Fishing at Wilson Creek Reservoir 6-5, Otoe County, Nebraska

• Overview

  Wilson Creek Reservoir 6-5 falls in Otoe County, part of Nebraska. It lies 1,175 feet above sea level. The water measures roughly 4 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Our Otoe County list holds plenty of bigger water. Nebraska City is the closest place, 4.8 miles off. It is 39 miles to Lincoln, the nearest city. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Wilson Creek Reservoir 6-5

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Species logged across Otoe County include common carp, green sunfish, black bullhead and channel catfish. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of this water decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 22°F in January to roughly 76°F in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid March. In an average year the thaw lands around mid March and the freeze near mid December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on this water follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Wilson Creek Reservoir 6-7 is 1 mile distant. For this water, the notice at the access point is the final word.