CARL WOLFE
Republican River Drainage
This rainbow trout took an artificial nymph fished near
the bottom of a creek.
Located in south-central
Nebraska, Elm Creek
offers anglers a chance
to experience the thrill of
catching rainbow trout.
The surrounding terrain is
flat and the creek's banks
are densely vegetated. In
some spots anglers can
cast flies or lures, but
in most places the best
strategy is to allow the
current to carry bait to
hungry trout.
Elm Creek
Trout are found in the creek segment
highlighted in yellow.
★
Elm Creek
About 3 miles of Elm Creek's 22-mile
drainage support trout, including a stretch
along the Elm Creek WMA in Webster
County northeast of Red Cloud.
Rainbow trout.
There is public access from the 1-mile
segment located in the Elm Creek WMA.
The remainder of the creek runs through
private land. Permission is required to enter
private property.
Elm Creek is a put-and-take trout fishery
where 1,000 rainbows are stocked each
March and 500 more each September. Trout
habitat is limited, but habitat structures have
been placed at Elm Creek WMA and near
U.S. Highway 136. Except for excessive
runoff during high flows, the stream offers
good habitat for trout. It is 8 to 12 feet
wide in most places, has good pool and run
habitats (the pools average 4 feet deep),
and abundant growth of water cress and
buttercup.
Cowles
281
WEBSTER
Elm
C r ee k
Elm Creek
WMA
mC
El
reek
Red Cloud
136
DOUG CARROLL
n
ica
bl
pu
Re
ver
Ri
1" = approximately 1.8 miles
18 NEBRASKAland Magazine ● Trout Fishing in Nebraska's Streams
Doug Anderson from Nelson fishes a
deep pool in Elm Creek WMA.
