OutdoorNebraska

Mitchell Drain Tub Springs Drain This stream starts 7 miles north of Scottsbluff, flows around west edge of town and enters the North Platte River west of the city. Brown trout. The drain contains 5.5 miles of troutsupporting water with fair trout habitat and a small population of naturally reproducing brown trout. The stream is diverted into the main irrigation canal during irrigation season in section 27, just west of the Victory Hills school house, and from this point downstream the flow is very restricted. After the irrigation season the flow is restored. Winters Creek This stream begins northeast of Scottsbluff and flows east of the city, entering the North Platte River southeast of town. Rainbow and brown trout. Private access only, permission required. About 9 miles of this stream contains trout-supporting habitat. In the stream's fair habitat, rainbow and brown populations are self-reproducing. Winters Creek receives high-water releases during irrigation season. Alliance Drain This stream is 4 miles north of Minatare in Scotts Bluff County. Rainbow and brown trout. Private access only; permission is required for entry. This drain has about 7 miles of trout-supporting water with fair trout habitat and adequate spawning gravel for natural spawning of rainbow and brown trout. Most of the rainbows are less than 10 inches long, but some of the browns caught there are as long as 14 inches. Ninemile Creek Located east of Minatare in Scotts Bluff County, Ninemile Creek flows south into the North Platte River. Rainbow and brown trout. BOB GRIER This stream is located on the north and east sides of Mitchell in Scotts Bluff County. Rainbow and brown trout. Private access only, permission required. This very small stream has about 4 miles of trout-supporting water and contains areas of spawning gravel and good trout habitat. Fishing is currently maintained through natural reproduction. Wading knee-deep into Ninemile Creek east of Minatare, Kelly Highby of Sidney watches for a strike. There is public access to about 1.5 miles of the stream at Nine Mile Creek WMA, but the remainder of the stream flows through private land. Permission is required to enter private property. Ninemile Creek is the best of all the trout streams in the North Platte Valley. It contains about 11 miles of good troutsupporting waters with excellent stream flows and excellent spawning gravel in the upper end. It holds a large number of browns and a fair number of rainbows. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, the North Platte Natural Resources District (NRD), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and concerned landowners are conducting stream-enhancement projects to improve both trout habitat and the land adjacent to the stream. No trout are stocked and there is ample natural reproduction. At times during the irrigation season, large amounts of water are discharged from a large canal into Ninemile Creek. No public access. Permission is required to enter private land. Bayard Drain consists of 4 miles of poor quality habitat and is a limited resource. Poor spawning habitat limits the trout numbers, but there are short stretches where the habitat is sufficient to support a few browns and rainbows. Fishing is currently maintained through natural reproduction. Moffat Drain Red Willow Creek This small stream is located 2 miles east and a mile north of Minatare in Scotts Bluff County. Rainbow and brown trout. There is private access only and permission to enter is required. Moffat Drain contains less than a mile of troutsupporting water that flows directly into Ninemile Creek. It supports small numbers of browns and rainbows that migrate in and out of the stream from Ninemile Creek. Bayard Drain (Stuckenhole Creek) This stream is west and northwest of Bayard in Scotts Bluff and Morrill counties. Rainbow and brown trout. Located 4 miles east of Bayard in Morrill County, Red Willow Creek flows south into the North Platte River. Rainbow and brown trout. Access is available only through private property; landowner permission is required for entry. The creek, which has about 12 miles of trout-supporting water, drains a large watershed that sometimes causes flooding. Large amounts of spill water from an irrigation canal during spring and summer have a detrimental effect on trout numbers. The creek has areas of spawning gravel and good trout habitat, but uncontrollable water quality problems limit Wildhorse Creek Wildhorse Creek is located north of Bayard in Morrill County. Rainbow and brown trout. Private access only, permission required. The east and west branches of the creek join north of Bayard. The creek flows south through the town and then into Red Willow Creek. Wildhorse Creek contains fair trout habitat with adequate flow and limited spawning gravel. Currently, browns and rainbows are present and sustained through natural reproduction. NEBRASKAland Magazine ● Trout Fishing in Nebraska's Streams 9

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