Fishing at Tielke Reservoir Number 1, Holt County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Tielke Reservoir Number 1 lies in Holt County, Nebraska. It sits at 1,985 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 3 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Holt County standards. Start from Atkinson, 8.5 miles down the road. It is 125 miles to Sioux Falls, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Tielke Reservoir Number 1

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Across Holt County, recorded fish include common carp, green sunfish, white sucker, brown trout and redfin pickerel. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Treat this water as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 74°F and January about 20°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late March. The open-water window runs from around late March to about early December in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On this water that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Eagle Creek Reservoir is 2.5 miles distant. Treat this water as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.