Sayer Reservoir Number 2 in Frontier County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Frontier County, Nebraska, this is Sayer Reservoir Number 2. It stands 2,372 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. Supplies mean a trip to Cambridge, 9.8 miles off. Arapahoe lies 14 miles off, McCook another 31 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about. Regulars know where the fish sit; visitors have to find out.

• Where to Fish on Sayer Reservoir Number 2

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Inflow corners move water, and moving water gathers fish. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Fish documented in Frontier County include common carp, black bullhead and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. This water responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 76°F in July and bottoms out near 24°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Break-up comes around mid March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Expect the water usable from around mid March until roughly mid December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On this water the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Bergstresser Reservoir sits 2.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on this water should be assumed from this page alone.