dabble that in front of a crappie most anytime and they will eat; that is predator/prey dynamics at its simplest and rawest.

I like light wire hooks because they keep minnows lively. Even with 8-pound test line, you usually can straighten the hook when you get snagged in the woody cover you likely will be fishing. Hook the minnows through the back, just under the dorsal fin.

Use bobbers only as large as needed to suspend the bait. Bobbers that are too big inhibit bite detection and result in less fish caught.

Crappie jigs are a popular option. A selection of 1/64- to 1/8-ounce jig heads and a variety of plastic bodies will give you the tools you need and an infinite variety of shapes, sizes and colors. Other options include tube bodies, imitation minnows, marabou jigs and wax worms.

Jigs are meant to be cast and retrieved but remember slow and steady is usually best for crappies, especially in the spring. Bobbers are not just for fishing live bait. Attach a bobber on your line at the depth you want to fish and you can fish a jig slower.

The spawn

The spring crappie bite can be good weeks before the fish are thinking about nesting and spawning. That means when the fish are shallow, they may be in some of the same areas over a couple of months. As they get closer to spawning, the crappies, especially males, will become darker colored. Expect the bite to slow as the fish get closer to spawning. Males will select small territories, then build and defend their nests, which often are located next to shallow water cover objects.

When spawning behavior starts, males stay close to their nests and will not move far to take baits. Fish slowly and put baits right on the crappies to get them to bite during the spawn. Females may stage close by until they are ready to move onto a nest and deposit eggs.

Once the spawn is over, crappies tend to disperse and head toward more open waters. Depending on the water body, available habitat, and prey, they may venture to emerging beds of aquatic vegetation, wander in the middle of the lake, or utilize some other type of deeper-water habitat.

Some crappies will remain in shallow cover year-round, but most crappies become more difficult to catch as they disperse and roam open water feeding on abundant prey during summer.

Crappies still can be caught during the summer, but the fishing usually is not as easy as it was during those warm, spring days when everyone wants to go crappie fishing.

Daryl Bauer is the fisheries outreach program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

Commission approves 2025 big game hunting recommendations

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved recommendations for 2025 deer, antelope and elk hunting seasons at its meeting April 18 at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park.

Commissioners approved staff recommendations that will help the agency meet management goals for big game populations. Management goals take into consideration population and harvest data, as well as input from hunters, landowners, and the public, with the goal of maintaining long-term opportunities and access for hunters.

Adopted changes to Commission orders pertaining to big game hunting include:

  • reducing 10 general either-sex and 30 general doe/fawn antelope permits overall,
  • reducing eight bull and 44 antlerless elk permits overall,
  • reducing available November Firearm permits by 2% and Antlerless Only Season Choice permits by 4% overall,
  • reducing River Antlerless permits by 33% and reducing the area open for hunting with River Antlerless permits by 45%,
  • correcting the boundary description for Elk Management Unit 4.

The approved 2025 big game season dates are:

Deer:

Archery – Sept. 1-Dec. 31, 2025; November Firearm – Nov. 15-23 (nine consecutive days starting on the Saturday closest to Nov. 13), 2025; Muzzleloader – Dec. 1-31, 2025; Late Antlerless Only Firearm – Jan. 1-15, 2026; October River Antlerless Firearm – Oct. 1-15, 2025

Antelope:

Archery – Aug. 20-Dec. 31, 2025; Muzzleloader – Sept. 20-Oct. 4, 2025; Firearm – Oct. 11-26, 2025; Late doe/fawn – Nov. 1, 2025-Jan. 31, 2026

Elk:

Archery bull – Sept. 1-Oct. 31, 2025; Firearm bull – Sept. 21-Oct. 31, 2025; Antlerless – Aug. 1-Jan. 31, 2026; Antlerless, Private Land Only – Aug. 1-Sept. 20, 2025; Early General Antlerless – Aug. 1-Oct. 31, 2025; Late General Antlerless – Nov. 1-Jan. 31, 2026

In other business, the Commission approved staff recommendations:

  • to reorganize Nebraska Game and Parks Commission regulations by amending Nebraska Administrative Code Title 163 by creating new titles 164-168 for the current chapters 2-6, Administration Regulations will remain in Title 163, and the sections of current chapters would change to chapters in each title. The reorganization would not make other substantive changes within the regulations. 
  • to change the location of the October 2025 Commission meeting from Omaha to Niobrara State Park.

