Fishing at Home Valley Lake, Cherry County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Cherry County, Nebraska, is where Home Valley Lake sits. It sits at 3,566 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 228 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. A shoreline of some 3.0 miles keeps the choices simple. On our Cherry County list it sits near the top for size. The town to know is Gordon, 37 miles out. The big place round here is Greeley, 210 miles distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Home Valley Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Reported across Cherry County: white sucker, common carp, green sunfish and rock bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Home Valley Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 72°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late March. Averages suggest open water from about late March through to roughly early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Home Valley Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Pelican Lake sits 1.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Home Valley Lake before loading the car.