Mader Reservoir Number 1, Nebraska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Sioux County, Nebraska, sits Mader Reservoir Number 1. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. About 6 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Sioux County list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest town is Hot Springs, 35 miles away. Lusk follows at 36 miles, then Chadron at 43 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Mader Reservoir Number 1

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Public occurrence data for Sioux County names yellow bullhead, fathead minnow and sand shiner. The county list is broader than any single water. On this water the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 73°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice-out usually falls in late March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The water is typically free of ice between late March and early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. The season on this water rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records show it does not hold water year-round. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Mader Reservoir Number 2 at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at this water before loading the car.