Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Found this story about some angler access improvements recently completed at Holmes Lake. News Channel Nebraska posted this:
Holmes Lake gains two new fishing access platforms
October 21, 2026
By Jake Bartecki
LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Game and Parks is expanding fishing opportunities in one of Nebraska’s metro areas.
Over the summer, Holmes Lake gained two new fishing platforms, at the lakes north and south ends. Game and Parks Private and Community Waters Specialist Jordan Katt says the goal was to provide a few additional spaces for people to fish, with less hassle.
“Our goal was to improve some fishing access around the lake and create some hard, wooden fishing structures along the lake,” Katt said. “Structures that don’t necessarily extend out into the water, but maybe more so expand the shoreline.”
Katt says funding for the new platforms came from a private donation, as well as a bit from the Aquatic Habitat funding and sport fishing dollars. Katt says the platforms will improve ADA accessibility, particularly for Game and Parks’ family fishing nights. Katt says the most important thing about the platforms is providing a safer way for people to navigate the shoreline.
“Getting people down to the water safely is huge,” Katt said. “Also just spreading people out and give them a little more space to fish is huge and we can always use that.”
Holmes Lake may also not be the only lake in Nebraska to see additional platforms go in.
“This is, not necessarily, a test project, but a first run at it and we’re looking at places across the state we can go to next,” Katt said.
If you would like to watch the interview:
Video: Holmes Lake Fishing Access
You can find those access improvements on both the north and south basins of Holmes. On the north basin look along the north shoreline east of the dam. On the south basin look on the north shoreline near the parking lot.