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45,440-acre reservoir near Theodosia. The lake tops out around 210 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 47,774 acres of water rimmed by 758.7 miles of bank, broken up by an island. A development index of 24.8 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 71% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 39 mi with a 19.1-mi widest point. The water lies in Taney County. The nearest mapped water is Lake Taneycomo, 21 mi to the northwest.
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shoreline point, a point in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (15 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Offshore hump, an offshore hump in the 20 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (2 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (25 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Offshore hump (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 15 to 35 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Offshore hump. It's an offshore hump holding about 20 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (20 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a feeding flat in the 6 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (20 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Sharp break (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 25 ft. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Sharp break (10 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Offshore hump (20 ft) | Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Feeding flat, a feeding flat in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (30 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (179 ft) |
Bull Shoals Lake also holds freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer), striped bass (25 to 60 ft in summer), white bass (8 to 25 ft in summer), spotted bass (15 to 40 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Bull Shoals Lake carries 34 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deepest basin, about 180 ft down.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Missouri waters are set by the Missouri Department of Conservation — and special regulations can apply to Bull Shoals Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →
Bull Shoals Lake is about 210 ft (64 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, freshwater drum, striped bass, white bass, spotted bass on Bull Shoals Lake.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Bull Shoals Lake is regulated by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Check the official Missouri regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Taneycomo 21 mi · White River (Bull Shoals) 31 mi, AR · Norfork Lake 32 mi, MO/AR · Norfork River 32 mi, AR · North Fork of the White 36 mi · Buffalo National River 36 mi, AR · Table Rock Lake 38 mi, MO/AR · James River 43 mi · Valley Water Mill Lake 57 mi · Fellows Lake 59 mi · Beaver Lake 65 mi, AR · Greers Ferry Lake 75 mi, AR
See how Bull Shoals Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best smallmouth bass lakes in Missouri · best walleye lakes in Missouri · best white bass lakes in Missouri
Browse all Missouri fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.