Johnson Lake
Fishing and stocking
Stocked May to June in 2026: walleye and hybrid striped bass, 3 plants in all. A 2,207-acre reservoir.
Gosper 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
Walleye
Hybrid striped bass (wiper)
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 19 | Hybrid striped bass (wiper) | fry | 400,000 | completed |
| Jun 4 | Walleye | fingerling | 97,559 | completed |
| Jun 9 | Walleye | fingerling | 12,408 | completed |
When to fish Johnson Lake
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:19 am-12:19 pm and 10:42 pm-12:42 am | 4:37-5:37 am and 4:50-5:50 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:05 am-1:05 pm | 5:46-6:46 am and 5:14-6:14 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
- Last stocked Jun 9
Computed this evening, Oct 23 · Nebraska fishing forecast
Gear for this water
It has been a while since the trucks came. The holdovers have spread out and wised up; downsize and fish natural.
For the walleye (walleye stocked 2 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Jigging raps and blade baits | vertical over deep structure in the cold months |
| 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 |
For the striped bass and hybrids (hybrid striped bass (wiper) stocked 1 time here in 2026, stillwater)
| Topwater walkers | early mornings when they push bait to the surface |
| Medium-heavy rod | 7 ft with 15 lb line minimum; hybrids hit like freight |
| Flutter spoons and swimbaits | match the shad; count down to suspended fish |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Elwood Reservoir | 4.6 mi | Oct 1 |
| Lake Helen | 24 mi | Mar 18 |
| Jeffrey Lake | 34 mi | Jun 2 |
| Cottonmill Lake | 37 mi | Sep 30 |
| Fremont Slough | 48 mi | Sep 16 |
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