There is a new reservoir in southeast Nebraska set for a grand-opening this weekend!
Duck Creek Recreation Area is newest fishing opportunity in southeastern Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. – A new fishing opportunity is available in southeastern Nebraska with the June 2 grand opening of Duck Creek Recreation Area.
The Nemaha Natural Resources District owns and manages Duck Creek, which is located 5 miles northwest of Peru in Nemaha County. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission manages the fishery, is a funding partner in the construction of the area, and assisted with boating and angler access, as well as in-lake features.
The reservoir site inundated several trees; many were left standing and now are flooded for valuable fish habitat. Trees were cleared for boating lanes; the cleared trees were piled and secured bottom of the reservoir for added fish structure. Other access and in-lake features include a boat launch, several shoreline fishing nodes, a breakwater, underwater shoals, drop-offs and diverse deep-water habitats. The lake has a no-wake boating regulation.
The new reservoir currently boasts good water quality, ideal for aquatic vegetation and fish growth, due to sediment basins and land management practices in the watershed. It initially was stocked with bluegill, largemouth bass and channel catfish in 2016. Black crappie were added during the summer of 2017.
A Game and Parks sampling effort earlier in May revealed the fishery is developing nicely. The survey found high densities of 8- to 12-inch largemouth bass, with some as long as 15 inches. Numerous bluegill were sampled, mostly 4 to 6 inches, with some up to 8, and the channel catfish collected were 15 to 17 inches in length.
The grand opening will include a dedication at 11 a.m., lunch, tours, boat rides, fishing, and much more. An NRD vehicle entry permit, required for visiting the rec area, will be waived for the grand opening. The permit, which can be purchased at the area, is $15 for an annual and $5 for a daily.
Visit nemahanrd.org/recreation/duck-creek for more information about the area.
Note that there are fish present now and there are some big enough to catch, just do not expect any monsters yet. They need more time to grow!
We are excited about this new fishery, a lot of fish- and fisherperson-friendly features were incorporated into the design and construction. This new reservoir should produce some excellent fishing for years to come!
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