Wehrspann Lake offers an excellent multispecies fishery in the Omaha area that has an interesting history. In late November 2016, Nebraska Game and Parks applied a rotenone treatment, which removed approximately 250,000 invasive gizzard shad. In addition to the shad there were 61 channel catfish, 51 walleye, 284 carp, 52 blue catfish, 2 largemouth bass, and 4 flathead catfish found dead as well. On the other side of the dam thousands of dead goldfish were found as well.
The reason for this treatment was to remove the gizzard shad, which were competing with the bluegill, crappie and juvenile bass and other game fish for food. The shad had contributed to severe stunting in the panfish, with few fish reaching desirable sizes for anglers. The following spring, 4 inch largemouth bass were stocked as well as catfish and walleye.
The years following this treatment have shown increased growth rates for crappie and bluegill, with a strong bass, walleye and catfish population as well. It is critical for anglers to remember to never attempt to stock a species or dump bait buckets into lakes as this is how species like these gizzard shad are transported.
About the Lake
Wehrspann Lake is approximately 250 acres and can reach depths of around 24 feet. Wherspann is located near Omaha, Nebraska in Sarpy County. Species present include largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, walleye, yellow perch and common carp.
Lake Structure
The lake is a flood control reservoir and does not have a ton of structure. Weeds and weedlines are the most common cover. There is a sharp drop off that has a sharp ridge near the fishing dock. There is also a little flooded timber, a fishing dock, boat dock and a walking bridge that goes over a bottleneck of the lake. Rocky shorelines as well as small humps, points and bays are also present.
Ice Fishing
A very popular spot for ice fishing is the sharp drop off along the fishing dock. Fishing the edge of this drop off is a consistent producer, but sliding out to the deeper water can be a good move when conditions have put fish in a passive mood. Look for fish between 8-18 feet of water.
Depending on what species you are targeting has an impact on where you will want to fish. Generally, it seems the best bluegill fishing is in the 8-12 foot area, where the best crappie action takes place in 12-18 foot. There are of course exceptions to this rule, but overall this is a trend that is worth exploring.
The highest fish are always the ones worth targeting. When fishing deeper water, look for fish between 9-13 feet, but most of the fish are caught in 7-9 feet or as shallow as just 5 feet below the ice. Investigate the whole water column and always work as high as you can. Fish will generally stack up once you have them fired up, this is when the best fishing will occur.
Outside of the deeper drop offs, look for brush piles and timber in that 8-15 foot area. This tends to be some of the best bluegill options, but they have produced yellow perch as well.
For presentation, the fish are very picky. A small tungsten jig and a Clam Maki plastic or Trigger X Mosutache Worm have been the top options. For jig colors, gold and silver are top options. Even jig color can matter as some days they only want gold, but other days silver can work. Regardless what color jig you use, tip it with a pink or red plastic. Pink is generally the best, but red has it’s days as well.
Work the jig above the school and the aggressive fish will race up and take it. Remember, you are targeting the highest fish and the goal is to get the school to stack up. Regardless where the marks are, always work the highest fish. There are times there may be 5-6 feet thick of fish. It is tempting to drop your jig into the pile, but remember to keep it above. You want to fish the most aggressive fish, not the most fish.
Spring
Early in the spring, the weed edges and lines are less developed. If you can find green weeds, they are worth fishing. If you are struggling to find those, look for fish along the rocky shorelines. Try casting jerkbaits along these areas for bass and walleye as well. Jigging along the deep water areas can also produce fish.
The best bluegill and crappie fishing is done with a slipbobber and minnow or nightcrawler. Try pitching these baits along submerged timber and weedlines. Fishing the shallower, warmer bays in the spring are often one of the best options.
Summer
As summer progresses, two main bites really take off. The first bite is a deeper, live bait presentation geared towards a variety of species. Fishing the drop offs along the deep water ridge can produce very well for a variety of species depending on what bait you are using.
Nightcrawlers are the most universal presentation and will result in pretty much every species that swims. Overall, these are an excellent catfish and walleye presentation, but they can catch carp as well. Minnows excel for walleyes, but they can also catch catfish as well. Corn is one of the top channel catfish baits, but it can catch carp as well.
Panfish anglers will find more success fishing the edges of shallow weedlines. A slipbobber and nightcrawler will result in the most success. Expect to catch bluegill and crappie, with the occasional bass as well.
If you’re looking to target bass, these same weedlines where the bluegill and crappie are will be your best bass fishing opportunities. Try casting a topwater frog or a spinnerbait along these edges. Bass are most active early in the morning and late in the evening, but will bite throughout the day when you can get on them.
Fall
In the fall, expect to see fish begin moving back towards their winter locations and feeding aggressively along those shallow stretches adjacent to the deep water. Continue to try the livebait presentations, beefing your presentation up to chubs and other large baits to entice the largest fish looking for big meals.
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