Big Mac is where Nebraska anglers go when they want a real shot at a fish of a lifetime. The walleye fishing here is the stuff of state records — literally — and the white bass and wiper action in summer can be as fast as anywhere in the Midwest.
What locals know: the fishing changes completely with the water level. When the lake is full, the flooded brush along the north shore is money for walleyes; when it’s down, the old river channel structure concentrates fish and the regulars do very well. Fish cleaning stations at Martin Bay, Otter Creek, and Cedar Vue mean you can go from boat to fillets without leaving the park.
Go in May and June for the walleye bite, or chase white bass in the heat of summer. It’s a big, windy lake — check the forecast before you launch, and if the whitecaps are up, fish the sheltered bays or wait a day.