Bellwood Reservoir 4-L, Nebraska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Nebraska, Bellwood Reservoir 4-L falls inside Butler County. It sits in pine and birch country. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. 4.5 miles away sits David City, the nearest town. It is 43 miles to Lincoln, the nearest city. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Bellwood Reservoir 4-L

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Survey and observation records for Butler County include common carp, green sunfish, tadpole madtom and black bullhead. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The shape of this water decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 76°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near mid March. Ice usually gives way near mid March, and forms again about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. That shapes the year on this water.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. The nearest alternative is Bellwood Reservoir 4-K, 0.9 miles out. Treat this water as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.