Fishing Wildhorse Reservoir 5-A in Morrill County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Wildhorse Reservoir 5-A belongs to Morrill County, Nebraska. It sits in pine and birch. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Morrill County are larger. Start from Bayard, 2.4 miles down the road. After that come Bridgeport at 14 miles and Gering at 18 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Wildhorse Reservoir 5-A

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. Reported across Morrill County: brown trout, rainbow trout and longnose sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. This water fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 24°F in January to roughly 73°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid March. Break-up sits around mid March on average, with the water closing again about mid December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on this water rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Cochran Lake is 12 miles distant. For this water, the notice at the access point is the final word.