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Calamus Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Nebraska’s Sandhills walleye water: Calamus grows walleye, wipers and muskie in fertile prairie storage.

4/5
Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.
Water temp
~66 F est.
Air / High
92 / 92 F
Wind
ESE 14 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

4/5Good. Solid day ahead.Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Calamus Reservoir offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. Today brings cloud cover, wind ESE around 14 mph, rising pressure near 1007 hPa and a high of 92. Water sits around 66 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeExcellent

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Northern pikeExcellent

Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

White bassGood

The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

CrappieFair

Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

Tomorrow: Similar at 94 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp92 F
High / Low92 / 63 F
WindESE 14-16 mph
Pressure1006.9 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain87% cloud, 12%
Sunrise / Sunset07:06 / 20:05
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~66 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Overcast, 92/63 F, wind 15 mph, rain 12%

Fair or better. A 15 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Calamus Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: Mar-May run

River-run spawners and open-water schoolers. Fast limits when you find them. The spring river run: small crankbaits and roadrunners up the tributaries.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: spring, early winter

The ambush predator of weedbeds and cabbage edges. Aggressive, big and always worth a wire leader. Weedline spinnerbaits, spoons and jerkbaits; bays with fresh green weed hold the active fish.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: Nov-Mar

Brush piles, bridge pilings and standing timber. The fish fry favorite. Spawning shallow around cover in spring; jigs under a float near buck brush and laydowns.

When to come: the Calamus Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 66 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~66 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Calamus Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 91 F, wind to 11 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 94 F, wind to 13 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 89 F, wind to 11 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used to send you this water's report each week. No spam, ever.

Before you go

License

Nebraska requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Nebraska license. Walleye, wiper and muskie limits per current Game and Parks regulations.

Access

Calamus State Recreation Area ramps, campgrounds and shoreline access near Burwell.

About this water

A 5,000-acre Bureau of Reclamation reservoir on the Calamus River, Loup and Garfield counties, Nebraska.

Fishing Calamus Reservoir: the full guide

Sandhills storage

Calamus Reservoir covers 5,000 acres on the Calamus River in the Nebraska Sandhills near Burwell, an irrigation reservoir surrounded by grassy dunes. It is one of the state’s most productive fisheries: walleye lead, joined by wipers, muskellunge, northern pike, white bass, crappie and channel catfish. The fertile water and abundant forage grow fish quickly.

Walleye and wipers

Walleye hold the points, flats and creek channels: jig and minnow in spring, trolled crawler harnesses in summer at 12-25 feet, and a strong fall bite. Wipers school over open water chasing shad and provide the hardest fights on the lake, best located by watching for surface activity in summer. Both fisheries are supported by state stocking programs.

Muskie and panfish

Muskellunge are stocked and reach good size, worked along the weed edges and points with big baits, best in fall. Northern pike hold the same weedy areas. Crappie stack in the brush and around structure, and channel catfish are abundant and easy from the bank. Ice fishing produces walleye, perch and crappie through the winter.

Burwell logistics

Calamus State Recreation Area provides ramps, camping and shoreline access, with the Nebraska National Forest nearby. Burwell is the local town, known for its rodeo. Services are modest, so bring supplies. Wind is a constant across the open Sandhills, building chop quickly on a shallow, fertile lake.

Common questions

What is the main species?

Walleye, supported by strong stocking, with wipers providing the hardest fights and muskie the trophy potential.

Is it good for ice fishing?

Yes: walleye, perch and crappie through the winter, with local anglers working the flats and structure.

How does it compare with Merritt?

Calamus is more fertile and stained; Merritt is clearer with better muskie size. Both are top Nebraska fisheries.

Is fishing good at Calamus Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up.

Nearby waters

Sherman Reservoir40 miLoup River83 miNiobrara River88 miMerritt Reservoir99 miLewis and Clark Lake108 miLake Francis Case121 mi
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