Fishing Wilson Creek Reservoir 5-J in Otoe County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Wilson Creek Reservoir 5-J falls in Otoe County, part of Nebraska. The surface lies 1,056 feet up. About 13 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Nebraska listings. Head to Nebraska City, 7.4 miles away, for anything you forgot. Further out sit Syracuse (9.9 miles) and Weeping Water (16 miles). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Wilson Creek Reservoir 5-J

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Fish documented in Otoe County include common carp, green sunfish and black bullhead. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. This water gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 76°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Look for the thaw near mid March; the fishing lifts straight after. Ice clears near mid March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On this water the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Wilson Creek Reservoir 5-C, 1.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at this water are worth checking on the day.