Fishing at Rock Creek Reservoir 11-A, Pawnee County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Rock Creek Reservoir 11-A lies within the bounds of Pawnee County, Nebraska. The bank gives way to mixed forest. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Tecumseh is the closest place, 12 miles off. Lincoln sits 46 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Rock Creek Reservoir 11-A

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Species logged across Pawnee County include flathead catfish, green sunfish, black bullhead, johnny darter and orangespotted sunfish. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Fish this water where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 24°F in January and 77°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid March. The lid tends to go about mid March and return around late December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on this water more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Rock Creek Reservoir 1-2 is 0.4 miles off. The position on this water is worth confirming on the day.