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Sherman Reservoir Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Oct 23, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A 2,845-acre reservoir near Loup City with a protected walleye slot, a 10-inch crappie minimum and summer drawdowns.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Water temp
~55 F est.
Air / High
78 / 79 F
Wind
S 23 mph

Sources: Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
23
October 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Sherman Reservoir rewards those who follow the bait as the water cools. Today brings cloud cover, wind S around 23 mph, falling pressure near 1009 hPa and a high of 79. Water sits around 55 F for the season (estimated). With the waxing gibbous, the solunar majors run 10:12 AM-12:12 PM and 10:41 PM-12:41 AM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

WalleyeGood

Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

Northern pikeGood

The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

Catfish (blue, channel)Good

In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

White bassFair

The spring run happens in this band: tributaries, shoals and the upper ends of reservoirs as the water reaches about 55Β°F.

CrappieFair

Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Tomorrow: Cooler at 66 F with a rain chance. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Oct 24, 6:30 AMHow this report is made β†’

Before you go

Nebraska requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $41.00 for residents. What a Nebraska licence costs and where to buy it β†’

Chasing walleye here? Check the size and bag limits with NGPC before you keep anything. The season dates for Nebraska, read off the agency, are on the Nebraska seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings.

No live gauge on this water

Conditions here are modeled from weather, season and the nearest stations. Water readings appear when a USGS gauge is available.

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~55 F now

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp78 F
High / Low79 / 59 F
WindS 23-33 mph
Pressure1008.9 hPa, falling
Sky / Rain80% cloud, 7%
Sunrise / Sunset07:56 / 18:42
MoonWaxing Gibbous, 91%
Water temp (seasonal)~55 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Sherman Reservoir this week

Today is the pick of the week on Sherman Reservoir, at 3 out of 5.

Best day this week: today, Oct 23 β€” fair at 3/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Oct 23 β€” Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
10:12 AM-12:12 PM and 10:41 PM-12:41 AM
Minor period
4:35 AM-5:35 AM
Sun
07:56 to 18:42
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 91% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 23 mph
Rain chance
7%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Sherman Reservoir: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: spring and late fall, around dawn, dusk and night

A cool-water perch of large lakes, reservoirs and rivers whose reflective eyes are built for low light, so it feeds most at night and in murky water. The Missouri Department of Conservation ranks it among the continent's most important freshwater game fish. Spring: post-spawn fish scatter and can be slow for a couple of weeks. Fall: one of the best windows, with minnows on jigs and three-way rigs as the water cools toward ice-up.

White bass illustration

White bass

Best: the spring run up the tributaries, then summer surface schools

A silvery temperate bass of rivers and large reservoirs, also called sand bass, that schools in open water after shad and runs up tributaries to spawn in early spring. The spring run happens in this band: tributaries, shoals and the upper ends of reservoirs as the water reaches about 55Β°F.

Northern pike illustration

Northern pike

Best: cool water, from ice-out through spring, in fall and under the ice

A long, duck-billed predator of weedy lakes, slow rivers and backwaters that ambushes fish from vegetation. Wisconsin DNR points out that, unlike most of the state's common game fish, pike do their best feeding in cool water. The best band for pike: right after ice-out they move into flooded vegetated shallows to spawn, and they feed actively again as the water cools in fall.

Crappie illustration

Crappie

Best: the spring spawn; summer around docks, brush and the thermocline

Two slab-sided panfish, the white crappie and the black crappie, that gather around submerged timber, brush piles, docks and bridge pilings in lakes, reservoirs and slow river backwaters. Texas Parks and Wildlife counts crappie as the state's most popular panfish. Pre-spawn fish move toward shallow coves, and Iowa DNR points to wading as an effective way to reach them in spring; minnows or small jigs under a float.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Year-round, best at dusk and after dark

Three big catfish share most of the country's rivers and reservoirs: the channel catfish, the most widespread; the blue catfish, the largest; and the flathead, which hunts live fish. All feed mostly on or near the bottom. In spring after ice-out, Iowa finds channel cats feeding on winter-killed shad on the shallow, warmer mudflats at the upper ends of reservoirs; cut bait on the bottom works there.

When to come: the Sherman Reservoir calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Walleye
White bass
Northern pike
Crappie
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 55 F (estimated, not a reading).

304050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovOct, ~55 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Sherman Reservoir today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Oct 22

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 75 F, wind to 18 mph.

Wed, Oct 21

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Walleye led the card at good. High of 76 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Oct 20

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Walleye led the card at excellent. High of 70 F, wind to 16 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Nebraska requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Nebraska fishing permit, plus a park entry permit. 2026 Fishing Guide rules for Sherman: walleye 20-28 inch protected slot, bag 3 (two 15-20 inches and one over 28), possession 8; crappie 10-inch minimum, bag 15; northern pike 34-inch minimum, bag 1; night closure within 150 feet of the dam April 1-20.

Access

Three boat ramps and three docks, including the main ramp at Trail 2 and Thunder Bay ramp at Trail 1; campgrounds on the north and south sides; Trade Winds Marina (Nebraska Game and Parks).

About this water

A 2,845-acre reservoir in Sherman Reservoir State Recreation Area and Wildlife Management Area, Sherman County, Nebraska.

Fishing Sherman Reservoir: the full guide

The reservoir

Nebraska Game and Parks describes Sherman Reservoir State Recreation Area as more than 2,800 acres of water and more than 4,700 acres of land in central Nebraska; its Fishing Guide gives the reservoir 2,845 acres and notes it is subject to summer drawdowns. The guide lists channel catfish, crappie, flathead catfish, northern pike, walleye and white bass.

Walleye and pike rules

Walleye from 20 through 28 inches are protected. The daily bag of three may include two walleye between 15 and 20 inches and one longer than 28 inches, and the possession limit is eight. Northern pike must be at least 34 inches, one a day. Waters within 150 feet of the dam, including the spawning reefs on the southwest end of the dam, are closed to fishing from sunset to sunrise April 1 to 20.

Crappie

Sherman is one of three waters in the 2026 Fishing Guide with a 10-inch minimum length for crappie, with a daily bag of 15.

Ramps and camping

All types of boats are allowed, with three ramps and three boat docks. Fish-cleaning stations are at the Trail 2 area near the main ramp parking lot and at Trail 1, the Thunder Bay ramp. The area has more than 300 non-pad campsites without electricity and about 60 electrical sites in the West Ridge Campground; Trade Winds Marina offers additional RV camping and cabins.

Common questions

What is the walleye limit at Sherman?

Three a day, made up of no more than two from 15 to 20 inches and one over 28 inches; fish from 20 through 28 inches go back (2026 Fishing Guide).

Does the level drop?

Yes. Game and Parks notes the reservoir is subject to summer drawdowns.

Are there wipers?

Wipers are not on Game and Parks' species list for Sherman; it lists walleye, white bass, crappie, northern pike and channel and flathead catfish.

Is fishing good at Sherman Reservoir right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Calamus Reservoir40 miLoup River64 miHarlan County Lake88 miBranched Oak Lake111 miLake Wanahoo122 miLewis and Clark Lake126 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 41.3000, -98.9500 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 5, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 5, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.