Ice Fishing at Sutherland or Big Mac.

[philipNguyen]

Hello all, my name is Philip Nguyen, and I love fishing. I do a lot of open fishing in Nebraska Sutherland reservoir and some at Big Mac. My question is can you ice fishing or does you allow to ice fishing at those reservoir? My other question is while I was open water fishing at Sutherland at the canal I caught some pretty good size perch and I would like to target those perch during ice fishing. Does anybody know a good location or lake or reservoir to fish for perch? I appreciate all you guys info and looking for a good ice season. Thank

[whitetips]

Hello all, my name is Philip Nguyen, and I love fishing. I do a lot of open fishing in Nebraska Sutherland reservoir and some at Big Mac. My question is can you ice fishing or does you allow to ice fishing at those reservoir? My other question is while I was open water fishing at Sutherland at the canal I caught some pretty good size perch and I would like to target those perch during ice fishing. Does anybody know a good location or lake or reservoir to fish for perch? I appreciate all you guys info and looking for a good ice season. Thank

Used to fish Sutherland Reservoir a lot and yes, it was a very good yellow perch fishery.  And then they built the power plants, and then warm-water returned to the reservoir, and ice conditions are usually marginal if safe at all.

Same can be said for McConaughy.  There is some ice fishing that can be done there, but it is a very large and very wind-swept reservoir.  If you go on the ice there you better be darned careful.

Daryl B.

[Catfishking]

Really yellow perch at Sutherland I've never caught any or seen any caught there

[whitetips]

Really yellow perch at Sutherland I've never caught any or seen any caught there

Used to be a lot more of them before the power plant too.

Daryl B.

[gothooks]

I don't believe what fish98 has to say about Sutherland reservoir or the outlet canal

[philipNguyen]

I don't either, I been fishing at Sutherland for the last 3 years or so. I been eating those fish and have not a problem with those fishes. Until I see some kind of proof or something, for now nothing changed for me. Thank

[whitetips]

Sutherland is so polluted from the power plant I wouldn't eat any fish from there or down stream. The perch in the canal don't spawn like they used to since the late 60's when the public power started spraying  Round up on the canal banks to control weeds it kills all fish eggs, birds, frogs,thats Most farmers put Round up thru there center pivots that's why the pheasant,quail any ground nesting bird  population has diminishished and why the perch population is so bad besides piss poor water management on the water system in Nebraska . In the 60s and 70s you could fill a gunnie sack full of perch on the canal at Hershey check. Now you are lucky to catch 5 perch , see a pheasant , or hear a bullfrog croak.  Ok Dayrl

Not exactly. . . .

First of all, there is not a body of water in the state from which I would not eat fish, and that includes Sutherland Reservoir.  If you are worried about that, Nebraska's Department of Environmental Quality does issue fish consumption advisories that advise you to limit your consumption of fish from some waters.  Those advisories are based on the assumption that you would eat a meal of fish from that body of water once a week over a period of years.  I do not eat that much fish from any body of water let alone any one body of water.  But do not take my word for it, learn it all here:

http://www.deq.state.ne.us/NDEQProg.nsf/%24%24OpenDominoDocument.xsp?documentId=6183467526ABA41986257CB50072608B&action=openDocument

http://www.deq.state.ne.us/NDEQProg.nsf/%24%24OpenDominoDocument.xsp?documentId=C768EC6CD402B62886257CB500728624&action=openDocument

Channel catfish in the Sutherland outlet canal are on the fish consumption advisory list, you should understand what that means and then make your own decisions on what risks you are willing to take.  Driving to and from your favorite fishing hole is pretty risky too.

Water management did change when the power plants were installed at Sutherland.  Those changes did change habitat and fish community.  No, there are not as many yellow perch at Sutherland as there were before the power plants.  For one, yellow perch are a cool-water fish and warm-water returns from the power plants to Sutherland has made that reservoir less ideal for yellow perch.  Secondly, before the power plants there were a whole lot of tumbleweeds that floated down the canal and into Sutherland reservoir.  Those tumbleweeds served as excellent yellow perch spawning habitat.  Now, they try to limit the amount of trash, tumbleweeds coming in because they do not want all of that in the water going into the power plant and less spawning substrate, and warmer water, means less yellow perch.

