Watts Lake (FWS)
Black crappie and bluegill water; 3 stockings on the 2026 record.
Cherry County · Nebraska · see it on the national map
3
stockings 2026
Jul 2
last stocked
101,676
fish reported
149
acres (NHD)
The year here
stocked last 7 days announced ahead · tap a tick for details
What swims here
Black crappie
Bluegill
Stocking record 2026
| Date | Species | Size | Fish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31 | Bluegill | fingerling | 76,200 | completed |
| Jul 2 | Black crappie | fingerling | 4,541 | completed |
| Jul 2 | Black crappie | fingerling | 20,935 | completed |
Gear for this water
The last plant has had time to disperse; work outward from the obvious spots.
For the panfish (black crappie stocked 2 times here in 2026, stillwater)
| Live bait | waxworms, crickets, and redworms out-fish everything for bluegill |
| Small tubes and grubs | 1 to 2 inch plastics for crappie around brush |
| Long telescoping pole | reach the pockets without spooking the school |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hackberry Lake (FWS) | 1.7 mi | Jul 2 |
| Big Alkali | 5.1 mi | Jun 11 |
| Minnechaduza Creek | 24 mi | May 8 |
| Willow Lake (WMA) | 39 mi | Jul 2 |
| Cub Creek Lake | 43 mi | Jul 2 |
Records from Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
(official page). Placement from USGS GNIS
and the National Hydrography Dataset. Schedules change without notice.
Seasons, limits, and licenses:
Nebraska fishing
regulations.