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5,124-acre reservoir near Burwell. The lake tops out around 60 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.
The drawn water covers 6,412 acres wrapped in 21.8 miles of bank. With a 1.9 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 47% of this chart. Figure 9.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.2 mi at the beam. It sits in Loup County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Swan Lake, is 23 mi to the northeast.
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for fall walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (22 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (22 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (22 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for white bass & hybrids tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 22 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (3 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (22 ft) | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Break off the point (22 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
In spring, white bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 40 ft. Shoreline point is the standout, a point at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for fall white bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (22 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (60 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
When the water first warms, muskellunge slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 22 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a double-10 bucktail or a topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | Smaller bucktail (#8 blades), 6" glide bait |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Weed flat (7 ft) | Double-10 bucktail, Topwater (walk-the-dog / creeper) |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | midday & dusk | Break off the point (22 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), 10"+ glide bait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (22 ft) | Large rubber, crawled slow |
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 10 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (22 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Weed flat (7 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (22 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 25 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Shallow feeding flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 14 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Break off the point (22 ft) |
The chart marks 16 structure features on Calamus Reservoir; the deepest is Deep basin at about 60 ft.
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 Calamus Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Calamus Reservoir is about 60 ft (18 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 walleye, white bass & hybrids, white bass, muskellunge, crappie, channel catfish on Calamus Reservoir.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Calamus Reservoir 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.
Swan Lake 23 mi · Twin Lakes South 32 mi · Twin Lakes North 32 mi · Pibel Lake SRA 39 mi · Goose Lake 40 mi · Sherman Reservoir 43 mi · Willow Lake 48 mi · Arnold Lake 58 mi · Ravenna Lake 62 mi · Grove Lake 68 mi · Lake Helen 80 mi · Willow Island 81 mi
See how Calamus Reservoir stacks up: best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best crappie lakes in Nebraska · best channel catfish lakes in Nebraska
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.