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Best yellow perch lakes in Nebraska

29 Nebraska waters hold yellow perch, 29 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 premier eating panfish. Roams soft-bottom flats and weed edges in schools — a daytime biter.

1. Merritt Reservoir — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, Channel CatfishWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
2. DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge — 18 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 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. Maloney Reservoir — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
5. Box Butte Reservoir — 39 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Crescent Lake — 16 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
7. Lake Ogallala — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common CarpWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
8. Hackberry Lake — 6 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
9. Blue Lake — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugeyeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
10. Willow Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Saugeye, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
11. Smith Lake — 14 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. Goose Lake — 6 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Swan Lake — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. West Long Lake — 6 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Shell Lake — 9 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Wildwood Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Walnut Creek Reservoir — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Twin Lakes North — 5 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
19. Island Lake — 7 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
20. Czechland Lake — 22 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
21. Hershey Lake — 21 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Twin Lakes South — 4 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Saugeye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Sandy Channel SRA — 24 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Crappie, BluegillWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
24. Cottonwood Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. L E Ray Lake — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, CrappieWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 4 more Nebraska waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in Nebraska

• Spring 3–12 ft — Spawning runs to shallow weeds and gravel — find the school, stay on it.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Schools slide deeper to soft-bottom flats and deep weedlines.
• Fall 12–35 ft — Jumbo perch pod up on deep basin flats feeding on invertebrates.
• Winter 15–35 ft — A premier ice-fishing target — deep mud flats, small jigs.

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 muskellunge lakes · best white bass & hybrids 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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