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Best bluegill lakes in Nebraska

120 Nebraska waters list bluegill (official records or labelled estimates), 120 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The classic panfish. Shallow cover in summer, deeper weed edges otherwise.

1. DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge — 18 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
2. Desoto Bend — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
3. Branched Oak Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites
4. Pelican Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
5. Maloney Reservoir — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
6. Lake Wanahoo — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Box Butte Reservoir — 39 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Cottonwood Steverson Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Crescent Lake — 16 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Hackberry Lake — 6 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
11. Johnson Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Willow Creek Lake — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugeyeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
13. Pawnee Lake — 21 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
14. Cunningham Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Flanagan Lake — 33 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Blue Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugeyeWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
17. Willow Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Zorinsky Lake — 33 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Kramper Lake (Pigeon Jones) — 50 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Summit Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
21. Yankee Hill Lake — 14 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Smith Lake — 14 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Maple Creek Reservoir — 29 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
24. Bluestem Lake — 15 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
25. Prairie Queen Recreation Area — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 95 more Nebraska waters holding bluegill.

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When to fish bluegill in Nebraska

• Spring 1–6 ft — Bedding colonies on sandy shallow flats — sight-fish the light spots.
• Summer 4–15 ft — Weed edges and dock shade; bigger 'gills hold slightly deeper.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Schools tighten on remaining green weeds and first drops.
• Winter 10–25 ft — Soft-bottom basins with invertebrates; finesse presentations.

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