When is channel catfish season in Nebraska?

Nebraska keeps channel catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.

What is the Nebraska bag limit for channel catfish?

The Nebraska daily bag limit for channel catfish is 5 / day in standing water (lakes / reservoirs / pits); 10 / day in flowing water (rivers / streams / canals) + the Missouri River. The possession limit is 20 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size channel catfish can you keep in Nebraska?

The Nebraska size rule for channel catfish is No minimum length; no more than one fish 30 in or longer per day (one-over-30 cap removed on the Missouri River for 2026); 15–18 in protected slot on listed metro lakes. Trophy rule: No more than one fish 30 in or longer in the daily bag statewide, EXCEPT the Missouri River where the one-over-30 cap was removed for 2026; metro slot waters (Prairie View, Wagon Train, Duck Creek, Prairie Queen) protect 15–18 in (max one over 18 in the 5-fish bag); NE state-record channel catfish 41 lb 8 oz Merritt Reservoir 1986.

Do you need a license to fish for channel catfish in Nebraska?

Yes. Nebraska requires a valid fishing license to fish for channel catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Nebraska license — compare resident and non-resident Nebraska fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for channel catfish in Nebraska?

Yes. In Nebraska, channel catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines + setlines + bank lines permitted under separate NGPC hand-fishing / setline rules (check current regs); Stink bait, cut bait, nightcrawlers + live bait standard; channel catfish stocked catchable-size in community + urban lakes; NE Fishing Permit + Aquatic Habitat Stamp required ages 16+ ($40 res / $76 NR + $15 Aquatic Habitat Stamp res or NR); Confirm current-year NGPC Fishing Guide for the 10-fish-bag reservoir list, slot-limit lakes, and catch-and-release waters.

Do specific Nebraska waters have different channel catfish rules?

Yes. 10 named Nebraska waters carry rules that override the statewide channel catfish regulation, including Missouri River main stem, Lewis Clark Lake, Niobrara River, and 7 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Nebraska Channel catfish 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Ictalurus punctatus

Last updated June 8, 2026

The channel catfish is Nebraska's official state fish (designated 1997) and the most widely distributed sport fish in the state — present in virtually every reservoir, Sandhills lake, farm pond, river, stream, irrigation canal, and the Missouri River boundary. NGPC manages channel catfish more intensively than any other species, stocking catchable-size fish into hundreds of community lakes, urban ponds, and state-recreation-area waters statewide (the backbone of NGPC's family-and-youth angling program). The 2026 daily bag is split by water type: 5 fish per day in standing water (lakes, reservoirs, pits) and 10 fish per day in flowing water (rivers, streams, canals) — possession 20 statewide. There is no minimum length limit, but the daily bag may include no more than one fish 30 inches or longer (a trophy-protection cap). A notable 2026 change: NGPC REMOVED the one-over-30-inch restriction on channel catfish taken from the Missouri River, so the Missouri main stem now runs a straight 10 / day, no minimum, no trophy cap. Several large reservoirs carry the 10-fish 'flowing-water' bag by listed exception (Lewis & Clark Lake SRA, Gallagher Canyon, Midway Canyon, Plum Creek Canyon, Johnson Lake SRA, Phillips Canyon), and a handful of intensively-managed metro lakes (Prairie View, Wagon Train, Duck Creek, Prairie Queen) instead run a 15–18-inch protected slot with no more than one fish 18 inches or longer in the 5-fish bag. A few small put-and-take waters (Fort Kearny SRA No. 2, Two Rivers SRA Nos. 3 & 4, Wildwood Lake, Windmill SRA No. 3) are catch-and-release only. The Elkhorn, lower Platte, Loup, Republican, and Niobrara rivers + the big Sandhills and Republican-basin reservoirs are the volume channel-cat fisheries. NE state-record channel catfish 41 lb 8 oz (Merritt Reservoir, 1986, 39 in).

