44 Nebraskaland • April 2026
There are no white sand beaches on
the little lake either. You can swim there
if you like, but you will likely find the
water, which is drawn from the depths
of Big Mac, a bit cold. That makes it
more suited for trout and yellow perch,
which have done well in the cold, clear
waters since a 2023 Aquatic Habitat
Program project renovated the lake to
reset a fish population dominated by
common carp and white suckers.
More than 134,000 9- to 13-inch
trout have been stocked since, mostly
rainbows but also some tiger trout,
a brook and brown trout hybrid, and
cutbows, a cross between cutthroat
and rainbow trout. With plenty of
invertebrates to eat, these trout are
growing fast, 6- to 8-inches a year,
with some already reaching Master
Angler proportions now topping 23
inches, or 5 pounds.
The 80,000 perch that were stocked
are growing nicely, too, with some
topping 8 inches. While none were
stocked, plenty of channel catfish
h a v e s w u m t h r o u g h t h e d a m ,
including some big ones waiting to
be caught. This year, walleyes will be
added to the mix as well.
Callie Beck and her dad, Britt, of Colorado
Springs, fish for catfish in the spillway.
Rainbow trout are thriving in Lake Ogallala following an Aquatic Habitat Program project
completed in 2022.
