Members of the fishing get together at Omaha’s Standing Bear Lake have been having a whopper of a day final week — till state conservation officers confirmed up.
That they had caught their 15-fish bag restrict of crappie and bluegill, however the water saved offering, and so they saved taking, mentioned Lt. Stacey Lewton of the Nebraska Recreation and Parks Fee.
And by the point his officers arrived, the group had pulled 162 extra fish out of the lake than allowed by state regulation.
Essentially the most prolific angler left with a tremendous of $2,849 — a penalty for exceeding the bag restrict, and $25 in damages for every fish over the restrict, Lewton mentioned. One other member of the get together acquired a $349 tremendous, and a 3rd wasn’t ticketed.
However his officers weren’t carried out. 4 days later, identical lake, totally different fishing get together: They discovered a gaggle with 103 fish too many. This time, one of many anglers was fined $2,449, and one other $549.
Add all of it up, and: $6,196 in fines, 265 seized fish.
“They’re fairly sizable over-bags,” Lewton mentioned. “We do obtain a few of these on daily basis, however that is a very excessive variety of fish that have been caught.”
In each instances, the officers discovered the fish in buckets, already useless, so that they couldn’t return them to the water.
However they received’t go to waste. For now, they’re being saved in a freezer to function proof in case the anglers attempt to battle their tickets.
As soon as the instances are cleared, the fish will possible be donated — together with the remainder of the summer season’s confiscated fish — to feed the rehabilitating birds on the Raptor Restoration Heart, he mentioned.
“We strive to ensure recreation isn’t wasted, whether or not it’s a deer or fish or hen.”
The perfect locations to catch fish in Southeast Nebraska
Walleye
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Crankbaits are a well-liked lure when fishing for walleye at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Space in Keith County. Whereas the state’s greatest waters are the perfect locations to search for walleye, the fee’s survey mentioned Burchard Lake is one place anglers within the jap a part of the state may discover success.
White bass
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A doll fly jig tricked this white bass at Swanson Reservoir in Hitchcock County. The lake at Yankee Hill State Wildlife Administration Space must be a great spot to catch white bass this 12 months.
Wiper
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Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program supervisor with the Nebraska Recreation and Parks Fee, holds a Grasp Angler wiper he caught at Swanson Reservoir in August 2011. Whereas this hybrid species from white bass and striped bass prefers giant our bodies of water like its father or mother species, Branched Oak ought to have its share of huge wipers.
Bluegill
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Any physique of water in Nebraska that’s too huge to leap throughout in all probability has some bluegill in it. In keeping with the report, Yankee Hill, Wildwood and Willard Meyer lakes in Southeast Nebraska are good bluegill spots 12 months after 12 months.
Crappie
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An angler releases a crappie caught on a fly in a Sarpy County non-public pond. Good areas within the area for crappie this 12 months embody Hedgefield Reservoir, Massive Indian Reservoir, Homestead Lake and Burchard Lake.
Largemouth bass
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Eli Kurrus of Gretna holds a largemouth bass caught at a pond in Cass County in June 2019. When searching for bass no less than 15 inches lengthy in Southeast Nebraska, the report suggests attempting Burchard Lake, Holmes Lake, Lake Wanahoo and Oxbow Path Reservoir.
Channel catfish
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Channel catfish are probably the most widespread and customary of the massive catfish in Nebraska. This 12 months, the fee expects good numbers of 16-inch and bigger channel cats in these space lakes and reservoirs: Pawnee, Branched Oak and Massive Indian. The Missouri River can be a superb fishery for catfish.
Blue catfish
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In Southeast Nebraska, you’ll find blue catfish in Pawnee and Branched Oak lakes, however if you would like the actually huge ones, head for the Missouri River. A few of these will hit triple digits.
Flathead catfish
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Richard Hagen caught this 89-pound flathead catfish — the state document — within the Missouri River in June 2020. Branched Oak Lake additionally has flatheads, however keep in mind you will need to instantly launch any that you just catch there.
Northern pike
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A northern pike is guided right into a touchdown web at Elwood Reservoir in Gosper County. Lake Wanahoo close to Wahoo gives some pike habitat and fishing, however all pike you catch there have to be launched.
Rainbow trout
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Whilst you cannot pursue the Trout Slam in Southeast Nebraska, you may catch trout right here. Rainbow trout are stocked throughout Nebraska in metropolis ponds and state park lakes, together with Lincoln’s Holmes Lake.
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