Fishing at Burwell-Sumter Diversion Reservoir, Garfield County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Burwell-Sumter Diversion Reservoir is a Garfield County water, Nebraska side. The bank gives way to lake country bush. Surface area is around 66 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The nearest town is Burwell, 0.7 miles away. Lincoln is the closest city, 145 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Burwell-Sumter Diversion Reservoir

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Records held for Garfield County cover black bullhead, Iowa darter and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. The near bank of Burwell-Sumter Diversion Reservoir is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 75°F in July and bottoms out near 22°F in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice-out usually falls in mid March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice usually gives way near mid March, and forms again about early December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It holds true on Burwell-Sumter Diversion Reservoir more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, James Reservoir Number 1 is 6.7 miles distant. What applies at Burwell-Sumter Diversion Reservoir may have changed since it was mapped.