Fishing at Tanglewood Lake, Lancaster County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Look for Tanglewood Lake in Lancaster County, Nebraska. What surrounds it is lake country bush. At roughly 22 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The closest town, Crete, is 4.2 miles away. Lincoln sits 19 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Tanglewood Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Records held for Lancaster County cover green sunfish, common carp, flathead catfish and bluegill. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Tanglewood Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 77°F and January near 23°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid March. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid March until roughly mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan any trip to Tanglewood Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Catfish want bait on the bottom: cut bait or worms, a simple running rig, and patience after dark. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Wild Plum Lake, 1.7 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at Tanglewood Lake for certain.