RED WILLOW RESERVOIR, OR "WILLOW" FOR SHORT, IS A LOCAL FAVORITE IN SOUTHWESTERN NEBERASKA. WILLOW HAS  BEEN ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC BASS FISHERIES IN THE STATE BECAUSE OF ITS GEOLOICAL FEATURES. THE STEEP REVINES AND ROCK FORMATIONS OF THE RED WILLOW CREEK VALLEY MAKE THIS WATERBODY AN IDEAL ENVIRONMENT FOR BASS.

​​​

AT FULL POOL THIS WATERBODY HAS OVER 1,600 SURFACE ACRES. THOUGH NOT A HUGE RESERVOIR BY ANY MEANS, WILLOW FISHES PRETTY DANG BIG FOR IT'S SIZE. THERE'S OVER HALF A DOZEN COVES THROUGHOUT THE LAKE, LARGE STUMP FIELDS IN THE SPRING CREEK ARM, AND A LOT OF ISOLATED COVER IN THE WILLOW ARM. ALL OF WHICH GIVE ANGLERS PLENTY OF REAL ESTATE TO GET LOST IN. 

​​​

IN 2010, WILLOW WAS SUBSTANTIALLY LOWERED (20') FOR ISSUES WITH THE DAM. THIS DECIMATED THE BASS POPULATION. IN 2013 THE CONSTRUCTION WAS FINALLY COMPLETED, ALLOWING THE WATERBODY TO FILL ONCE AGAIN. IT WASN'T UNTIL 2019, THAT THE WATER LEVEL FINALLY CRESTED WHAT IT WAS IN 2010. WILLOW'S LARGEMOUTH POPULATION STARTED TO THRIVE ONCE AGAIN WITH ALL THE NEWLY FLOODED COVER. THE ESTABLISHED  SMALLMOUTH POPULATION THAT WAS ONCE THERE NEVER RECOVERED.