Nebraskaland

56 Nebraskaland • March 2023 Mahoney State Park, where you'll also have a number of lodging options. But the metro isn't the only place to have a fish-and-play trip in Nebraska. Look no farther than visiting Valentine this summer, fishing at the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, canoeing down the Niobrara River and settling in for the evening at Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area or Smith Falls State Park. Or, just a few hours east at Ponca State Park, play golf in the morning, visit the on-site water park in the afternoon, and then fish in the evening at the park pond. You'll have as much fun not fishing as you will wetting a line. Stick and Stay One of the first steps I make in the spring is to view the latest Nebraska Fishing Forecast. With information on 16 fish species in this season's version, it's the perfect starting point to decide the fish you want to chase and what size or amount you want to pursue. Then, simply cross-compare these fisheries with the state parks and state recreation areas in that vicinity for lodging options. On my list this year: Merritt Reservoir and Lake McConaughy SRAs for walleye. Merritt remains a walleye hotspot year after year, even more so because of the cabin accommodations on the reservoir. You could fish a month straight and never completely learn McConaughy, and you have a multitude of camping options on site. In the southwest, look at both Swanson and Elwood SRAs. Both top the wiper list, and Elwood surveyed more 20-inch-plus wipers than anywhere in the state. They also have tent and RV camping areas available. I could also make arguments for sticking and staying at Branched Oak SRA for channel catfish, Calamus SRA for white bass and Lewis and Clark SRA for sauger and walleye. Read the forecast, find the hotspots, and pack your tent. Road Trip My first road trip through Nebraska occurred in 2001. With a john boat in the back of the truck, my dad and I plotted a map across the state where we fished, drove, then fished some more. It was five days of pure joy. But a road trip doesn't have to last multiple days. A 4-hour drive, starting at 3 a.m., from the metro could give you and a partner 14 hours of daytime fishing and much needed windshield time on an Interstate 80 fishing trip starting at smallmouth hotspot Fort McPherson near Maxwell and ending at Sandy Channel near Elm Creek. Having participated in multiple trips like this, the goal is to drive to your farthest destination first, finding Mason and Josie Ley of Wayne play on a floating mat as their grandparents, Dave and Kaki Ley, and Roy Ley of Lawrence, Kansas, relax on Leys' pontoon boat on Lewis and Clark Lake. This Missouri River reservoir is a great destination for summer fun and sauger and walleye fishing.

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