Bazile Creek Fishing Guides
A four hundred and forty square mile Knox County creek entering the Missouri near Niobrara, with spring-fed reaches in its upper valley and Missouri River fish using the lower miles.
Guides on the Bazile Creek
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About the Bazile Creek
Bazile Creek drains about four hundred and forty square miles of Knox and Antelope counties in northeast Nebraska and enters the Missouri River near Niobrara, close to where the Niobrara River itself comes in. The gauge sits above the mouth. The lower valley opens into the Bazile Creek Wildlife Management Area, a large tract of wetland, timber and marsh along the Missouri bottom that is one of the better public areas in this part of the state.
The upper drainage crosses the Bazile Groundwater Management Area, a district defined by its reliance on a shallow aquifer that also feeds the creek. That groundwater contribution gives the upper and middle creek steadier flow and cooler summer water than a purely runoff-fed prairie stream would have, and it is the reason the creek keeps a decent year-round character despite draining farm country.
The lower creek and the wildlife area are the fishing draw. Channel catfish are abundant and flathead catfish hold the deeper holes and timber. Northern pike use the marsh edges and backwaters of the wildlife area and are the species that surprises visiting anglers most. Because the mouth opens directly onto the Missouri, walleye, sauger, white bass, freshwater drum and shovelnose sturgeon move into the lower miles seasonally. Smallmouth and largemouth bass are present in smaller numbers.
Water is turbid through spring and after rain and clears somewhat in settled summer weather. Flows respond quickly to storms over the loess uplands, and the gauge near Niobrara is the sensible thing to check. The wildlife area holds water longer than the creek channel does, so the marsh fishing stays viable through dry spells that drop the creek itself to very little.
Niobrara is the base, with Niobrara State Park providing developed camping, cabins and Missouri River access within a few minutes of the creek mouth.
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Access
Niobrara - the town at the creek mouth, with lodging, fuel and services.
Bazile Creek Wildlife Management Area - a large public tract on the lower creek.
Niobrara State Park - developed camping, cabins and Missouri River access.
Missouri River - the receiving river, with public ramps nearby.
Niobrara River - the major river entering the Missouri just west of the creek.
Lewis and Clark Lake - the large Missouri reservoir downstream to the east.
Knox County road crossings - bridge access at intervals up the valley.
Seasons
Spring: high, turbid water with walleye, sauger and white bass running up from the Missouri.
Summer: the best catfish fishing of the year, with pike in the wildlife area marshes.
Fall: cooling water, clearer flows and consistent catfish and walleye near the mouth.
Winter: cold and often iced, with fishing limited to the deepest water near the mouth.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Bazile Creek?
As of Oct 18, 5:00 pm, the USGS gauge Bazile Creek near Niobrara, Nebr. reads 43 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Bazile Creek?
Anglers target Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Flathead Catfish, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Sauger, Shovelnose Sturgeon, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass on the Bazile Creek in Nebraska.
Where can you access the Bazile Creek?
Niobrara - the town at the creek mouth, with lodging, fuel and services. Bazile Creek Wildlife Management Area - a large public tract on the lower creek. Niobrara State Park - developed camping, cabins and Missouri River access. Missouri River - the receiving river, with public ramps nearby. Niobrara River - the major river entering the Missouri just west of the creek. Lewis and Clark Lake - the large Missouri reservoir downstream to the east. Knox County road crossings - bridge access at intervals up the valley.
When is the best time to fish the Bazile Creek?
Spring: high, turbid water with walleye, sauger and white bass running up from the Missouri. Summer: the best catfish fishing of the year, with pike in the wildlife area marshes. Fall: cooling water, clearer flows and consistent catfish and walleye near the mouth. Winter: cold and often iced, with fishing limited to the deepest water near the mouth.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Bazile Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Nebraska agency site: https://outdoornebraska.gov/guides-maps/fishing-guides-reports/