Heaton Reservoir in Sheridan County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Heaton Reservoir is listed under Sheridan County, Nebraska. It sits in lake country bush country. It covers about 18 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Sheridan County list holds plenty of bigger water. Alliance is the closest town at 26 miles. The big place round here is Greeley, 175 miles distant. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Heaton Reservoir

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Sheridan County cover white sucker, brown trout, rock bass, yellow perch and green sunfish. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Heaton Reservoir a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 23°F and July at about 72°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late March. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan around that when you fish Heaton Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Dorshorst Reservoir, 7.8 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Heaton Reservoir for certain.