Nebraska

Fishing in Nebraska

The diversity of habitats and species of fishes in Nebraska offer ample thrilling challenges making fishing in Nebraska a wonderful experience. The state has got everything for fishing from man-made as well as natural lakes including sand-hill lakes to rivers and streams containing more than 100 varieties of fishes. Nebraska has 30,000 farm ponds, and pits, 12,000 miles of rivers and streams plus the 380 miles of generous fishing offered by the great Missouri River, and the natural lakes including oxbow lakes and nearly 1500 sand-hill lakes.

Regions

Panhandle:

This region offers fantastic rainbow and brown trout fishery with its lot of Pine Ridge and North Platte valley cold-water streams. The many reservoirs and sand-hill lakes in the region offer some excellent walleye, northern pike, tiger muskellunge and panfish fishing.

Some major water bodies include:

Box Butte Reservoir, Island Lake, Lake Minatare State Recreation Area, Oliver State Recreation Area, Hayes Center Lake, Lake Ogallala, Shell Lake, Pelican Lake, West Long Lake, Kea Lake, and so on.

Fishes found are walleye, tiger musky, northern pike and panfish.

Sand-hills:

This region contains most of the natural lakes in the state. In all there are 1,640 lakes with combined surface area of 65,800 acres. Though some of these lakes are shallow or too alkaline to support fishery, those which support fishery, give excellent productivity of northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch.

Some major lakes include:

The Big Alkali Lake (4^th largest natural lake in Nebraska), Merritt Reservoir, Santa Rosa Lake, Hartwell Lake (most popular Corps lake), Watts Bar Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, Pactola Reservoir, and so on.

Fishes found are largemouth bass, northern pike, northern black bullheads, yellow perch, rainbows, black crappie, grass pike, carp, golden shiner, green sunfish, fathead minnow, walleye, bream, and channel catfish.

Northeast:

The region offers excellent fishing in big lakes, small farm ponds, catfish and trout streams and the great Missouri River.

Some major lakes are:

Hull Lake (Boyd County), Keller Park, Long Lake, Willow Lake (Brown County), Grove Lake (Antelope County), Dead Timber, Fremont Lakes (Dodge County), Goose Lake (Holt County), Lewis and Clark Lakes, Niobrara (Knox County) and so on.

The fishes found are bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, rainbow, walleye, sauger, northern pike, yellow perch, bullhead, common carp, crappie, muskellunge, panfish, and flatheads.

Southeast:

There are many farm ponds, streams and rivers in this region, but the growing population demands more water bodies.

Some major water bodies:

Timber Point (Butler County), Jenny Newman Pond (Platte River – Cass County), Louisville (Cass County), Two Rivers Carter Lake, Glenn Cunningham Lake, Papio D-4, and Standing Bear Lake, Zorinsky Lake (Douglas County), Bruning Dam (Fillmore County), Arrowhead, Bear Pierce Cedar, Big Indian, Donald Whitney, Rockford Lake, Wolf Wildcat, Clatonia (Gage County), Alexandria (Jefferson County) and so on.

Fishes found are bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, redear sunfish, bullhead, crappie, common carp, flathead, walleye, muskellunge and hybrid striped bass.

South-central:

This region contains large reservoirs with modern camping facilities and variety of fishing.

Some of the major waters are:

Dawson County Museum Pond, Gallagher Canyon Reservoir, Lake Helen, Lexington City Lake, Midway Canyon Reservoir, Plum Creek Canyon Reservoir (Dawson County), Davis Creek Reservoir (Valley County), Crystal Lake, Lake Hastings (Adams County), Cottonmill Lake, Ravenna Lake (Buffalo County), Martins Reach – Platte River (Hall County), Elwood Reservoir, Johnson Lake, Phillips Canyon Reservoir (Gosper County), and so on.

Fishes found are bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, muskellunge, yellow perch, crappie, rainbows, freshwater drum, sauger, hybrid striped bass (wiper), walleye, white bass, common carp, and flatheads.

Southwest:

This region contains large reservoirs, rivers, canals, and lakes giving full ecstasy to the anglers of fishing of variety of fishes.

Some major spots include:

Lake Arnold, Victoria Springs Lake (Custer County), Enders Reservoir (Chase County), Jeffrey Reservoir, Lake Maloney, Pawnee Slough, Sutherland Reservoir, Wellfleet Lake (Lincoln County), Rock Creek Lake (Dundy County), Medicine Creek, Red Willow (Frontier County), Hayes Center Lake (Hayes County), Swanson Reservoir (Hitchcock County), Lake McConaughy (Keith County) and so on.

Fishes found include smallmouth and largemouth bass, white bass, bullheads, channel catfish, northern pike, stripers, yellow perch, rainbow, walleye, bluegills, brown trout, flatheads, common carp, and redear sunfish.

I-80 Lakes:

The region between Grand Island and Hershey, Interstate 80, provides a change to the travelers for one-night stand with camping and a little fishing. Lots of bass, bluegill and catfish will make their stay worth. 40 of the lakes are open to public.

Some best spots are:

Bassway Strip, War Axe, Mormon Island, Sandy and Channel lakes, and the West Wood River.

Fishes include walleye, wiper, white bass, channel catfish, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, bullhead, rainbows, brown trout, carp, bluegill and crappie.

 

With its variations in geographical features the Beef State provides yet another novel experience in angling. At the earliest plan a trip to fishing in Nebraska, otherwise you will definitely miss something!