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The Best Fishing Lakes In Nebraska

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Guide to the top places to fish for bass, catfish, crappie and more in NE.

By AA-Fishing Staff Writers

Box Butte Reservoir, Branched Oak Lake, Elwood Reservoir, Glenn Cunningham Lake, Johnson Lake, Lake McConaughy, Lake Wanahoo, Lewis And Clark Lake, Merritt Reservoir, Pawnee Lake, Sutherland Reservoir and Wehrspann Lake are the most popular places for fishing in Nebraska, offering anglers the chance to pursue a variety of fish species. Ice fishing is available when conditions are right at numerous lakes and ponds around the state. The Boat Rental Page lists options for fishing boat rentals at some of these lakes.

  • Bluestem Lake, NE
  • Box Butte Reservoir, NE
  • Branched Oak Lake, NE
  • Calamus Reservoir, NE
  • Conestoga Lake, NE
  • Davis Creek Reservoir, NE
  • Elwood Reservoir, NE
  • Enders Reservoir, NE
  • Glenn Cunningham Lake, NE
  • Harlan County Reservoir, NE
  • Harry Strunk Lake, NE
  • Jeffrey Lake, NE
  • Johnson Lake, NE
  • Lake Maloney, NE
  • Lake McConaughy, NE
  • Lake Minatare, NE
  • Lake Ogallala, NE
  • Lake Wanahoo, NE
  • Lewis And Clark Lake, NE
  • Merritt Reservoir, NE
  • Oliver Reservoir, NE
  • Pawnee Lake, NE
  • Red Willow Reservoir, NE
  • Sherman Reservoir, NE
  • Sutherland Reservoir, NE
  • Swanson Reservoir, NE
  • Wagon Train Lake, NE
  • Wehrspann Lake, NE
  • Whitney Lake, NE
  • Willow Creek Lake, NE

Nebraska is home to a wide range of fishing lakes, offering diverse opportunities for anglers. The state boasts both warm water lakes and cold water lakes, each with its own unique fish species and fishing experiences. The purpose of this page is to share basic information about the best fishing lakes in the state, and the species found in each lake.

Warm water lakes in Nebraska are known for their abundance of fish species that thrive in warmer water temperatures. Some popular warm water lakes include Branched Oak Lake, Harlan County Lake, and Lake McConaughy. These lakes offer excellent fishing for species such as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, crappie, and walleye. Anglers can enjoy casting their lines from boats, shorelines, or fishing piers to target these sought-after warm water species.

On the other hand, Nebraska's cold water lakes are characterized by their colder temperatures, which support fish species that prefer cooler environments. Cold water lakes in the state include lakes such as Lake Ogallala, Merritt Reservoir, and Sherman Reservoir. These lakes are known for their populations of cold water species such as trout, including rainbow trout, brown trout, and lake trout. Anglers can enjoy a unique fishing experience by targeting these beautiful and elusive fish in the crystal-clear waters of Nebraska's cold water lakes.

In addition to warm water and cold water species, Nebraska's fishing lakes also offer opportunities to catch other popular fish species. These include white bass, muskellunge, northern pike, sauger, saugeye, and hybrid striped bass. Each lake has its own unique fish populations, and anglers can tailor their fishing techniques and strategies to target specific species based on their preferences.

Whether fishing in a warm water lake or a cold water lake, Nebraska's fishing lakes provide a variety of fishing opportunities for anglers of all skill levels. From reeling in largemouth bass and crappie in warm water lakes to battling trout in cold water lakes, the state's lakes offer a diverse range of fish species and fishing experiences. With its abundant waterways and scenic landscapes, Nebraska is a haven for anglers seeking exciting and rewarding fishing adventures.


Bass Fishing Lakes

Largemouth Bass
Largemouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass

Spotted Bass
Spotted Bass

Box Butte Reservoir, Branched Oak Lake, Calamus Reservoir, Conestoga Lake, Davis Creek Reservoir, Elwood Reservoir, Enders Reservoir, Glenn Cunningham Lake, Harlan County Reservoir, Johnson Lake, Kimball Reservoir, Lake Maloney, Lake McConaughy, Lake Minatare, Lake Wanahoo, Lewis And Clark Lake, Pawnee Lake and Wehrspann Lake are considered some of the best options for largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass. More...


