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Norfolk to Waterloo The river tops out around 6 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The drawn water covers 11,209 acres wrapped in 223.6 miles of bank, with 10 islands in the mix. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 15.1) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. The basin spans about 79.5 mi end to end and 17.8 mi across at its widest. It sits in Dodge County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Maple Creek Reservoir, is 20 mi to the west.
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 2 to 6 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 6 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3): a creek channel around 5 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) |
When the water first warms, flathead catfish slide up into 2 to 6 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 6 ft, winter 2 to 6 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3): a creek channel around 5 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) |
Early season freshwater drum use the shallows, holding in 2 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 6 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 5 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Tie on a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Spring common carp on Elkhorn River hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 1 to 6 ft in summer, 2 to 6 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) — creek channel, 5 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dawn | open water | |
| Summer | 1 to 6 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 6 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) (5 ft) |
Elkhorn River carries 53 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3), about 5 ft down.
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 Elkhorn River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Elkhorn River is about 6 ft (2 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 channel catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, common carp on Elkhorn River.
Outside-bend hole (mile 14.3) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For channel catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark 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 Elkhorn River 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.
Maple Creek Reservoir 20 mi · Fremont Lake 7 and 8 21 mi · Fremont Lake 4 21 mi · Fremont Lake 5 21 mi · Fremont Lakes 2 22 mi · Fremont Lakes 1 22 mi · Fremont Lake 9 22 mi · Fremont Lake 16 22 mi · Fremont Lake 10 22 mi · Fremont Lake 20 23 mi · Czechland Lake 23 mi · Fremont Lake 15 23 mi
See how Elkhorn River stacks up: best channel catfish lakes in Nebraska · best flathead catfish lakes in Nebraska · best freshwater drum lakes in Nebraska · best common carp lakes in Nebraska
More water nearby: Dodge County fishing maps (13 charts). Browse all Nebraska 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.