What is the best fishing lake in Nebraska?

Lake McConaughy is our first pick, with walleye, striped bass and trout. Harlan County Lake and Calamus Reservoir are close behind.

How many lakes in Nebraska does LakeScope cover?

25 lakes, each with a page for today's conditions.

Where can I catch walleye in Nebraska?

Try Lake McConaughy, Harlan County Lake and Calamus Reservoir.

Where can I catch bass in Nebraska?

Try Calamus Reservoir, Branched Oak Lake and Box Butte Reservoir.

Where can I catch trout in Nebraska?

Try Lake McConaughy and Calamus Reservoir.

Best fishing lakes in Nebraska: 12 lakes and what bites

From Lake McConaughy to Middle Marsh Lake, these 12 lakes are the strongest fishing picks in Nebraska on our list of 25, with the fish, the size and where to start on each.

The lakes at a glance

Lake	Size	Main fish
Lake McConaughy	35,700 acres	walleye, striped bass, trout
Harlan County Lake	13,200 acres	walleye, white bass, striped bass
Calamus Reservoir	5,140 acres	walleye, striped bass, white bass
Branched Oak Lake	1,800 acres	catfish, crappie, walleye
Sherman Reservoir	2,840 acres	walleye, crappie, catfish
Harry Strunk Lake	1,850 acres	walleye, crappie, white bass
Hugh Butler Lake	1,630 acres	walleye, crappie, white bass
Box Butte Reservoir	1,600 acres	northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass
Lake Minatare	about 1,710 acres	largemouth bass, walleye, yellow perch
Crescent Lake	980 acres	yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass
Merritt Reservoir	3,000 acres	largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill
Middle Marsh Lake	about 2,560 acres	largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill

1. Lake McConaughy

Lake McConaughy spreads over some 35,700 acres. It holds walleye, striped bass, trout and white bass. The deepest water is around 142 ft.

Lake McConaughy today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

2. Harlan County Lake

Harlan County Lake covers 13,200 acres of water. You will find it right by Alma. It is the Republican River behind Harlan County Dam. It holds walleye, white bass, striped bass and catfish. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Harlan County Lake dams the Republican River and extends south into Phillips County, Kansas.

Harlan County Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

3. Calamus Reservoir

Calamus Reservoir spreads over some 5,140 acres. It lies near Burwell. It is the Calamus River behind Virginia Smith Dam. The fish here are walleye, striped bass, white bass and northern pike. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Calamus Reservoir is impounded by the Virginia Smith Dam on the Calamus River in the Nebraska Sandhills.

Calamus Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

4. Branched Oak Lake

Branched Oak Lake covers some 1,800 acres. The lake is about 11 miles west of Seward. Expect catfish, crappie, walleye and bluegill. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look. Branched Oak Lake was built as a flood-control project on Salt Creek to protect Lincoln, Nebraska.

Branched Oak Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

5. Sherman Reservoir

Sherman Reservoir is a reservoir of some 2,840 acres. It lies about 3.2 miles southwest of Loup City. Expect walleye, crappie, catfish and white bass. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Sherman Reservoir dams Oak Creek in Sherman County and is known for trophy-sized flathead catfish.

Sherman Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

6. Harry Strunk Lake

Harry Strunk Lake spreads over 1,850 acres of water. It lies near Cambridge. It is the Medicine Creek behind Medicine Creek Dam. It holds walleye, crappie, white bass and catfish. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves worth a first look.

Harry Strunk Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

7. Hugh Butler Lake

Hugh Butler Lake spreads over 1,630 acres. You will find it near McCook. It holds walleye, crappie, white bass and catfish. On the 3-D map the bed has three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves: good places to start. Hugh Butler Lake is impounded by Red Willow Dam on Willow Creek in Frontier County.

Hugh Butler Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

8. Box Butte Reservoir

Box Butte Reservoir spreads over 1,600 acres. It lies about 25 miles north of Chadron. Box Butte Dam holds it on the Niobrara River. Expect northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass and yellow perch. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and a sheltered cove to work.

Box Butte Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

9. Lake Minatare

Lake Minatare is a reservoir of about 1,710 acres. The lake is about 9 miles southwest of Scottsbluff. It holds largemouth bass, walleye and yellow perch. Its bed shows three point drop-offs and an upper arm worth a first look. Lake Minatare lies within the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge in Scotts Bluff County.

Lake Minatare today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

10. Crescent Lake

Crescent Lake spreads over 980 acres of water. You will find it near Oshkosh. It holds yellow perch, walleye and largemouth bass. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work. Crescent Lake is one of a dozen small natural lakes fed by groundwater within Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the Sandhills.

Crescent Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

11. Merritt Reservoir

Merritt Reservoir is a reservoir of 3,000 acres. The lake is near Valentine. Merritt Dam holds it on the Snake River. Like most lakes its size in Nebraska, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. Merritt Reservoir was built by the Bureau of Reclamation in 1964 on the Snake River in the Nebraska Sandhills.

Merritt Reservoir today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

12. Middle Marsh Lake

Middle Marsh Lake spreads over about 2,560 acres. You will find it about 23 miles north of Valentine. Like most lakes its size in Nebraska, it should hold largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. The lake bed gives you three point drop-offs and two sheltered coves to work.

Middle Marsh Lake today: water temperature, bite times and the 3-D lake bed

Nebraska lakes by fish

Lakes listed for a fish are the ones on this page where it is on record or typical for the lake.

Bass: Calamus Reservoir, Branched Oak Lake, Box Butte Reservoir and Lake Minatare
Walleye: Lake McConaughy, Harlan County Lake, Calamus Reservoir and Branched Oak Lake
Trout: Lake McConaughy and Calamus Reservoir
Crappie: Harlan County Lake, Calamus Reservoir, Branched Oak Lake and Sherman Reservoir
Pike and muskie: Harlan County Lake, Calamus Reservoir, Sherman Reservoir and Box Butte Reservoir
Catfish: Harlan County Lake, Branched Oak Lake, Sherman Reservoir and Harry Strunk Lake

Season by season

Spring: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
Summer: walleye are usually fair. Warm surface. They go deep in the day; try evenings.
Fall: walleye are usually at their best. Prime range. Low light is best, on reefs and weed edges.
Winter: walleye are usually fair. Cold. Slow jigs on deep structure.

Before you go

A Nebraska fishing licence covers every lake here; the state fish and wildlife agency publishes the limits and any special rules lake by lake. Each lake page on LakeScope shows today's water temperature, the wind, the best bite times and a 3-D view of the bed, so check it the morning you go.