MEDICINE CREEK RESERVOIR, ALSO KNOWN AS HARRY STRUNK LAKE, OR "THE MED" FOR SHORT, IS NESELED IN SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA NEAR THE TOWN OF CAMBRIDGE.  THIS WATERBODY COVERS ROUGHLY 1,800 SURFACE ACRES AND IS FED BY MEDICINE CREEK WHICH IS ONE OF THE REPUBLICAN RIVER'S LARGER CONTRIBUTARIES IN NEBRASKA. LIKE MOST RESERVOIRS IN NEBRASKA, IRRIGATION TAKES ITS TOLL ON THE MED. THE WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATES ROUGHLY 10' ON A YEARLY BASIS.  

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BECAUSE THE WATER LEVEL FLUCTUATES GREATLY HERE AND FOR THE FAILURE OF NEBRASKA'S GAME AND PARKS FISHERIES DEVISION TO INITIATE A BASS/PANFISH PROGRAM THAT HELPS SUSTAINE PANFISH POPULATIONS ON THESE WESTERN RESERVOIRS. IT CAN SOMETIMES MAKE FOR A TOUGH BASS FISHERY TO TRAVEL TO.

 

HOWEVER, THE MED IS STILL A UNIQUE FISHERY AND CAN HAVE GREAT BASSIN' AT TIMES.  AT FULL POOL THE MED IS LOADED WITH MILES AND MILES OF FOODED SHORELINE COVER AND AS THE WATER LEVEL FALLS IT EXPOSES ISOLATED COVER AND HARD BOTTOM AREAS THAT BASS CAN STILL RELATE TO. THIS GIVES ANGLERS A WIDE RANGE OF CONDITIONS AND VARIABLES TO ACCOUNT FOR ON A WEEK-TO-WEEK BASIS.​​​​

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(ADDITIONAL NOTE)

UNTIL THE STATE OF NEBRASKA CREATES A PROGRAM FOR SUSTAINING BASS POPULATIONS (LIKE THEY DO WITH MOST OTHER GAME FISH) BY UTILIZING HABITAT ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR PANFISH SUCH AS BRUSHING PROJECTS GEARED TOWARD LOWER WATER LEVELS OR EVEN SUPPLEMENTAL STOCKINGS AFTER LOW WATER YEARS, THIS RESERVOIR AND MANY OTHERS WILL ONLY BE GREAT BASS FISHERIES AFTER A "NEW LAKE EFFECT" TAKES PLACE.