Doug;

The Fish Rearing Station was about 200 yards upstream from us utilizing the wonderfully naturally regulated spring water that creates that stream. It is one of two cold water fish rearing stations in Nebraska if I remember correctly. I do not know where they get the fry from, but they raise them here.

We spoke to the gentleman that was doing the stoking for a good half hour just after he dropped the fish off at this spot and they have a large tank with a wide mouth in the back of the truck. (Dodge pickup.) He said that every couple of weeks they drive to certain spots on the stream and with a large net, scoop a bunch of fish out of the truck and deposit them in the stream. It amounts to bout 2000 trout every few months according to their stocking reports. He said that during the summer and fall, the trout were around 9 inches when stocked, but into the winter and spring they would have grown to 12+ inches. He explained that there were certain 'holes' that were easy for them to drive up adjacent to with the truck and then with a net full of fish to walk into for the planting, so they generally went to these same spots regularly while doing this.

It sounded like they get a batch of fry in the spring, which they raise for the fall and winter plantings. It was quite interesting to talk to him. We disccussed how they have people come up and camp and fish all weekend and then stop into the rearing station to complain that there are no fish in the stream and why didn't they fix it, while a number of 'regulars' would be seen during the same time periods catching fish.

It is a really interesting fishing area. The public has access to approximately 2 sections of ground through which the spring creek runs. It twists and turns so much that in the mile that Scott and I fished that day, we covered a good 150 yards in a straight line. It has a sandy bottom and is generally about 4 feet wide. It runs fairly fast and gets probably 5-6 feet deep in some holes. (Maybe more, but my waders ain't that tall!) If you stand too long, the water will wash the sand out from under your feet and you find yourself sinking. It has some deep undercut banks. The water is crystal clear and the fish are very spooky.

Once I was fishing over a bush to a small pod of fish when a couple of bends upstream another fisherman hopped into the water. I watched as the sand he disturbed floated down to where the fish I was after were holding. As soon as that floating sand hit their hole, they disappeared under the bank and were no longer interested in anything I was offering.

I really wish it were closer so I could spend the time to fugure out the fishery. It is much more complex than I imagined after my first few visits.