By Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
The year 2024 is in the books. Time to review the state record fish caught during the year. . . .
There were a total of four state record fish certified in 2024. Three of them were caught on rod and reel, and one was taken by bowfishing.
Surface Spearing
No state record fish were taken by surface spearing in 2024.
Underwater Spearfishing
No state record fish were taken by underwater spearing in 2024.
Bowfishing
The one new state record fish taken by bowfishing in 2024 was a 16 pound 7 ounce blue sucker taken on July 21. That fish was arrowed on the Missouri River.
Rod and Reel
A total of three fish caught on rod and reel were certified as state records in 2024.
The first of those was a goldfish caught from Avocet WMA. That fish weighed 6 pounds 12 ounces, was 17 inches long and was caught on a spinnerbait.
Next was a longear sunfish caught from the Little Blue River on July 14. That fish weighed 2 ounces and was 5.25 inches long. It was caught on a nightcrawler.
Lastly, on September 19, a 24 pound 14 ounce longnose gar was caught from the Missouri River in Otoe County. That fish was 57 inches long and was caught on a chunk of silver carp.
This is just a summary of the fish certified as state records in 2024. For more information on each of those fish and the stories behind their capture, please go back to State Record Update, Mid-2024 , and Record Update, November 2024.
If you wish, you can review the entire list of State Record Fish.
You never know what you might catch. Might not hurt to be familiar with the state record rules printed in the Fishing Guide.
Sure to be some big fish and unexpected catches again in 2025! You can read about them here!