Fishing Jefford Lake in Arthur County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Jefford Lake is an Arthur County water, in Nebraska. The water sits 3,425 feet up. At about 137 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Shoreline comes to about 1.8 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Some 42 miles away sits Sutherland, the nearest settlement. It is 200 miles to Greeley, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Jefford Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name chain pickerel, rock bass and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Jefford Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 73°F in July and bottom out at 23°F in January. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Break-up comes around late March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Time your trip to Jefford Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. For a change of water, Sand Beach Lake is 6 miles distant. For Jefford Lake in particular, ask before you travel.