Fishing McFall Lake in Sheridan County, Nebraska

• Overview

  McFall Lake belongs to Sheridan County, Nebraska. The setting is mixed forest on every side. It measures about 102 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. It sits higher than most water we list in Nebraska. Alliance sits 18 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The big place round here is Greeley, 159 miles distant. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on McFall Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name white sucker, brown trout, rock bass, yellow perch and green sunfish. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Read McFall Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 24°F in January to roughly 73°F in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice-out usually falls in mid March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The lid tends to go about mid March and return around early December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. At McFall Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Should this one be busy, Lane Lake is 1.5 miles off. Treat McFall Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.