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Best muskellunge lakes in Nebraska

26 Nebraska waters hold muskellunge, 26 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The fish of 10,000 casts. Apex predator that shadows weed edges, rock and open-water bait schools.

1. Calamus Reservoir — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, White Bass, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
2. Merritt Reservoir — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
3. Pelican Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
4. Crescent Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
5. Cunningham Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, White Bass, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Blue Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugeyeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
7. Twin Lakes WMA (East) — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Fremont Lake 15 — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
9. Fremont Lake 20 — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
10. Fremont Lake 10 — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
11. Sandy Channel SRA — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
12. Mormon Island West — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. L E Ray Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Timber Point Lake — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Fremont Lake 7 and 8 — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Fremont Lake 5 — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Fremont Lake 12 — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Fremont Lakes 2 — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
19. Fremont Lakes 1 — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Fremont Lake 16 — 12 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Fremont Lake 18 — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Oliver Reservoir — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Fremont Lake 4 — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
24. Fremont Lake 9 — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Wagon Train — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 1 more Nebraska waters holding muskellunge.

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When to fish muskellunge in Nebraska

• Spring 3–12 ft — Post-spawn fish recover in shallow, warming bays — smaller baits, slower work.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep weedlines, rock points and open-water humps near bait schools.
• Fall 8–30 ft — The trophy season: big baits worked slow on steep rock and remaining green weeds.
• Winter 15–35 ft — Mostly dormant; deep basins adjacent to structure.

Also in Nebraska: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best saugeye lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best white bass & hybrids lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best white perch lakes · best brown bullhead lakes

Muskellunge elsewhere: Ontario · Wisconsin · Minnesota · Québec · Michigan · New York · Montana · Wyoming · Indiana · North Dakota · Iowa · Ohio · Utah · Illinois · West Virginia · New Jersey · Kentucky · Virginia · Pennsylvania