Look What we've been up to!
CLICK HERE to view a slide show with comments.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission initiated its Urban Fisheries Program (UFP) in April 1999. The Program's goals are to improve recreational fishing in and around Nebraska cities and to provide more opportunities for urban residents to go fishing. The UFP is working to improve angler access to urban waters and assisting in the enhancement and restoration of urban lakes to provide improved and additional fishing opportunities.

In the past, many of Nebraska's urban lakes had poor or limited fish habitat and did not provide quality fishing opportunities. Fortunately, the Commission's Aquatic Habitat Program has been changing that, with lake and pond habitat improvement projects completed or underway across the state, with more planned in future years. Additional lake improvement projects are underway thanks to funding from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund and the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ). NDEQ funds are provided by the EPA as part of Section 319 of the federal Clean Water Act. These funds are combined and administered through the Community Lakes Enhancement and Restoration (CLEAR) program. The program combines the technical expertise of the NDEQ, NGPC, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. As urban water bodies are restored, the UFP will assist in project planning and fisheries management on these waters, ensuring these waters provide quality angling for many years to follow.

Fish stocking programs have been modified or added at some lakes. Catchable size channel catfish and trout are being stocked in more waters, providing put grow and take fisheries to more anglers. Fish are being stocked more frequently in some lakes than in the past. Additional fish species have been stocked to diversify and improve the fish populations in a few waterbodies. Special fishing regulations have been implemented to improve and maintain quality fishing. While the UFP works primarily on smaller (< 100 acres) lakes and city park ponds, streams and rivers flowing through urban areas may also be included in program activities in the future.

The UFP places a special emphasis on exposing urban youth and families to fishing. Working with the Commission's Aquatic Education Program, various city Parks and Recreation Departments, schools, civic groups, and other organizations, the program promotes family fishing clinics and events that encourage taking children fishing. Fishing tackle is available from the Aquatic Education Program for use at group events that teach newcomers to the sport how to fish. The UFP may be able to arrange to have additional catchable size catfish or trout stocked into a public lake for such events, if given sufficient advance notice. Volunteer fishing instructors are usually available to assist with teaching fishing techniques, fish identification, aquatic habitat protection, and other related topics. A list of volunteer instructors is available from the Aquatic Education Program.

The UFP has numerous strategies for improving fishing opportunities in Nebraska's urban areas and for getting more people interested in fishing. These strategies include:

• Improving access by adding fishing piers, access trails, parking areas, and other facilities.
• Improving urban waters through habitat improvement projects.
• Stocking catchable size fish to increase catch rates.
• Setting special fishing regulations to increase and maintain high catch rates.
• Sponsoring fishing clinics in cooperation with various groups.
• Developing and promoting programs that encourage taking children fishing.
• Developing lake projects that promote school and community involvement.
• Increasing media coverage of urban fishing events and fish stocking.
• Developing funding mechanisms to support and expand these programs.
• Expanding the fishing tackle loaner program (now at 18 state park and recreation areas).

The activities of the UFP are funded through revenues from the sale of Nebraska fishing permits. UFP staff also assists cities in acquiring funding for lake projects from other sources such as the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, CLEAR, and private organizations such as the FishAmerica Foundation. Donations of fishing tackle, bait, and other items support fishing clinics and other educational programs. Monetary contributions can be used to purchase needed supplies for habitat improvement, fish for stocking, for printing educational materials, and for other program needs. Corporations, foundations, or individuals wishing to support city lake restoration projects, pond construction, fishing access projects, fishing pier construction, or other projects requiring substantial funding may contact the Urban Fisheries Program for information on potential projects.

Maybe your town isn't that big, not what you'd consider urban. That doesn't mean the program will ignore your town. Any public lake in or close to a town or city will be considered for inclusion in this program. Nebraska's two largest cities, Omaha and Lincoln, have lakes in the program, and so do some smaller cities, including Alliance, South Sioux City, Holdrege, and Auburn. From Humboldt to Chadron, the Urban Fisheries Program will work with communities to provide fishing opportunities where they are currently lacking. If the program is successful, more Nebraskans (and visitors) will go fishing. That means the Commission sells more fishing permits. That revenue goes to support programs on all waters, urban or not. So if more people in Omaha buy permits, the people in McCook will benefit. More anglers also means more revenue for tackle shops, marinas, restaurants, motels, and other local businesses.

There are many ways in which you, your family, your club, your company, or your city can get involved. Some of these are:

• Take a child fishing! Better yet, take a whole bunch of children fishing! The Aquatic Education Program can provide fishing tackle, a list of volunteer fishing instructors, and educational materials for organized fishing events. The UFP may even stock some extra catfish or trout in a public lake prior to your event, if given sufficient advance notice.
• Become a volunteer fishing instructor. If you're an angler, share your knowledge and skills with others. Instructors can get a wide range of teaching aids to use. Instructors also get hats, patches, and other items recognizing their efforts. Contact the Aquatic Education staff at the Aksarben Aquarium near Gretna for more information.
• Allow a few people to fish on your property. If you have a pond or a creek on your property, allow your neighbors or friends to go fishing there. Private ponds meeting eligibility criteria may be stocked by the Commission with largemouth bass and bluegill. Water bodies that are open to the public are eligible for a whole range of programs, assistance, and funding to improve fishing, hunting, wildlife habitat, water quality, boating access, and more.
• Support the Program and fishing events in your community by donating bait, fishing tackle, food and drinks, or your time and skills. Financial contributions will assist with efforts in your community and/or statewide according to your preference.
• Ask your local newspaper to advertise and cover fishing events and program activities.
• Tell others about these programs, this website, and how much fun fishing is.
• Let your mayor, city council, and community leaders know that fishing is important to you, your family, and your community. Encourage them to restore and revitalize city parks and ponds. The Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund and Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality provide funding to restore city park ponds through the CLEAR program. Funding for other city park projects is also available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (see the Parks Division page for information). Funding for tree planting and park landscaping may also be available from the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum through UNL.

Where We Are and Where We're Going

Program activities are underway at lakes across the state, with more plans in the works. The program currently has a list of about 75 potential Urban Fisheries Program sites in 55 cities across Nebraska. Fishing regulations on thirty urban lakes have been changed. Several sites have received new or additional fish stockings under this program, including Laing Lake in Alliance, Crystal Springs in Fairbury, Auble Pond in Ord, Barnett Park Ponds in McCook, Crystal Cove in South Sioux City, and Hitchcock, Towl, and Benson Park Ponds in Omaha. New fishing piers have been built at North Park Lake in Holdrege, Crystal Cove Lake in South Sioux City, and the Plattsmouth City Park Lake.

Several SRA and State Park lakes are also included in the program. While some of these parks are hardly urban, they do get many urban residents visiting them. Visitors may come to the parks for camping, hiking, or just getting away for the weekend. While there, we might just get them to give fishing a try. Fishing tackle is available for park visitors to use free of charge at 18 state park and recreation areas. New handicap accessible fishing piers have been built at Fremont SRA Lake #18, Mormon Island SRA, and Carter P. Johnson Lake at Fort Robinson State Park. New fishing decks have also been built at the Chadron State Park pond and Windmill SRA #2.

For more information on the Urban Fisheries Program, contact:
Urban Fisheries Program
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
2200 N. 33rd Street
Lincoln, NE 68503
402-471-5445
e-mail: Rick.Eades@nebraska.gov

For a list of volunteer fishing instructors or information on becoming a volunteer, contact:
Youth Fishing Program
Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium
21502 W. Hwy 31
Gretna, NE 68028-7264
402-332-3901