Round Lake in Grant County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Round Lake lies within the bounds of Grant County, Nebraska. What surrounds it is pine and birch. Roughly 73 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The bank runs about 1.2 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The town to know is Ogallala, 57 miles out. After that come Sutherland at 60 miles and Alliance at 65 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Round Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Grant County include bluegill, green sunfish and white perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Round Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 23°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late March. Ice clears near late March and comes back about early December in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Round Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Anderson Lake at 1 mile is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Round Lake.