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; April – August warm-water bite is the peak. No closed channel catfish season.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day in standing water (lakes / reservoirs / pits); 10 / day in flowing water (rivers / streams / canals) + the Missouri River
Possession: 20 in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No minimum length; no more than one fish 30 in or longer per day (one-over-30 cap removed on the Missouri River for 2026); 15–18 in protected slot on listed metro lakes
Trophy rule: No more than one fish 30 in or longer in the daily bag statewide, EXCEPT the Missouri River where the one-over-30 cap was removed for 2026; metro slot waters (Prairie View, Wagon Train, Duck Creek, Prairie Queen) protect 15–18 in (max one over 18 in the 5-fish bag); NE state-record channel catfish 41 lb 8 oz Merritt Reservoir 1986

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trotlines + setlines + bank lines permitted under separate NGPC hand-fishing / setline rules (check current regs)
Stink bait, cut bait, nightcrawlers + live bait standard; channel catfish stocked catchable-size in community + urban lakes
NE Fishing Permit + Aquatic Habitat Stamp required ages 16+ ($40 res / $76 NR + $15 Aquatic Habitat Stamp res or NR)
Confirm current-year NGPC Fishing Guide for the 10-fish-bag reservoir list, slot-limit lakes, and catch-and-release waters

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Nebraska waters:

Missouri River main stem
10 / day, no minimum, NO one-over-30 cap (removed for 2026); 20 in possession; premier trophy channel-cat water
Lewis & Clark Lake
10 / day (listed Missouri-River-reservoir exception to the 5/day standing-water bag)
Niobrara River
10 / day flowing-water bag, no minimum, one over 30 in
Platte River main stem
10 / day flowing-water bag, no minimum, one over 30 in
Prairie View Lake / Wagon Train / Duck Creek / Prairie Queen
5 / day with a 15–18 in protected slot — no more than one fish 18 in or longer in the daily bag
Lake McConaughy
5 / day (standing water), no minimum, one over 30 in
Johnson Lake
10 / day flowing-water bag (no minimum, one over 30 in); Central NE Public Power Tri-County canal reservoir
Sutherland Reservoir
10 / day flowing-water bag (no minimum, one over 30 in); NPPD power-plant cooling reservoir on the South Platte supply canal
Lake Maloney
10 / day flowing-water bag (no minimum, one over 30 in); NPPD canal reservoir south of North Platte
Jeffrey Reservoir
10 / day flowing-water bag (no minimum, one over 30 in); Central NE Public Power canyon-canal reservoir

Official source

Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (NGPC) publishes the authoritative 2026 Nebraskafishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

The channel catfish rules on this page are sourced from Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (NGPC)'s official channel catfish regulation page.

Visit official Nebraska fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Channel catfish closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Nebraska Game & Parks Commission's emergency-order feed — check it before any Nebraska trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is channel catfish season in Nebraska?: Nebraska keeps channel catfish open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
What is the Nebraska bag limit for channel catfish?: The Nebraska daily bag limit for channel catfish is 5 / day in standing water (lakes / reservoirs / pits); 10 / day in flowing water (rivers / streams / canals) + the Missouri River. The possession limit is 20 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size channel catfish can you keep in Nebraska?: The Nebraska size rule for channel catfish is No minimum length; no more than one fish 30 in or longer per day (one-over-30 cap removed on the Missouri River for 2026); 15–18 in protected slot on listed metro lakes. Trophy rule: No more than one fish 30 in or longer in the daily bag statewide, EXCEPT the Missouri River where the one-over-30 cap was removed for 2026; metro slot waters (Prairie View, Wagon Train, Duck Creek, Prairie Queen) protect 15–18 in (max one over 18 in the 5-fish bag); NE state-record channel catfish 41 lb 8 oz Merritt Reservoir 1986.
Do you need a license to fish for channel catfish in Nebraska?: Yes. Nebraska requires a valid fishing license to fish for channel catfish, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Nebraska license — compare resident and non-resident Nebraska fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for channel catfish in Nebraska?: Yes. In Nebraska, channel catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines + setlines + bank lines permitted under separate NGPC hand-fishing / setline rules (check current regs); Stink bait, cut bait, nightcrawlers + live bait standard; channel catfish stocked catchable-size in community + urban lakes; NE Fishing Permit + Aquatic Habitat Stamp required ages 16+ ($40 res / $76 NR + $15 Aquatic Habitat Stamp res or NR); Confirm current-year NGPC Fishing Guide for the 10-fish-bag reservoir list, slot-limit lakes, and catch-and-release waters.
Do specific Nebraska waters have different channel catfish rules?: Yes. 10 named Nebraska waters carry rules that override the statewide channel catfish regulation, including Missouri River main stem, Lewis Clark Lake, Niobrara River, and 7 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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