Map

Gem Lake

Fishing spots, fishing reports, and regulations in

Nebraska, United States

1 catch

Top fish species at Gem Lake

Channel catfish
Channel catfish
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Gem Lake fishing reports

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Channel catfish

34 in · 12 lb

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General info

Gem Lake is a swamp located in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. It is most popular for fishing Channel catfish.

Location

42°25′57.2″N 101°59′50.8″W
Directions

Fishing regulations at Gem Lake, NE

Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.

Fishing regulations in Nebraska can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.

Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Channel catfish as of April 23rd, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.

Channel catfish

Seasons

Open

Bag limit

5

Special gear

No length limit. Possession limit = 20 channel catfish.

Exceptions:

  • Flowing Water (rivers, streams and canals): bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Box Butte Reservoir: one 30-inches or longer
  • Calamus Reservoir: one 30-inches or longer
  • Fort Kearny SRA No. 2: catch and release only
  • Gallagher Canyon Reservoir: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Jeffrey Reservoir: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Johnson Lake: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Lake Babcock: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Lake Maloney: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Lake North: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Lewis and Clark Lake: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Merritt Reservoir: one 30-inches or longer
  • Midway Canyon Reservoir: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • North Platte River west of Hwy. 26 bridge: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Phillips Canyon Reservoir: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Plum Creek Canyon Reservoir: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Republican River upstream of Hwy. 89 bridge west of Orleans: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Sutherland Reservoir: bag limit = 10 channel catfish
  • Two Rivers SRA Nos. 3 and 4: catch and release only
  • Wildwood Lake: catch and release only
  • Windmill SRA No. 3: catch and release only

Ictalurus punctatus

Regulations for

42°25′57.2″N 101°59′50.8″W
Regulations in the map
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Local laws and licenses

Nebraska fishing license

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Cities nearby

Gordon

27.9 miles away

Batesland

48.3 miles away

Hemingford

55.5 miles away

Chadron

57.9 miles away

Whitney

68.5 miles away

Broadwater

72.5 miles away

Bridgeport

77.4 miles away

Oelrichs

81.3 miles away

Bayard

82.4 miles away

Minatare

88.2 miles away

Melbeta

89.9 miles away

Scottsbluff

93.7 miles away

Maverick Junction

97.7 miles away

Mitchell

98.7 miles away

Fairburn

106.0 miles away

Hermosa

114.4 miles away

Pringle

114.5 miles away

Wasta

115.3 miles away

Caputa

118.9 miles away

Custer

122.6 miles away

New Underwood

122.7 miles away

Keystone

124.1 miles away

Box Elder

128.2 miles away

Rapid City

128.9 miles away

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FAQ about Gem Lake fishing

Gem Lake is a swamp located in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. Its coordinates are:
42°25′57.2″N 101°59′50.8″W
.
Find the best fishing spots on Gem Lake by looking at where other anglers have caught fish. This can easily be done in the where it is also possible to see big fish potential and how good fishing is right now along with Garmin® depth maps.
The most common species in Gem Lake are:
The latest Gem Lake fishing reports are:
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