Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
3,515-acre reservoir near Independence. Southeast Kansas lake famous for the state's flathead catfish record. The lake tops out around 36 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Traced from the shoreline, Elk City Lake runs 3,892 acres with 24.3 miles of edge, broken up by 2 islands. With a shoreline index of 2.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 78% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 3.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 3.8 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Montgomery County. The nearest mapped water is Verdigris River, 17 mi to the north.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 17 ft, rated prime for winter largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (17 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (7 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (17 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 11 to 36 ft. Elk Creek inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for spring channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Elk Creek inflow (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (7 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (7 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 34 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Dock / pier line (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (17 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Old creek channel (7 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (17 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (17 ft) | Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, blue catfish slide up into 5 to 25 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 36 ft, and by winter most fish are in 11 to 36 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 7 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (7 ft) | |
| Summer | 9 to 36 ft | dawn & dusk | Old creek channel (7 ft) | |
| Fall | 11 to 36 ft | dusk | Deep basin (34 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: flathead catfish in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 11 to 36 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 34 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in fall. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (7 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (7 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (34 ft) | |
| Winter | 11 to 36 ft | midday | Deep basin (34 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 14 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 34 ft.
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 Kansas waters are set by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks — and special regulations can apply to Elk City Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Kansas fishing regulations →
Elk City Lake is about 36 ft (11 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, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill, blue catfish, flathead catfish on Elk City Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 17 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 Elk City Lake is regulated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks. Check the official Kansas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Verdigris River 17 mi · Big Hill Lake 20 mi · Sedan City North Lake 23 mi · Thayer New City Lake 23 mi · Sedan City South Lake 23 mi · Thayer Old City Lake 24 mi · Hulah Lake 27 mi, OK · Polk Daniels Lake 27 mi · Parsons Lake 28 mi · Moline Reservoir 30 mi · Wilson County State Fishing Lake 32 mi · Fall River Lake 33 mi
See how Elk City Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Kansas · best crappie lakes in Kansas · best bluegill lakes in Kansas · best channel catfish lakes in Kansas
Browse all Kansas 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.