HARLAN COUNTY RESERVOIR, "HARLAN", IS THE SECOND LARGEST LAKE WITHIN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA'S BOARDERS. IT'S THE THIRD LARGEST IF YOU CONSIDER LEWIS AND CLARK RESERVOIR THAT STRADDLES A SECTION OF SOUTH DAKOTA'S AND NEBRASKA'S NORTHEASTERN BOARDER. HARLAN COVERS ROUGHLY 13,000 SURFACE ACRES AND IS FED PRIMARILY BY THE REPUBLICAN RIVER SYSTEM AND PRAIRIE DOG CREEK. HARLAN IS PLAGUED, ALONG WITH MANY OF THE OTHER RESERVOIRS IN NEBRASKA, WITH HIGHLY ERODIBLE SOILS THAT SURROUND THE LAKE. IN THE  70+ YEARS OF THE WATER BODIES EXISTANCE, THE SHORELINES HAVE DETERIORATED TO THE POINT WHERE ALMOST ALL OF THE COVES THAT WERE ONCE NAVIGATIBLE BY BOAT ARE NOW NOT CONNECTED TO THE MAIN BODY OF THE LAKE, EVEN AT FULL POOL.

 

ONLY RECENTLY THROUGH FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING THE CORPS. STARTED PROJECTS TO SLOW THE ERODING. 11,000 FEET OF RIP RAP WAS PLACED ALONG THE SHORELINES AROUND WHITE CAT POINT AND TIPOVER COVE. WITH THE LARGEST DEVELOPMENT BEING THE RESTORATION PROJECT OF METHODIST COVE.​​

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JUST LIKE ALMOST EVERY OTHER WATERBODY IN OUR REGION, DURING HIGHER WATER YEARS THE LAKE PROVIDES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF FLOODED COVER THAT IS IDEAL FOR LARGEMOUTH REPRODUCTION. DURING THESE HIGHER WATER YEARS, ANGLERS CAN TARGET BASS ALMOST ANYWHERE FROM THE DAM TO THE TAIL WATERS. A PRIME EXAMPLE WAS THE HIGH WATER YEARS BETWEEN 2007 TO 2013. HARLAN WAS HANDS DOWN THE REGIONS BEST LARGEMOUTH LAKE FOR BOTH SIZE AND NUMBERS.