Morris Reservoir near Chadron: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Morris Reservoir sits in Dawes County, out in Nebraska. It stands 3,205 feet above sea level. Small at around 7 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Our Dawes County list holds plenty of bigger water. Chadron at 5.8 miles is the nearest place to stop. Oglala is 25 miles and Pine Ridge 26 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Morris Reservoir

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Open biodiversity records for Dawes County list brown trout, brook trout, white sucker, bluegill and green sunfish. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The near bank of Morris Reservoir is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 74°F, with January the cold end at about 23°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. 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. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Anyone fishing Morris Reservoir regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Bartlet Reservoir, 2.7 miles out. Nothing on Morris Reservoir should be assumed from this page alone.