The commissioners also heard reports about:

  • the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and results of the Generalized Outdoor Recreation Survey.
  • Woodcock research from Nongame Bird Program Manager Joel Jorgensen, who also talked about piping plover banding along the Platte River and a partnership to tag Neotropical warblers to study their range.
  • a trails update, including Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail and related 30thanniversary events, as well as the Platte River State Park’s Stone Creek Falls Trail.
  • a summary of Fisheries Division district meetings that occurred in March.

 

Contribute to conservation, document wildlife during City Nature Challenge

Ready to notice nature? Join the City Nature Challenge, a community science event to find and document urban wildlife, beginning April 25 across Nebraska.

The global challenge is a chance to look for nature in urban areas and learn about the animal and plant life discovered there.

Using the free iNaturalist app, participants photograph nature and upload their observations to the app between April 25-28. Then help identify observations between April 29-May 4.

Wildlife can be any wild plant, animal, fungi or other evidence of life, such as scat, fur or tracks. Participants can even document species through their windows.

Though anyone who joins the CNC global iNaturalist project may participate, Nebraska also offers a Lincoln-Lancaster County Project for local observations.

Visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/CityNatureChallenge for more information about the City Nature Challenge.

The City Nature Challenge, launched in 2016 as a competition between two U.S. cities, is now an international competition to document nature and better understand urban biodiversity. In 2024, more than 83,000 people participated, recording than 2.4 million observations from across the globe. Learn more at CityNatureChallenge.org.

Catch these Game and Parks education events in May

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission educators have scheduled interesting and engaging events for the curious in May. Here are some opportunities:

Explore a Saline Wetland

Join the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Platte Basin Timelapse and Lower Platte South Natural Resources District for a fun evening of exploration at Marsh Wren Saline Wetland north of Lincoln on May 1.

This program is about investigating the unique characteristics of a saline wetland on foot with shorts stops with information from wetland experts. The event also aims to celebrate wetlands month, Nebraska Bird Month and Amphibian Week.

The event is free, but space is limited, so registration is required. It will begin at 6 p.m. in the parking area south of 40th Street and Arbor Road. 

For more information, or to register, visit the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Direct any questions to [email protected].

Amphibians focus of Schramm event

Discover the fascinating world of Nebraska amphibians with state herpetologist Dennis Ferraro on May 3 at the Schramm Education Center to kick off National Amphibian Week.

  • Learn about Nebraska amphibians and ways to conserve them in a lecture-style presentation in the Schramm Education Center Classroom and view live frogs, toads and salamanders.
  • Learn and practice catching and identifying frogs outdoors at a pond.
  • An optional evening frog-calling class may be planned.

This class, which begins at 2 p.m., is recommended for ages 8 and up due to the lecture activity. Participants should dress for the weather forecast and wear closed-toed shoes that can get dirty.

The event is free but registration is required and limited to 25 participants. Go to the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov or email [email protected] to sign up.

Training offered for Big Butterfly Count

Anyone who loves butterflies and is interested in conservation and science is invited to join Nebraska’s Big Butterfly Count Training Workshop. The free training is at 1 p.m. Central time May 3 at the Crane Trust Nature Center at Wood River.

Nebraska’s Big Butterfly Count is a community science project designed to collect statewide data to better understand butterfly diversity across Nebraska. Learn about community science, how to identify eastern/central Nebraska butterfly species and how to contribute to Nebraska’s Big Butterfly Count. Participants will receive project resources, guidance, and support from community science project leaders.

Volunteers are needed to conduct a survey at least once every other week from May 1 through Sept. 30.

For more information, or to register, visit the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.