Has nothing to do with "roundup" being sprayed on the canal banks.  There are lots of fish that come down that canal and enter Sutherland and that is part of the reason there is some very good fishing there.  It just ain't yellow perch like it used to be.

Daryl B.

[IceHutt]

Thanks Daryl for setting the record straight before the rumors get out of hand.  It is unbelievable what people's imagination or assumptions lead to.  I guess if some people want to think the fish are poisoned in these waters, it will be less crowded for the rest of us.    Fish on !   

[swampdonkeyice]

Big Mac rarely gets fishable ice, there might be a week or two that you can get on, but thats usually it.  The west end from sand point west gets decent ice, but the fishing is slow, occasional walleye, perch catfish, and northern, but its dang slow.  Just head north, fishing is alot better.

[philipNguyen]

Thank you very much for all the information. I never done ice fishing at Big Mac, do you have any tips up north lake or reservoir that would be better than big Mac? I like to fish for perch, crappie and walleye. But anyway, if you guys have some information or some tips about ice fishing in Nebraska, I would love to hear it. I used to live in Omaha for about 20 years, but home for now is Denver, here is not much ice fishing for those fish. Mostly trout and trout. Thanks

[Fishingnerd33]

If you are coming from Denver, it may be worth checking out some panhandle lakes:

Minatare
Box Butte
Oliver

Out of those three, Box Butte is my favorite.  Gills, perch, crappie, pike, and walleye are what I've typically caught there.

I don't have much knowledge of Wyoming, but I bet there would be some lakes in the southern part of the state that would hold some fish you are after.

[philipNguyen]

Thank you very much, I have hear about Box Butte. Some friends of mind when there last year and they did pretty good. As for me I never been there, but I think I will try it this year. I would like to go to Kansas this year also, but as for right now there's no ice yet. Well I guess we have to play the waiting game right lol.

[whitetips]

Thank you very much for all the information. I never done ice fishing at Big Mac, do you have any tips up north lake or reservoir that would be better than big Mac? I like to fish for perch, crappie and walleye. But anyway, if you guys have some information or some tips about ice fishing in Nebraska, I would love to hear it. I used to live in Omaha for about 20 years, but home for now is Denver, here is not much ice fishing for those fish. Mostly trout and trout. Thanks

Start here, http://outdoornebraska.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PDF_F_-2015FishForecast_101515.pdf.  Watch for new, 2016 forecast soon.

Daryl B.

[lovetofishnow]

Box Butte is a very good lake for pike and perch according to some of my friends that go there every year.  I might give it a try this ice season.  It is a little far fron Denver though. 

[crazysnake]

Sutherland is so polluted from the power plant I wouldn't eat any fish from there or down stream. The perch in the canal don't spawn like they used to since the late 60's when the public power started spraying  Round up on the canal banks to control weeds it kills all fish eggs, birds, frogs,thats Most farmers put Round up thru there center pivots that's why the pheasant,quail any ground nesting bird  population has diminishished and why the perch population is so bad besides piss poor water management on the water system in Nebraska . In the 60s and 70s you could fill a gunnie sack full of perch on the canal at Hershey check. Now you are lucky to catch 5 perch , see a pheasant , or hear a bullfrog croak.  Ok Dayrl

You can blame the farmers if you want but you should check your facts.  You can not chemigate round up through a pivot.    Round up needs a couple hours before any rain or irrigation or it will wash off and do no good.

[ROGERANGLER]

There was some discussion about southern Wyoming. At one time lake Hattie near Laramie was a great perch lake. The perch population crash after the lake level dropped. I believe the lake levels have rebounded, but have not heard about the perch population. Anyone know how the fishing is there?

[PhishOn]

I was a day a late and dollar short on Hattie.. More like a year late... Lol. Always wondered if it recovered myself.. I suppose a guy should search for some perch stockings... Does Wyoming have that info like NGPC??   Bueller.....

[Hunt n Fish]

I believe WY does have stocking info but it's not as easily accessible to the public as yours.  If you want the info I think you need to call the G&F to find out.  As far as perch in Hattie. . .I talked to a guy that worked last summer taking fish surveys for the G&F and according to him there are decent #'s in there and they are big.  Still don't hear of many being caught but people get a few now and then.

[ROGERANGLER]

Wish Hattie wasn't so far away, just to go find out.