Harlan County Lake Fishing near Alma, Nebraska

• Overview

  Set in Harlan County Lake is a Nebraska water. The land about it is pine and birch. At 20.0 sq miles you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The outline is moderately broken, so there is usually a lee somewhere. By size it stands out even at Nebraska level. Alma sits 4.7 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Lincoln is the closest city, 147 miles away. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Harlan County Lake

  Depth is on record at 60 ft. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. County-wide records name common carp, flathead catfish, striped bass, white crappie and black bullhead. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of Harlan County Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 77°F, with January the cold end at about 24°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Look for the thaw near mid March; the fishing lifts straight after. From about mid March to around late December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Harlan County Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public ownership means the bank is normally open to anglers. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Carter-David West Reservoir is 18 miles distant. Nothing here settles the position at Harlan County Lake for certain.