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Best walleye lakes in Nebraska

72 Nebraska waters list walleye (official records or labelled estimates), 67 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. Low-light predator with reflective eyes. Feeds on structure edges at dawn, dusk and night.

1. Lake McConaughy — 110 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 16 public access sites
2. Calamus Reservoir — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
3. Harlan County Lake — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
4. Merritt Reservoir — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
5. Sherman Reservoir — 63 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
6. Red Willow Reservoir — 55 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
7. Missouri River — 31 ft max · Walleye, Sauger, Channel Catfish, Flathead CatfishWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
8. Swanson Reservoir — 45 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites
9. DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge — 18 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
10. Desoto Bend — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Medicine Creek — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
12. Branched Oak Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites
13. Maloney Reservoir — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
14. Lake Wanahoo — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Box Butte Reservoir — 39 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Missouri River (Gavins Point) — 30 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
17. Cottonwood Steverson Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Crescent Lake — 16 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Northern PikeWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Johnson Lake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugerWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Willow Creek Lake — 24 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, SaugeyeWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
21. Pawnee Lake — 21 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
22. Lake Minatare — 48 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
23. Enders Reservoir — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
24. Blue Lake — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugeyeWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
25. Willow Lake — 10 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 47 more Nebraska waters holding walleye.

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When to fish walleye in Nebraska

• Spring 4–15 ft — Spawning runs to gravel shoals, rocky shorelines and inflows.
• Summer 15–35 ft — Deep humps and breaklines by day; edges and flats in low light.
• Fall 12–40 ft — Fish steep structure near deep basins; big fish move shallow at night.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Deep basin flats and humps; short dawn/dusk feeding windows.

Also in Nebraska: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass 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 muskellunge 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

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