Catfish Fishing Lakes

Channel Catfish
Channel Catfish

Blue Catfish
Blue Catfish

Flathead Catfish
Flathead Catfish

Branched Oak Lake, Davis Creek Reservoir, Elwood Reservoir, Glenn Cunningham Lake, Harlan County Reservoir, Harry Strunk Lake, Johnson Lake, Lake Wanahoo, Lewis And Clark Lake, Medicine Creek Reservoir, Merritt Reservoir, Oliver Reservoir, Pawnee Lake, Red Willow Reservoir, Wagon Train Lake are favorite options for channel, blue and flathead catfish. More...


Crappie Fishing Lakes

Black Crappie
Black Crappie

White Crappie
White Crappie

Branched Oak Lake, Davis Creek Reservoir, Glenn Cunningham Lake, Johnson Lake, Lake Wanahoo, Pawnee Lake, Sherman Reservoir, Wehrspann Lake and Whitney Lake are a few of the most popular for black and white crappie. More...


Sunfish, Panfish & Perch Fishing Lakes

Bluegill
Bluegill

Green Sunfish
Green Sunfish

Hybrid Sunfish
Hybrid Sunfish

Pumpkinseed Sunfish
Pumpkinseed Sunfish

Redear Sunfish
Redear Sunfish

Rock Bass
Rock Bass

Spotted Sunfish
Spotted Sunfish

White Bass
White Bass

White Perch
White Perch

Yellow Bass
Yellow Bass

Yellow Perch
Yellow Perch

Calamus Reservoir, Conestoga Lake, Elwood Reservoir, Enders Reservoir, Harlan County Reservoir, Harry Strunk Lake, Johnson Lake, Kimball Reservoir, Lake Maloney, Lake McConaughy, Lake Minatare, Lake Wanahoo, Lewis And Clark Lake, Oliver Reservoir and Sherman Reservoir are popular spots to fish for bluegill, bream, perch and other sunfish. More...


Walleye Fishing Lakes

Walleye
Walleye

Sauger
Sauger

Saugeye
Saugeye

Box Butte Reservoir, Elwood Reservoir, Jeffrey Lake, Johnson Lake, Lake McConaughy, Lake Minatare, Medicine Creek Reservoir, Merritt Reservoir, Oliver Reservoir, Sherman Reservoir, Sutherland Reservoir and Wagon Train Lake are considered the top locations for walleye fishing. More...


Trout Fishing Lakes

Rainbow trout
Rainbow trout

Brook trout
Brook trout

Brown trout
Brown trout

Cutthroat trout
Cutthroat trout

Hugh Butler Lake, Kimball Reservoir, Lake McConaughy, Lake Ogallala, Merritt Reservoir, Oliver Reservoir, Red Willow Reservoir and Sutherland Reservoir are the favorite options for rainbow, cutthroat, brook and brown lake trout. More...


Striped Bass Fishing Lakes

Striped Bass
Striped bass

Hybrid Striped Bass
Striped bass

Elwood Reservoir, Enders Reservoir, Hugh Butler Lake (Red Willow Reservoir), Lake McConaughy and Sutherland Reservoir are the best options for striped bass and hybrid striped bass. More...


Salmon Fishing Lakes

Chinook Salmon
Chinook Salmon

Lake McConaughy and Lewis and Clark Lake are the most popular for atlantic, chinook, chum, coho, kokanee, pink and sockeye salmon fishing. More...


The Marinas Page offers a list of popular marinas on some of these lakes.

Visit the Nebraska fishing page for links to information covering a wide variety of fish species and destinations in the state. Visit the Nebraska map to identify your best route to these top fishing locations.

 

Best Destinations By State.

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IL Fishing Lakes IN Fishing Lakes KS Fishing Lakes KY Fishing Lakes LA Fishing Lakes MA Fishing Lakes MD Fishing Lakes ME Fishing Lakes MI Fishing Lakes MN Fishing Lakes MO Fishing Lakes MS Fishing Lakes MT Fishing Lakes
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