Great Outdoors: Free fishing and Park Entry Day at Nebraska State Parks (2024)

JACK KEENAN GREG WAGNER BROUGHT THE BIG GUNS TODAY. PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS JOINING US THIS MORNING GREG I KNOW YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT THIS ONE. ALWAYS A BIG TIME DEAL. TODAY IS NEBRASKA’S FREE FISHING AND STATE PARK ENTRY DAY. GREG IS HERE TO TELL US WHAT WE CAN EXPECT. CAN I CATCH SOMETHING LIKE THIS TODAY? GREG, I DON’T THINK YOU’LL CATCH A BLUEGILL QUITE THAT BIG, BUT THE FISH AREN’T BITING. WE’LL SAY THAT IT’S OUR BIG DAY. IT’S OUR OPEN HOUSE DAY. WE CALL IT NEBRASKA GAME AND PARKS COMMISSION. IT IS OUR FREE FISHING AND STATE PARK ENTRY DAY. NO FISHING PERMITS REQUIRED TODAY. MIDNIGHT TO MIDNIGHT. BASICALLY. OF COURSE WE’RE ROLLING RIGHT NOW AND NO STATE PARK PERMITS REQUIRED TODAY EITHER. ALL OTHER FEES AND REGULATIONS REMAIN IN PLACE, BUT THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT AND SAMPLE WHAT I CALL THE GOOD LIFE AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS OF NEBRASKA. JUST WHAT I WAS THINKING TOO. LISTEN, IF YOU HAVEN’T DIPPED YOUR TOE YET IN THE FISHING WORLD, THIS IS YOUR PERFECT OPPORTUNITY, RIGHT? IS IT OPEN FOR BOTH STATE RESIDENTS AND NON STATE RESIDENTS? THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION. YES, BOTH RESIDENTS AND NON RESIDENTS. THIS APPLIES OBVIOUSLY TO PUBLIC AREAS AND PRIVATE WATERS FOR FISHING AS WELL. SO IT’S BROAD SCOPED. FANTASTIC OKAY GREG. SO AGAIN IF YOU’RE A FIRST TIMER FISHING OR YOU JUST DON’T HAVE THAT MUCH EXPERIENCE, YOU’VE GOT THE MAN RIGHT HERE TO GIVE YOU THE ADVICE FOR A SUCCESSFUL DAY OF FISHING. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL NEWBIES? I LIKE THE KISS PRINCIPLE AND THAT’S KEEP IT SIMPLE SILLY. AND YOU DON’T NEED FANCY STUFF, JUST BASIC TACKLE. YOU CAN HAVE A BASIC MEDIUM ACTION ROD LIKE A ZEBCO 33 REEL AND MAYBE A NUMBER FOUR HOOK. AS WE KIND OF TALK THE LINGO A LITTLE BIT, THERE, AND I’D USE WORMS, USE NIGHTCRAWLERS AS BAIT, BRING ALONG A BOBBER TO AND YOU NEED A LITTLE BIT OF A WAIT AND SEE HOW YOU DO. AND JUST KEEP TRYING DIFFERENT AREAS. OUR FISH ARE REALLY IN THE SHALLOWS RIGHT NOW WITH A LOT OF THIS WARMER WEATHER, SO WE’VE GOT BLUEGILL BITING, LARGEMOUTH BASS, CHANNEL CATFISH AND OTHER SPECIES AS WELL. FANTASTIC. NOW IT’S GOING TO BE A BUSY, BUSY DAY TODAY. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE TO ANTICIPATE? THE CROWDS AND I’M SURE THERE’S ENOUGH FISH TO GO AROUND. THERE’S PLENTY OF FISH TO GO AROUND. I LIKE CATCH, PHOTO AND RELEASE CPR ON THE FISHING END OF THINGS. LET SOMEBODY ELSE CATCH THAT FISH AND WE HAVE A LOT OF SPECIAL EVENTS GOING AT GAME AND PARKS. I WILL BE AT FREMONT STATE LAKE NUMBER 16. JACK, GET THERE. 16 NEXT TO YOU SEE THIS MAN? BIG EVENT. WE HAVE FREE FOOD AND EVERYTHING ELSE GOING THERE. WE’RE GOING TO GIVE AWAY FISHING RODS TO KIDS AND VETERANS. WHY DO YOU DO THE FREE DAY BEFORE THE WEEKEND? MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND? AND ANOTHER GOOD QUESTION. IT’S BECAUSE IT’S THE BEST FISHING TIME OF THE YEAR. THERE WE GO. IT’S THE BEST FISHING TIME OF THE YEAR AND OUR TEMPERATURES ARE NOT THAT SUPER HOT, HUMID, STEAMY AND PEOPLE WON’T MIND GETTING OUT. THE MORNINGS TEND TO BE COOL. EVENINGS WERM ENOUGH TO BE OUT AND ABOUT. SO THIS IS WHY WE DO IT, AND WE LIKE TO DO IT. BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SO WE CAN GET YOU OUT FOR THAT BIG THREE DAY EVENT. I GOT TO SAY, YOU PICKED A GREAT DAY WEATHER WISE. WE LUCKED OUT. YES, SATURDAY. FANTASTIC. HOW ABOUT THAT, GREG? ANY OTHER CELEBRATORY EVENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE HAPPENING TODAY? YEAH, I WOULD CHECK OUR GAME AND PARKS WEBSITE AND YOU’LL GIVE THAT COMING UP HERE. AND WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND NEBRASKA. AND EVEN AROUND THE METRO AREA. AND LOOKING FOR A BIGGIE. WE HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR EVERYBODY. FREMONT STATE LAKE NUMBER 16 GOING ON RIGHT NOW UP UNTIL NOON. I’LL BE THERE. YOU’RE HANGING OUT RIGHT AFTER THIS. YOU ALREADY GOT YOUR BAIT ON YOUR HEAD. LOOK AT THAT PERFECT FISH. NUMBER 16. WE’LL GO SEE GREG THERE. ANYTHING WE’RE MISSING ABOUT TODAY, GREG? YOU COVERED IT ALL. YOU DID, MY FRIEND. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WHAT AN EXCITING DAY. THERE’S MORE INFORMATION AGAIN AT OUTDOOR NEBRASKA.GOV. BUT GREG WE’