Fishing Coleman Lake in Cherry County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Coleman Lake stands in Cherry County, Nebraska. What surrounds it is lake country bush. Roughly 57 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The edge runs 1.5 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Valentine sits 29 miles from the bank. Beyond it, Ainsworth at 40 miles and Rosebud at 54 miles. Round about: Rat Lake 0.6 miles away, Gus Lake within 0.8 miles, Beaver Lake 1.3 miles away, Mule Lake within 2.4 miles and Dads Lake 2.4 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Coleman Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name white sucker, common carp, green sunfish and rock bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. At Coleman Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 73°F for July and 22°F for January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late March. Ice clears near late March and comes back about early December in a typical year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Coleman Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Rat and Beaver Lake State Wildlife Management Area covers this ground, which means extra rules to check. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Rat Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Coleman Lake may have changed since it was mapped.