Fishing at Willow Lake, Cherry County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Willow Lake is a Cherry County water, Nebraska side. Height above sea level is 2,907 feet. This is sizeable water at about 366 acres, and a boat opens up most of it. The perimeter runs near 3.2 miles, so plan the walk before you start. It is among the larger waters listed here for Cherry County. You are 22 miles from Valentine. After that come Ainsworth at 37 miles and Rosebud at 49 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Willow Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Species logged across Cherry County include white sucker, common carp, green sunfish, rock bass and redfin pickerel. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Willow Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 73°F and January at 22°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. From about late March to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan any trip to Willow Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, McKeel Lake at 1.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Willow Lake should be assumed from this page alone.