Fishing at Rattlesnake Lake, Sheridan County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Rattlesnake Lake stands in Sheridan County, Nebraska. It lies 3,750 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 27 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Sheridan County. Start from Gordon, 32 miles down the road. Beyond it, Alliance at 53 miles and Pine Ridge at 54 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Rattlesnake Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Sheridan County include white sucker, brown trout, rock bass and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Rattlesnake Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 72°F and January near 22°F on the long-run figures. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. Break-up sits around late March on average, with the water closing again about early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That shapes the year on Rattlesnake Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Dry Valley Lake at 1.4 miles is the nearest alternative. None of that is settled for Rattlesnake Lake in what we hold.