Fishing Wilson Creek Reservoir 1-N in Otoe County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Nebraska holds Wilson Creek Reservoir 1-N, in Otoe County. The setting is mixed forest on every side. About 14 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Ground here is low by Nebraska standards. Nearest town is Syracuse, 8.6 miles off. Beyond it, Nebraska City at 8.8 miles and Weeping Water at 14 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Wilson Creek Reservoir 1-N

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. The old creek line under the surface is the feature worth finding. Across Otoe County, recorded fish include common carp, green sunfish and black bullhead. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. This water responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 76°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid March. Expect the water usable from around mid March until roughly mid December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That shapes the year on this water.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is no mapped parking or launch close by, which usually means walking in. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Wilson Creek Reservoir 7-A at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. For this water, the notice at the access point is the final word.