The 5th Annual species challenge
Get ready — the 5th Annual Cornhusker Fly Fishers Species Challenge is officially underway!
This year’s challenge features 27 fish species found across Nebraska, giving anglers of all experience levels a chance to explore, learn, and compete for awards.
How it works
Catch as many of the listed species as you can between February 1 and November 30.
You can catch them in any order, at any time during the challenge period.
Earn recognition based on the number of species you land:
- Bronze Award: 8 species
- Silver Award: 13 species
- Gold Award: 18 species
- Platinum Award: 23 species
- Diamond Award: all 27 species
All winners will be honored with certificates at our annual Christmas Meeting.
Bonus Fish
Think you’ve found something rare?
If you catch a non-hybrid species not on the list, it can count as your Bonus Fish!
Examples include Pumpkinseed, Orange-spotted Sunfish, Goldfish, or any other unusual or exotic species found in Nebraska waters.
How to enter
To submit a fish, email a photo of your catch (angler in the picture encouraged!) to
cornhuskerflyfishers@gmail.com.
Photos of entries may also appear in The Tippet newsletter, on our website, or on our Facebook page.
Challenge Rules
1. Fish must be caught on an artificial fly and fly rod and/or Tenkara Rod.
2. Fish must be caught from Feb 1st, 2026 through November 30th, 2026.
3. Fish must be caught inside the State of Nebraska.
4. Fish may be caught from shore or any watercraft.
5. Fish caught via ice fishing do not count.
6. Hybrid Fish will be counted as the parent species most identifiable, unless otherwise counted on the list (aka Musky and Hybrids, Wipers, Tiger
Trout).
7. Bonus fish cannot be a hybrid of listed species.
8. Participates must submit a clear photo of each fish (and preferably, but not required, with the angler) for identification and entry to
cornhuskerflyfishers@gmail.com. Photos must be received no later than the end of the day December 1st, 2026.
9. All fishing regulation and license requirements must be followed.
10. All decisions of the CFF Executive Board on acceptance or denial of an entry are final.
Cornhusker Fly Fishers Trout Grand Slam!
We’re excited to announce a new sub-challenge within this year’s Species Challenge — the Cornhusker Fly Fishers Trout Grand Slam!
One of our members set a personal goal to catch all six trout species found here in Nebraska: rainbow, brown, brook, cutthroat, tiger, and the newest addition, the cutbow. This inspired us to make it an official challenge for everyone!
Anyone who successfully catches all six species will earn a CFF Trout Grand Slam Certificate, presented at our annual Christmas Party alongside the Species Challenge awards.
To participate, simply submit your trout photos the same way you do for the Species Challenge — we’ll track your progress and count cutbows and tigers toward your Grand Slam total.
If you’d like to know where cutbows have been stocked this season, check the official Nebraska Game & Parks Trout Stocking Reports for the latest updates.
So grab your rod, explore Nebraska’s trout waters, and see if you can complete the CFF Trout Grand Slam!
Challenge Rules
1. Fish must be caught on an artificial fly and fly rod.
2. Fish must be caught from Feb 1st, 2025 through November 30th, 2025.
3. Fish must be caught inside the State of Nebraska.
4. Fish may be caught from shore or any watercraft.
5. Fish caught via ice fishing do not count.
6. Hybrid Fish will be counted as the parent species most identifiable, unless otherwise counted on the list (aka Musky and Hybrids, Wipers, Tiger
Trout).
7. Bonus fish cannot be a hybrid of listed species.
8. Participates must submit a clear photo of each fish (and preferably, but not required, with the angler) for identification and entry to
cornhuskerflyfishers@gmail.com. Photos must be received no later than the end of the day December 1st, 2025.
9. All fishing regulation and license requirements must be followed.
10. All decisions of the CFF Executive Board on acceptance or denial of an entry are final.