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Game and Parks details stocking priorities, trout angler survey and a wiper size-limit change
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Summary
Nebraska Game and Parks said the South Central District requested nearly 15 million fish for 2025 across 15 species, described trout stockings averaging larger fish this spring, reported a continuing trout angler survey and announced a statewide wiper/white bass size limit change to one over 18 inches.
Nebraska Game and Parks’ South Central District said its 2025 stocking request totals almost 15 million fish across 15 species and highlighted key stocking priorities, angler surveys and one regulation change for wipers and white bass.
Agency staff said the district’s primary annual stockings include walleye, sauger (in the canal system), channel catfish, hybrid striped bass in select reservoirs and newer introductions such as blue catfish into canal-system waters including Plum Creek, Gallagher and Midway. The district recommended anglers consult its online stocking list for details.
The agency reported most of the spring trout stocking runs are complete and that hatchery staff produced larger fish on average this year (about 12 inches versus a typical 10-inch average). The district is running a trout angler survey to assess angler preferences and satisfaction; at the time of the meeting fisheries biologist Colton Curtis said the survey had 867 responses and remained open through spring, with a full report to be published on the agency website when complete. Preliminary survey results showed anglers most commonly ranked CenturyLink, Holmes and Fort Kearney as the most popular trout waters and that many anglers reported higher satisfaction when they caught at least one larger trout. When asked whether they would support a reduced daily bag limit if larger trout were stocked, roughly 70% of respondents indicated support; the most popular response for a daily bag limit on trout in the survey was three fish.
District staff also described creel-survey results from Harlan Reservoir (about 33,000 angler trips during a six-month creel period and a reported harvest of roughly 11,000 walleyes in that year) and a record crappie creel at Sherman Reservoir last year (about 88,000 crappie caught and a harvest of roughly 40,000 during the creel survey period).
On regulations, the district announced a statewide increase in the legal size for wipers and white bass from one over 16 inches to one over 18 inches for the year; at Elwood Reservoir staff noted a three-fish daily bag limit remains in place with only one fish allowed over 18 inches. The district said it trimmed fry stocking the prior year because of low shad abundance at one lake but planned to resume higher fry stocking rates to bolster walleye year classes where prey is sufficient.
The district also described a renovation at Bufflehead Wildlife Management Area, near Kearney, that removed a high biomass of rough fish and is scheduled for restocking this spring with smallmouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie; staff reported post-renovation biomass estimates that showed roughly 285 pounds of rough fish per acre versus 35 pounds of sport fish per acre before the work.