Participate in Big Butterfly Count Workshop

Get involved with conservation and science by participating in Nebraska’s Big Butterfly Count Training Workshop at 1 p.m. May 10 at the Schramm Education Center.

Participants in this workshop must have attended the virtual trainings on April 8 and 10. They will learn how to identify butterflies and contribute to Nebraska’s Big Butterfly Count, a community science project to collect statewide data to better understand butterfly diversity across the state.

The workshop is free but space is limited. See the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov to register and find more information. For questions, contact [email protected].

Little Saplings features oak trees May 14

Adults looking to explore the outdoors with their young children are invited to Little Saplings, a monthly early childhood nature discovery program at Schramm Education Center near Gretna.

The 2025 series, which typically occurs the first Wednesday of the month, this month will take place May 14 with the theme oak trees at 9 and 10 a.m. It is designed for children ages 2-5 and their adult caregivers. The cost is $5 per child and $5 per adult.

See the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov for more information.

Six Nebraska Nature Nerd Trivia Nights scheduled

Grab your fellow nature nerds and join the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission as it hosts five Nebraska Nature Nerd Trivia Nights on May 14.

Get your teams of no more than five players and be ready to compete for prizes. Registration is not required. These events are for adults only and are free to attend with a purchase from the host brewery.

The Nebraska Nature Nerd Trivia Nights, which begin at 7 p.m. local time, are at:

  • Scottsbluff – Flyover Brewing Company
  • Lincoln – Code Beer Company
  • Hastings – First Street Brewing
  • Omaha – Scriptown Brewing
  • Ashland – Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, Carl’s at Mahoney (park entry permit required)
  • Ponca – Cedar Hills Bar & Grill

For more information and or questions, email [email protected].

‘Science of’ lady beetles scheduled in May

Discover the fascinating world of lady beetles May 15 as the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s popular “Science of” virtual webinar series returns.

In this series, on select Thursdays at 3 p.m. Central time, Game and Parks educators discuss some of the science behind common things regarding nature and animals.

The hourlong webinars are free, but separate registration is required for each. See the calendar event entries at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov for registration links.

Homeschool Hikes set for May 21 at Schramm

Homeschool families are invited to join an outdoor educator on a guided hike at Schramm Park State Recreation Area near Gretna during the Homeschool Hikes program at 9 a.m. May 21. This month's theme is oak trees.

Homeschool Hikes is a monthly nature exploration program hosted by the Schramm Education Center geared toward homeschool families and ages 5 and up.

Participants are encouraged to RSVP in advance through the event listing at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.

Participate in Bioblitz at Weeping Water

Learn from Nebraska wildlife biologists and experts, discovering and identifying as many plants and animals as possible while contributing to scientific research May 24 at the Weeping Water Bioblitz.

Seasoned naturalists, beginner wildlife enthusiasts, students and families looking for a fun outdoor activity are invited to attend this free event, which runs from 7 a.m.  to 10 p.m. at Day Memorial Park. All materials are provided.

For a schedule and more information, visit the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Direct any questions to [email protected].

Butterfly survey training at Schramm

Become a community scientist and help conserve Nebraska’s rare, at-risk butterflies. Training for the Monarch and Regal Fritillary Survey will be from 1-5 p.m. May 31 at the Schramm Education Center near Gretna.

The survey is a community science project where volunteers help biologists document monarch and regal fritillary butterflies in Nebraska.

The training will open with a presentation, followed by a mock survey. During this extensive training, participants will learn how to walk an assigned transect, count butterflies, and assess habitat features. Bring water, snacks, notebook, and a hat for the brief field portion.

For more information or to register, see the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.

Two Rivers Herp Hike is May 31

Join Nebraska Game and Parks for a guided hike searching for reptiles and amphibians at Two Rivers State Recreation Area. This Herp Hike is at 10 a.m. May 31.

Expect a slow-paced hike with stops for observing herps and other wildlife. There will be hands-on learning about native species and their habitats, herping tips, fun facts, and great photo opportunities.

This event is free and open to all ages and experience levels. Meet at the park office.