Schwisow Reservoir Fishing Guide, Saline County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Out in Saline County, Nebraska, sits Schwisow Reservoir. The setting is mixed forest on every side. At 5 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Wilber sits 13 miles from the bank. The nearest city of size is Lincoln, 40 miles away. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water. It gives up fish to patience rather than to gear.

• Where to Fish on Schwisow Reservoir

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Open biodiversity records for Saline County list common carp, flathead catfish, stonecat, channel catfish and green sunfish. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Schwisow Reservoir the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 77°F and January reads 24°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice-out usually falls in mid March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Break-up sits around mid March on average, with the water closing again about mid December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Time your trip to Schwisow Reservoir by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Cub Creek Reservoir 17-C, 7.1 miles out. Treat Schwisow Reservoir as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.