OCTOBER 2015 • NEBRASKAland 55
after Labor Day. Fishing is possible in
summer but becomes more challenging
because vegetation crowds the narrow
streams. During fall the trout are
looking their best, taking on vibrant
colors for the spawn.
Soldier Creek's best fishing is on
the Wilderness Area, a federal tract
designated for minimum human
disturbance, providing the energetic
angler an opportunity to hike and
explore a region known for being
natural. Wilderness Areas have special
rules: no mechanical vehicles, not even
bicycles, are allowed, for instance.
Three forks of the creek flow through
the Wilderness Area and converge on
the western edge of Fort Robinson.
From there, the stream flows to Carter
P. Johnson Lake and to the White
River near the park's headquarters.
Both the south and the middle forks
provide good fishing opportunities,
while the north is mostly dry. A one-
mile hike up the middle fork leads
anglers to the four Wood Reserve
ponds, which encompass roughly four
acres and have also been stocked with
hundreds of rainbows, brookies and
cutthroats in recent years. Earlier this
year, the Commission implemented a
two-trout limit in the entire Wilderness
Area to maintain a quality fishery.
In addition to stocking in the
Wilderness Area and the White River,
the Commission put brook trout in
Bordeaux, Chadron, East Ash, West
Ash and Beaver creeks earlier this
decade.
Tigers by the Tail
Johnson's most notable catch along
Soldier Creek came in May 2013.
While the fish had familiar hues of
copper and gold, its distinct worm-
like scale pattern pointed to a slightly
different species than the browns
Vance Haug sneaks up on trout along the White River. Haug dresses in dark clothes and keeps a low profile in order to not
spook the wary fish.
