NEBRASKAland Magazine • Fishing the Sandhills
Shell Lake is an excellent fishery and as such gets fished
hard. It holds good pike, a few crappies, small bluegills and
perch. An Aquatic Habitat Program project in the
late-1990s used a dredge to deepen a portion of the lake to
up to 9 feet, lessening the likelihood of winterkill. With no
carp and excellent water quality, it also has abundant aquatic
vegetation and is very difficult to fish in the summer. It gets
plenty of pressure through the ice in the winter. Primitive
boat ramp, primitive campground, pit toilet. Snowmobiles
and ATVs allowed on ice.
Cottonwood Lake SRA
34 Acres. Cherry County, ½E, ½S of Merriman. Bluegill,
Channel Catfish, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike,
Hybrid Bluegill/Green Sunfish, Yellow Perch.
This is one of two Sandhills lakes with no speed limit for
boats. Aquatic vegetation hampers summer fishing. Primitive
campground, pit toilets, playground and shelter.
Cottonwood-Steverson Lake WMA
680 Acres. Cherry County, 30N, 2E of Hyannis. Bluegill,
Common Carp, Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge,
Saugeye, Walleye, Yellow Perch.
With a maximum depth of 20 feet, Cottonwood Lake
is one of the deepest in the Sandhills. Steverson is more
typical, with depths of up to 7 feet. Connected by a narrow
channel, the pair are practically one lake. The lakes were
acquired in 1997 and renovated soon after, but carp found
their way back in and have reduced water clarity and the
amount of vegetation. Still, a few walleyes persist, and
there are a few muskies and abundant small crappies.
Concrete boat ramp, primitive camping on Steverson Lake.
Snowmobiles and ATVs allowed on ice.
Kiera Haag of Chadron holds a bluegill she caught from
Cottonwood Lake State Recreation Area near Merriman.
Kayaks are an excellent way to fish Sandhills Lakes, including Tower Lake on Yellowthroat Wildlife Management Area.
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PHOTO
BY
JUSTIN
HAAG
