By Daryl Bauer, Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
I know this is not going to be welcome news for many. However, if you have ice-fished on Hudson Lake in the past, you need to know this:
No public ice fishing at Hudson Lake
Hudson Lake, 15 miles southwest of Valentine, will not be open to the public for ice fishing this winter.
The lake was formerly part of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Open Fields and Waters Program, a voluntary program designed to increase public walk-in access for hunting, trapping and/or fishing across the state.
Properties open for access are listed in the Nebraska Public Access Atlas, which is available in print or at OutdoorNebraska.gov by searching “Public Access Atlas.”
The digital version is updated year-round to reflect current access opportunities. Anglers hoping to ice fish near Valentine can find properties nearby, including Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area, Big Alkali Lake Wildlife Management Area and lakes on the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge.
For more information, contact Shelley Steffl, Game and Parks biologist, at 308-430-3977 or shelley.steffl@nebraska.gov.