34 Nebraskaland • April 2024
way through the submerged trees that dotted the length of
the lake, which provided fi sh structure.
At the north end of Flanagan, a wetland area could
be credited for much of the avian life we witnessed.
Although the wetland was primarily constructed
to slow down water and prevent siltation of the
reservoir, it also functions as a great place for wildlife
viewing, said Game and Parks southeast district fi sheries
supervisor Aaron Blank.
Dean took us under the Ida overpass and to the very north
end of Flanagan, where his boat could go no farther past the
wetland. There, shallow water warmed by the sun created the
ideal conditions for active, hungry fi sh, and during the next
several hours, picture-perfect, spring-fi shing fun ensued. We
fi shed until 4 o'clock that day, steadily hooking into more than
100 fi sh: loads of nice black crappie — one possible Master
Angler-worthy specimen caught by Hank, several impressive
largemouth bass, some bluegill, one channel catfi sh and a
beautiful northern pike caught by Dean.
When we set out that morning, we'd agreed to only
catching and releasing fi sh, but by 3 p.m., Hank decided
he was hungry for a fi sh fry. So, we started throwing some
crappie in the livewell, which didn't take long to accomplish,
considering how late in the day it was. We also threw back
several fi sh over the maximum length of 10 inches, a special
regulation that is unique not only to Nebraska but also to the
Fishing guide Dean Thielen holds a northern pike caught out of Flanagan Lake.
