Fishing In Nebraska & Ohio

"You get a line and I'll get a pole; we'll go fishin' at the fishin' hole." Tom Sawyer probably said something like this to Huck Finn when they went fishing in the 19th Century. That was all you needed then. In 2010, whether fishing on Lake Erie in Ohio or in the Missouri or Platte Rivers in Nebraska, you'll need a permit, list of rules and regulations and something to measure the fish you keep. (See References 1 and 2)

Geography

Both Ohio and Nebraska have abundant lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. The Missouri River and Platte River run throughout Nebraska. There is also fishing in the Elkhorn River or any of the lakes, streams and ponds that dot the state's interior. The southern border of Ohio is the Ohio River, but the major fishing areas are found in Lake Erie and its river tributaries or in the large number of lakes throughout the state.

Fish

The fish in the waters near the Platte River State Park yield carp, channel fish, freshwater drum and shovelnose sturgeon. Nebraska Game Parks' Fishing Guide states that Memphis Lake is stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish and redear sunfish. All About Fishing reports that Lake McConaughy and Sutherland Reservoir are the two main bodies of water that have healthy trout populations. Other fish include: walleye, yellow perch, crappie, panfish and stripers. You may fish in Ohio for walleye, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, white bass and steelhead bass. The Flathead Catfish is native to Ohio and is both a sport and food fish. On September 20, 2010, The Ohio Department of Natural Resources released 25,000 10- to 13-inch trout into Lake Erie as part of its fall stocking program.

Permits

Nebraska Game Parks manages fishing in the state's public waters. You must purchase either a resident or nonresident permit if you are over 16. Permit types and fees plus ordering instructions and mailing address are listed at the Nebraska Game Parks website. If you are over 16, you must obtain an Ohio fishing license. You need another license for archery or ice fishing. Permit types and fees and ordering information are listed at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website.

Size and Limits

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources enforces a quota system set by consensus with Ontario, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York on the number of walleye and yellow perch caught in Lake Erie. There is no size limit on the yellow perch, but size limits on other fish range from 12 to 15 inches. The Lake Sturgeon is endangered in Ohio and must be returned unharmed into the water as soon as possible if caught.

Considerations

According to Nebraska Game Parks' 2010 Fishing Guide, you may only sell bait fish with a permit. You need a dealer's permit in Ohio to buy or sell minnows, crayfish and hellgrammites. Setline, bankline, trotline and floatline fishing are allowed in Ohio under certain conditions. There are net size limits for net fishing on Lake Erie. You may only fish during daylight hours in Ohio from March 1 to May 1. According to the Lake Erie October 2010 Fishing Report, black bass (large and small mouth) are catch-and-release only from May 1 through June 25.