50 Nebraskaland • May 2021
Walleyes
Five Top Places to Catch Them
By Julie Geiser
very year, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
stocks millions of walleye fry and fi ngerlings in lakes
across the state to provide anglers with plenty of
opportunities to catch this sought-after fi sh species.
This cool-water fi sh favors large bodies of water that have
good habitat and an abundance of baitfi sh. Prized for their
great-tasting fi llets, walleyes are a challenge to catch, but
using Nebraska's 2021 Fishing Forecast can get you on the
path to success.
Our Top 5
According to the sampling report, these are the top fi ve
walleye lakes from the 2020 surveys:
Winters Creek, Scotts Bluff County – had the most 10-
to 20-inch netted walleye. Shad is the key prey species and
Winters Creek's main predator species is walleye. Walleye are
stocked annually as these fi sh grow well and replace what
is harvested by anglers. The lake has not been drawn down
by excessive irrigation during the past 10 years,
making this a great lake for
producing walleye.
Lake McConaughy, Keith
County – second after
Winters Creek for the most
netted legal-sized walleye
up to trophy class walleye.
With an abundant forage
base of alewife and gizzard
shad, Lake McConaughy
is always a top contender
for big walleye, especially
in the spring. Summer
months can bring success
if you know where to fi nd
walleyes in deep water.
Merritt Reservoir, Cherry County – has great walleye
habitat, including fl ooded timber, sand points and smartweed
habitat in the spring and early summer. It is a deep lake with
excellent water quality, and infl ows from the Snake River
and Boardman Creek fi ll the reservoir to full pool each year.
Merritt has an alewife prey base that grows healthy walleye.
Davis Creek, Valley County – has an aggressive, yearly
stocking approach to eliminate missing year classes of
walleye. Davis Creek also has habitat that produces good
walleye populations, including good water quality, a sand
E
Doug Steinke holds a 31-inch walleye he caught from Lake
McConaughy, home of plenty of big 'eyes. JERRY STEINKE
