Wild Plum Lake, Nebraska: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Wild Plum Lake lies within the bounds of Lancaster County, Nebraska. The water sits 1,417 feet up. Surface area runs to about 12 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Crete is 3.2 miles out. Wilber is 9.7 miles away, with Milford at 13 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank. The water gives you a straightforward day if you keep it simple.

• Where to Fish on Wild Plum Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Fish documented in Lancaster County include green sunfish, common carp, flathead catfish and bluegill. The county list is broader than any single water. At Wild Plum Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 23°F in January up to 77°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid March. Climate averages put the opening at about mid March and the closing near mid December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That shapes the year on Wild Plum Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Salt Creek Reservoir 27-A is 0.4 miles off. Where Wild Plum Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.