Fishing Memphis Lake in Saunders County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Within Saunders County, Nebraska, you have Memphis Lake. This is rolling bush ground. The water covers some 97 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. It is a smooth basin, with the interest below the waterline rather than along it. On our Saunders County list it sits near the top for size. Ashland at 5.4 miles is the nearest place to stop. The big place round here is Lincoln, 24 miles distant. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Memphis Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Records held for Saunders County cover common carp, bluegill, green sunfish and channel catfish. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Memphis Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 76°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After mid March the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about mid March to mid December. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. It sets the rhythm of the year at Memphis Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Public data has parking about 170 yards from the shore. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Johnson Creek Reservoir 22-A, 5.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Memphis Lake before loading the car.