Reservoir · Keith, Nebraska
Lake McConaughy
Lake McConaughy
Reservoir · Nebraska
Information Only
StrikeTracks does not currently provide a live condition rating for this destination. Destination and fishery information is still available.
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Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Lake McConaughy.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
Lake McConaughy is Nebraska's destination-center reservoir for trophy walleye, wiper, smallmouth, and white bass. StrikeTracks publishes complete static Fishery with catalog-visible Unavailable conditions because no same-lake live USGS 00010 exists. Ogallala tailwater temperature is a different physical waterbody. This is not Lake Ogallala and not Harlan.
Target species
Walleye
Sander vitreus
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
NGPC 2026 Fishing Forecast: anglers targeting big walleyes should plan trips to McConaughy. Not Sherman Reservoir's protected slot as a copy and not Merritt numbers as a substitute pin.
Wiper
Morone saxatilis × Morone chrysops
Canonical species: Hybrid Striped Bass
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Stocked
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
NGPC lists wipers among McConaughy game fish and names McConaughy for trophy wipers in 2026. Not Harlan wiper numbers as a substitute.
Channel Catfish
Ictalurus punctatus
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
NGPC McConaughy SRA lists channel catfish. Not Branched Oak catfish as a copy.
Smallmouth Bass
Micropterus dolomieu
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
NGPC McConaughy SRA: smallmouth bass among game fish in cool, clear, deep water. Not Lake Ogallala smallmouth as a copy.
White Bass
Morone chrysops
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
NGPC McConaughy SRA lists white bass. Not Calamus or Sherman white-bass forecast as a substitute pin.
Northern Pike
Esox lucius
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Established
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
NGPC McConaughy SRA lists northern pike among game fish. Not Merritt pike/muskie as a substitute.
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Mixed wild and stocked
Large deep irrigation/hydropower reservoir on the North Platte above Kingsley Dam with sand beaches, points, and open water. Catalog coordinates are the NGPC McConaughy SRA waterbody, not Lake Ogallala below the dam and not a river gauge.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Trolling
Access and Public Fishing Rights
NGPC Lake McConaughy SRA lists multiple boat ramps, docks, fish-cleaning stations at Martin Bay, Otter Creek, and Cedar View, and the Visitor Center south of Kingsley Dam. Ramp availability depends on water level. Catalog coordinates are not a verified launch pin.
Stocking information
NGPC manages McConaughy as a large-reservoir walleye, wiper, bass, and catfish fishery. Confirm current official NGPC stocking and forecast notices.
- Stocked
Walleye
Stocked · Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
- Stocked
Wiper
Stocked · Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Official sources
Nebraska inland fishing license and park entry permit required at the SRA. Statewide walleye, bass, wiper, and catfish rules apply unless posted. Distinct from Lake Ogallala trout specials and from Sherman Reservoir's walleye slot. Confirm current NGPC Fishing Guide.
conditionPublicationPolicy=static-value-structural-unavailable. Lake McConaughy is Nebraska's largest reservoir and the statewide destination center named by NGPC for trophy walleye and wipers, with a destination-specific OutdoorNebraska SRA fishery, access, and species list. inlandHasCompleteStaticFisheryValue passes on official NGPC fishery, access, and regulations. No same-lake live USGS 00010 exists; CNPPID weekly 1-meter temperatures, elevation, storage, air temperature, and Lake Ogallala / Kingsley Dam tailwater temperature are not accepted lake Monitoring or Estimated science. HIGH plus PATH B does not auto-approve; public catalog-visible Unavailable is approved because omitting McConaughy would omit Nebraska's central lake destination, and honest Unavailable plus complete static Fishery is independently useful from Lake Ogallala, Harlan, and Calamus. This justification is McConaughy-specific and does not copy Ogallala or Harlan prose.
Location and Access
Cataloged lake location
Keith, Nebraska
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
Lake Details
County
Keith
Management Category
Large mainstem irrigation reservoir
Regulation Scope
Lake McConaughy
Regulation Summary
Lake McConaughy: NGPC inland reservoir and SRA rules. Confirm current official regulations.
Target Species
Walleye, Hybrid Striped Bass, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Northern Pike
Public Access
Public
Boat Launch
Available
Shore Fishing
Available
Description
Lake McConaughy, Keith County, Nebraska. About 30,000-acre Kingsley Dam reservoir and Nebraska's largest reservoir. Catalog-visible Unavailable: no same-lake live USGS water temperature (00010). CNPPID weekly 1-meter pool readings and reservoir elevation/storage are not accepted live lake Monitoring. Lake Ogallala tailwater and Kingsley Dam outflow temperature do not represent McConaughy pool. Not Harlan County Lake.
