Cook Reservoir Fishing Guide, Rock County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Out in Rock County, Nebraska, sits Cook Reservoir. It sits at 1,916 feet above sea level. Small at around 2 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Rock County standards. Atkinson sits 24 miles from the bank. Further out sit Gregory (32 miles) and Ainsworth (32 miles). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Cook Reservoir

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Survey and observation records for Rock County include common carp, brown trout and green sunfish. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Cook Reservoir for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 76°F for July and 21°F for January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late March. Averages suggest open water from about late March through to roughly early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. On Cook Reservoir that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. 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. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Peterson Reservoir Number 1 at 8.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Cook Reservoir is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.