50 NEBRASKAland • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2015
the state. Find the list of lakes by searching "Stocking
Reports" at OutdoorNebraska.org. Once you're on the water,
start with a small crankbait, spoon or spinner. If you're
getting strikes but no fish, you can catch them on anything
from nightcrawlers to corn. Berkley makes PowerBait that
looks and smell just like the pellets these fish were raised
on. Fish these on the bottom or below a bobber, and expect
to vary your depth to find these 10- to 12-inch eaters.
Branched Oak Lake
Flathead Catfish
The No. 1 way to catch flats is live bait. Catch white
perch or sunfish during the afternoon and move your boat
next to flooded trees near nightfall, where flatheads will be
concentrated. Bank anglers can bounce crankbaits off the
bottom along the lake's rocky shorelines.
Grove Lake
Northern Pike
The rainbow trout-fed trophies in Grove are fat and
happy. There aren't many fish, but some 40-inch plus fish
are possible using a variety of artificial lures, including
spinnerbaits. Or, use creek chubs or white suckers on quick
strike rigs. Just do us one favor: put these trophies back in
the water when you're done snapping photos so we can all
have some fun.
Sleeper
With the water starting to cool, again take a look at Lake
Ogallala's trout. This can be an ace in the hole for fall.
November
Die-hards come out the month before ice, and for good
reason. There are some gems left to fish before hard water
arrives.
Pine Ridge Streams
Trout
Sight fish Soldier Creek, Squaw Creek and others for
brook trout with either crawlers or nymphs. These fish are
very spooky, so don't wear bright colors and keep your
distance. If you can get a bait to them, you'll catch fish.
Lewis and Clark Lake
Walleye
As the water cools, prey moves deeper and big fish
Harlan County Lake near Alma annually ranks as one of the state's top white bass fisheries, especially in late summer.
