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35-acre lake near Lincoln. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. The lake tops out around 20 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. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The outline encloses 35 acres, worked by 0.9 miles of shoreline. At index 1.1 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. About 65% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft — that's the weed-and-bait zone. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.3 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. Lancaster County claims this one. If the bite dies, Pawnee Lake is 5 mi to the west.
Spring rainbow trout on Bowling Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 5 to 20 ft in summer, 4 to 20 ft once it turns cold. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 14 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (14 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 4 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (14 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 7 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (14 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season white perch use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 6 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 20 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning. Tie on a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 20 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (9 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 20 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 20 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 20 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Bowling Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Bowling Lake is about 20 ft (6 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 rainbow trout, largemouth bass, white perch, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Bowling Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For rainbow trout, 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 Bowling 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.
Pawnee Lake 5 mi · Conestoga Lake 8 mi · Branched Oak Lake 9 mi · Twin Lakes WMA (East) 9 mi · Twin Lakes WMA (West) 9 mi · Yankee Hill Lake 10 mi · Holmes Lake 10 mi · Wildwood Lake 12 mi · Meadowlark Lake 13 mi · Cottontail Lake 15 mi · Walnut Creek 2A 16 mi · Bluestem Lake 16 mi
See how Bowling 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: Lancaster County fishing maps (15 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.