Fishing at Carter P Johnson Lake, Dawes County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Carter P Johnson Lake stands in Dawes County, Nebraska. The water sits 3,950 feet up. Small at around 17 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Compared with other Nebraska water on our list, it sits high. For supplies, Chadron is 28 miles out. Fort Collins sits 166 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Carter P Johnson Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Reported across Dawes County: brown trout, brook trout, white sucker, bluegill and green sunfish. The county list is broader than any single water. On Carter P Johnson Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 24°F to 71°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. Averages suggest open water from about late March through to roughly early December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Carter P Johnson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try McDowell Reservoir Number 1, 7.1 miles away. Rules at Carter P Johnson Lake are worth checking on the day.