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45-acre lake near Buffalo County. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. The lake tops out around 12 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Blue Hole West Lake draws 45 acres inside 1.2 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. End to end it runs roughly 0.5 mi, about 0.2 mi across. You'll find it in Buffalo County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Sandy Channel SRA, 1 mi southeast of here.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 12 ft before dropping to 4 to 12 ft for winter. Winter largemouth bass concentrate at Break off the point, a prime-rated drop-off around 10 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 12 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 3 to 12 ft before dropping to 4 to 12 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 12 ft, and they winter in 4 to 12 ft. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 12 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: common carp in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 12 ft, wintering in 4 to 12 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 12 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) |
Blue Hole West Lake carries 5 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 12 ft down.
Access data: Nebraska Game & Parks — Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Nebraska waters are set by the Nebraska Game and Parks — and special regulations can apply to Blue Hole West Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Blue Hole West Lake is about 12 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp on Blue Hole West Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in winter. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Blue Hole West Lake is regulated by the Nebraska Game and Parks. Check the official Nebraska regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Sandy Channel SRA 1 mi · Union Pacific SRA 7 mi · Dogwood WMA 12 mi · Cottonmill Lake 13 mi · North Kearney Rest Stop 14 mi · Yanney Lake 15 mi · Kea Lake WMA 15 mi · Archway Lake 1 18 mi · Bufflehead 19 mi · Bassway Strip WMA 23 mi · Johnson Lake 24 mi · Darr 25 mi
See how Blue Hole West Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best crappie lakes in Nebraska · best bluegill lakes in Nebraska · best channel catfish lakes in Nebraska
More water nearby: Buffalo County fishing maps (13 charts). Browse all Nebraska fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.