Vergith Reservoir, Nebraska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Vergith Reservoir is a Lancaster County water, Nebraska side. The water sits 1,286 feet up. Surface area runs to about 6 acres — small enough to read in one session. The closest town, Hickman, is 5.1 miles distant. Lincoln sits 14 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Vergith Reservoir

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Open biodiversity records for Lancaster County list green sunfish, common carp, flathead catfish, bluegill and black bullhead. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Vergith Reservoir the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 77°F in July and bottom out at 23°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Break-up comes around mid March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Break-up near mid March, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That shapes the year on Vergith Reservoir.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Salt Creek Reservoir U-36, 1.3 miles away. None of that is settled for Vergith Reservoir in what we hold.