Clatonia Creek Reservoir 3-A Fishing near Wilber, Nebraska

• Overview

  Look for Clatonia Creek Reservoir 3-A in the Gage County part of Nebraska. Elevation runs to 1,404 feet. It runs to roughly 40 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The bank runs about 1.0 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. On our Gage County list it sits near the top for size. The closest town, Wilber, is 5.3 miles away. Further out sit Crete (11 miles) and Hickman (15 miles). Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Clatonia Creek Reservoir 3-A

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Species logged across Gage County include common carp, flathead catfish, orangespotted sunfish and green sunfish. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At this water the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 77°F; the cold one sits at 23°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about mid March, the fishing comes on quickly. The lid tends to go about mid March and return around mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. The season on this water rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Boat use is marked as prohibited in public data. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Clatonia Creek Reservoir 4-A at 1.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about this water if anything is unclear.