Watts Lake (FWS)
Fishing and stocking
Black crappie and bluegill water; 4 stockings on the 2026 record, spread March to September, heaviest in July. A 149-acre lake, and one of 4 stocked waters on the Cherry County record.
Cherry 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
Bluegill
Black crappie
Stocking record 2026
Agency feed checked today.
| 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 |
| Sep 22 | Bluegill | fingerling | 40,440 | completed |
When to fish Watts Lake (FWS)
| Major periods (~2 h) | Minor periods (~1 h) | |
|---|---|---|
| Today | 10:22 am-12:22 pm and 10:45 pm-12:45 am | 4:40-5:40 am and 4:53-5:53 pm |
| Tomorrow | 11:09 am-1:09 pm | 5:51-6:51 am and 5:15-6:15 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 Sep 22
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 panfish (bluegill 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 | Sep 21 |
| Willow Lake (WMA) | 39 mi | Sep 1 |
| Cub Creek Lake | 43 mi | Jul 2 |
Follow Cherry County stocking: RSS / Calendar (iCal) / Print the schedule