Cottonmill Lake
Fishing and stocking
Channel catfish and walleye water, stocked 2 times in 2026, spread August to September; 1,760 fish reported.
Buffalo County · Nebraska · see it on the national map
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Channel catfish
Walleye
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 24 | Channel catfish | catchable | 1,290 | completed |
| Sep 30 | Walleye | catchable | 470 | completed |
When to fish Cottonmill Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:16 am-12:16 pm and 10:39 pm-12:39 am | 4:34-5:34 am and 4:47-5:47 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:02 am-1:02 pm | 5:43-6:43 am and 5:11-6:11 pm |
Moon: waxing gibbous, 92% lit. These are solunar periods, the traditional feeding-time theory: majors around the moon's transit overhead and underfoot, minors around moonrise and moonset. Theory, not a measurement. Times are Central Time (CDT).
What the record actually says
- Stocked 23 days ago (Sep 30)
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Nebraska fishing forecast
Gear for this water
The last plant has had time to disperse; work outward from the obvious spots.
For the catfish (channel catfish stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Medium-heavy rod | 7 ft medium-heavy, 15 to 20 lb line, sturdy reel |
| Circle hooks on a slip-sinker rig | 2/0 to 5/0 circles on a Carolina rig; let them load up |
| Cut bait and prepared baits | fresh cut shad or chicken liver; scent is everything |
For the walleye (walleye stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Jig and minnow | 1/8 to 1/4 oz round jigs tipped live or plastic; drag the bottom slowly |
| Crawler harness | slow-trolled over flats and breaks once water warms |
| Medium spinning rod | 6.5 to 7 ft medium, 8 lb line; sensitivity beats power here |
Suggestions follow from what the state actually stocks here and what kind of water it is, nothing else. No sponsored placements.
Nearby stocked waters
The closest waters with stocking pages of their own, straight-line miles from this one.
| Water | Distance | Most recent |
|---|---|---|
| Johnson Lake | 37 mi | Jun 9 |
| Elwood Reservoir | 38 mi | Oct 1 |
| Harlan County Reservoir (COE) | 45 mi | May 20 |
| Davis Creek Reservoir (BOR) | 54 mi | Aug 19 |
| Lake Helen | 56 mi | Mar 18 |
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