When is flathead catfish season in Nebraska?

Nebraska keeps flathead 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 flathead catfish?

The Nebraska daily bag limit for flathead catfish is 5 / day per angler statewide. The possession limit is 10 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size flathead catfish can you keep in Nebraska?

The Nebraska size rule for flathead catfish is No minimum length; no more than one fish 30 in or longer per day. Trophy rule: Statewide trophy cap of no more than one fish 30 in or longer in the daily 5-fish bag; the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam is a nationally significant trophy flathead fishery; NE state-record flathead catfish 89 lb (Missouri River near Brownville, June 6 2020, released alive — 53.5 in) broke the 80 lb 1988 Loup Power Canal record.

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

Yes. Nebraska requires a valid fishing license to fish for flathead 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 flathead catfish in Nebraska?

Yes. In Nebraska, flathead catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines + setlines + bank lines permitted under separate NGPC setline rules (check current regs); Live bait (sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to cover is the standard tactic; flathead rarely take prepared / cut baits; Hand-fishing ('noodling' / 'hogging') is NOT legal in Nebraska; NE Fishing Permit + Aquatic Habitat Stamp required ages 16+ ($40 res / $76 NR + $15 Aquatic Habitat Stamp res or NR).

Do specific Nebraska waters have different flathead catfish rules?

Yes. 4 named Nebraska waters carry rules that override the statewide flathead catfish regulation, including Missouri River main stem, Platte River main stem, Niobrara River, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

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

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Last updated May 30, 2026

Flathead catfish are Nebraska's premier trophy catfish — a native predatory species that grows to enormous size in the Missouri River main stem, the lower Platte, Loup, and Elkhorn rivers, and the big Republican- and Sandhills-basin reservoirs. The Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam is one of the great flathead fisheries in the country: the current NE state-record flathead catfish, an 89-pounder (53.5 in long, 37.5 in girth, estimated near 100 years old), was caught from the Missouri near Brownville by Richard Hagen on June 6, 2020, and released alive — it shattered the prior 80-pound record taken from the Loup Power Canal by William Swanson on June 14, 1988. The 2026 statewide rule is 5 fish per day, possession 10, no minimum length, with no more than one fish 30 inches or longer in the daily bag (a trophy-protection cap applied to the species statewide, unlike the channel catfish where the cap was lifted on the Missouri). Unlike channel catfish, flathead are not split into standing-water and flowing-water bags — it is a flat 5 / day everywhere. Flathead are caught almost exclusively on live bait (live sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to woody cover, scour holes, and dam tailwaters; they rarely take prepared baits. Big-river anglers also pursue them on trotlines, setlines, and bank lines under NGPC's separate setline rules, and hand-fishing ('noodling') is NOT legal in Nebraska.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round statewide; June – September trophy bite on the Missouri main stem + lower Platte + Loup + Elkhorn rivers is the peak. No closed season.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 5 / day per angler statewide
Possession: 10 in possession

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No minimum length; no more than one fish 30 in or longer per day
Trophy rule: Statewide trophy cap of no more than one fish 30 in or longer in the daily 5-fish bag; the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam is a nationally significant trophy flathead fishery; NE state-record flathead catfish 89 lb (Missouri River near Brownville, June 6 2020, released alive — 53.5 in) broke the 80 lb 1988 Loup Power Canal record

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trotlines + setlines + bank lines permitted under separate NGPC setline rules (check current regs)
Live bait (sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to cover is the standard tactic; flathead rarely take prepared / cut baits
Hand-fishing ('noodling' / 'hogging') is NOT legal in Nebraska
NE Fishing Permit + Aquatic Habitat Stamp required ages 16+ ($40 res / $76 NR + $15 Aquatic Habitat Stamp res or NR)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Nebraska waters:

Missouri River main stem
5 / day, no minimum, one over 30 in; premier NE trophy flathead water (state-record 89 lb near Brownville 2020)
Platte River main stem
5 / day, no minimum, one over 30 in; lower Platte is a strong flathead river
Niobrara River
5 / day, no minimum, one over 30 in
Lewis & Clark Lake
5 / day, no minimum, one over 30 in; Missouri River 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 flathead catfish rules on this page are sourced from Nebraska Game & Parks Commission (NGPC)'s official flathead catfish regulation page.

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Emergency-order channel

Flathead 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 flathead catfish season in Nebraska?: Nebraska keeps flathead 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 flathead catfish?: The Nebraska daily bag limit for flathead catfish is 5 / day per angler statewide. The possession limit is 10 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size flathead catfish can you keep in Nebraska?: The Nebraska size rule for flathead catfish is No minimum length; no more than one fish 30 in or longer per day. Trophy rule: Statewide trophy cap of no more than one fish 30 in or longer in the daily 5-fish bag; the Missouri River below Gavins Point Dam is a nationally significant trophy flathead fishery; NE state-record flathead catfish 89 lb (Missouri River near Brownville, June 6 2020, released alive — 53.5 in) broke the 80 lb 1988 Loup Power Canal record.
Do you need a license to fish for flathead catfish in Nebraska?: Yes. Nebraska requires a valid fishing license to fish for flathead 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 flathead catfish in Nebraska?: Yes. In Nebraska, flathead catfish fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trotlines + setlines + bank lines permitted under separate NGPC setline rules (check current regs); Live bait (sunfish, bullheads, large shiners) fished tight to cover is the standard tactic; flathead rarely take prepared / cut baits; Hand-fishing ('noodling' / 'hogging') is NOT legal in Nebraska; NE Fishing Permit + Aquatic Habitat Stamp required ages 16+ ($40 res / $76 NR + $15 Aquatic Habitat Stamp res or NR).
Do specific Nebraska waters have different flathead catfish rules?: Yes. 4 named Nebraska waters carry rules that override the statewide flathead catfish regulation, including Missouri River main stem, Platte River main stem, Niobrara River, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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