Learn fishing basics – and explore new ways to fish – at the Go Fishing Fest on June 28 at Fort Kearny State Recreation Area.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lake No. 6, participants, with the help of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and volunteer instructors, can learn fishing, as well as fly-fishing, bowfishing and kayak fishing.

Game and Parks’ Community Fishing Trailers will be on site with rods, reels and bait available to use. Fly rods, bows and kayaks also will be available.

In addition to fishing, Game and Parks staff will have a station where visitors can learn about aquatic invasive species identification and prevention in Nebraska. The agency’s Outdoor Cooking Trailer will be on hand, to demonstrate how to make milk can cooker fish.

Those who attend can enter youth (age 15 and under) into a half-price youth lifetime fishing permit drawing.

The event is free, but a park entry permit is required for each vehicle entering the park. A fishing license is required for anglers ages 16 and older.

 

Nebraska’s All-State archery team honored

Nebraska students are being recognized for their archery achievements this school year through the third All-State Team for Archers in the National Archery in the Schools Program.

Seniors Meghan Morrison of Cornerstone Christian and Connor Rowe of Lincoln Southwest were selected as captains on the All-State archery team.

The All-State Team:

Girls – Meghan Morrison (captain), senior, Cornerstone Christian; Macie Carter, eighth, Milford; Emory Likes, junior, Omaha Concordia; Serenity Weathers, freshman, Cornerstone Christian; Anna Diessner, eighth, Grand Island Tri-City Homeschool; Layla Elstun, senior, Milford; Sydney Havlat, senior, Milford; Maddie Hoyle, freshman, Lincoln Southwest; Natalie Nutzman, junior, Milford; Ayla Salistean, sophomore, Milford; Kamryn Wanser, sophomore, Standing Bear High School; Aydenn Freeman, senior, Milford

Girls Honorable Mention – Addison Wolfe, junior, Lincoln Southeast; Seraphina Wilkins, sophomore, Milford; Melanie Elsasser, eighth, Lincoln Pound Middle School; Tessa Collins, fifth, Cornerstone Christian

Boys – Connor Rowe (captain), senior, Lincoln Southwest; Chason Bell, seventh, Lincoln Scott Middle School; Jakob Woita, sophomore, Milford; Heath Bacon, junior, Milford; London Lambrecht, junior, Lincoln Southeast; Eli Collins, eighth, Cornerstone Christian; Aiden Jedlecki, sophomore, Cornerstone Christian; Maddox Sharp, freshman, Lincoln Pius X; Hayden Mitchell, sophomore, Lincoln East; Camdon Roker, eighth, Lincoln Pound Middle School; Hunter Therkildsen, fifth, Cornerstone Christian; Jay Wissenburg, junior, Milford

Boys Honorable Mention – Calvin Falldorf, sophomore, Lincoln North Star; Brody Schnieders, senior, Lincoln Pius X; Tucker Sup, senior, Lincoln Southeast; Cole Coash, freshman, Lincoln Pius X

All-State Team members were top competitors in local and regional NASP events, including the Nebraska NASP state tournament in March.

“This recognition is an honor and represents lots of hard work and diligence,” said Megan Price, NASP State Coordinator of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.  “Archers on this team are some of the most skilled in the state and all have a high level of commitment to the NASP program. We are proud of their accomplishments.”  

Honored archers were nominated by certified coaches or instructors. Selection was made by the following formula: average of state NASP tournament score and two other NASP tournament scores; any ties were broken by length of involvement in the NASP program, then by grade, then if needed, by Academic Archer status.

Academic Archer is a national designation earned when students perform well in the classroom, such as Honor Roll, and are in good standing within their team and school’s archery activities. These students meet the national, state and local NASP standards.

“The National Archery in the Schools program is effective because of the way success on the range is also seen in the classroom and beyond,” Price said. “Students learn life skills like discipline, focus, and teamwork that will help them excel into the future.”

NASP has been in Nebraska since 2004. For more information on the program and to see the list of Academic Archers, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/NASP or email [email protected].

 

Commissioners approve duck and goose zone units for 2026-27

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved modified Duck Zones and Goose Units for submission to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at its June 13 meeting in Sidney.

Changes to the zones and units would not become effective until the 2026-27 waterfowl season. Recommendations are based on federal criteria in conjunction with feedback from hunters who gave input on boundaries and their proposed modifications in 2024 and 2025.

Commissioners also heard staff recommendations for a 2026 mountain hunting lion season in the Pine Ridge, Niobrara and Wildcat Hills units, with adjusted harvest limits compared to the 2025 season.

After hearing the research, recommendations and testimony and considering concerns from local landowners, commissioners voted to amend staff recommendations to increase the harvest limit in the Wildcat Hills Unit to three lions with a sublimit of two females up from two lions with a sublimit of one female. The Commission approved the Niobrara Unit at six lions with a sublimit of three females and the Pine Ridge Unit with a total of 12 lions with a sublimit of six females.

Due to the amended change and following the Nebraska Administrative Procedures Act, the Commission will issue a public notice for a new public hearing for input and for approval of the 2026 mountain lion season for all units. The public hearing will be held Aug. 22, 2025, in McCook.

Staff reminded commissioners that resources are available to landowners and allowances are provided for public safety and addressing depredation events by mountain lions.

In other business, commissioners heard about recent improvements to the agency’s website; a report on Memorial Day weekend in Nebraska state parks, recent improvements and an outlook for summer; and updates on agency projects, research efforts and programs in the Panhandle region.

To view read the waterfowl recommendations, go to OutdoorNebraska.gov and search for “waterfowl rezoning process.”  Additional proposed changes to Commission regulations and orders will be updated and posted at OutdoorNebraska.gov.

 

Trout in the Classroom accepting applications

Nebraska’s Trout in the Classroom program is accepting applications through August to join the program and earn a scholarship for the 2025-2026 school year.

This program is for teachers interested in raising live fish in their classrooms and utilizing the tanks for countless lesson plans and everyday activities. Teachers will receive all the training and expertise needed to get their program up and running.

Trout in the Classroom is sponsored by the Nebraska Trout Unlimited Chapter 710 and coordinated by Nebraska Game and Parks.

For requirements or more information, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “Trout in the Classroom,” or contact the program’s state coordinator, Grace Gaard, at [email protected].