Jordan Reservoir, Nebraska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Jordan Reservoir in Sioux County, Nebraska. The surface lies 3,720 feet up. It runs to roughly 43 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. Some 34 miles away sits Lusk, the nearest settlement. Hot Springs follows at 38 miles, then Chadron at 42 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Jordan Reservoir

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Species logged across Sioux County include yellow bullhead, fathead minnow and sand shiner. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Jordan Reservoir that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 73°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around late March in spring and again near early December in autumn. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Jordan Reservoir runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Mader Reservoir Number 2 at 3.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Jordan Reservoir as something to verify.