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Fishing Cozad: what the data says
17-acre lake near Nebraska. The lake tops out around 14 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, Cozad draws 17 acres inside 0.7 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.2), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory.
Crappie fishing at Cozad
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | open water | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Channel Catfish fishing at Cozad
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 14-ft range, prime in winter. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk | Deep basin (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Cozad
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 14 ft, wintering in 4 to 14 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 6-ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Cozad
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 14 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 14 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for winter bluegill. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | open water | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Break off the point (12 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Walleye fishing at Cozad
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 14 ft. Summer keeps them at 4 to 14 ft, and they winter in 4 to 14 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 12 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (12 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (12 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
White Bass fishing at Cozad
Spring white bass on Cozad hold shallow, usually 2 to 12 ft. They move out to 4 to 14 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 14 ft. Put Main-lake point first on the milk run — a point near 6 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 4 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 3 to 14 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 14 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 14 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 12 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 6 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 5 ft
Cozad fishing regulations
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 Cozad specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Common questions
How deep is Cozad?
Cozad is about 14 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.
What fish are in Cozad?
Anglers target largemouth bass, walleye, white bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Cozad.
Where is the best fishing spot on Cozad?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
When is the best time to fish Cozad?
For crappie, 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.
What are the fishing regulations for Cozad?
Fishing on Cozad 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.
Nearby waters
Willow Island 5 mi · East Gothenburg WMA 7 mi · Darr 8 mi · Lake Helen 12 mi · Johnson Lake 12 mi · Dogwood WMA 22 mi · Brady Lake 23 mi · Medicine Creek 32 mi · Blue Hole West Lake 33 mi · Sandy Channel SRA 34 mi · Union Pacific SRA 40 mi · Wellfleet Lake 40 mi
See how Cozad stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best crappie 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. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.