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88-acre lake in Missouri. MDC-managed public fishing lake. The lake tops out around 21 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Water Science Center bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Hamilton City Lake runs 88 acres with 3.1 miles of edge. The 2.4 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Figure 0.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.7 mi at the beam. The water lies in Caldwell County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Sunrise Lake, 11 mi west of here.
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 21 ft, wintering in 6 to 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | open water |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| 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 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | open water | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 21 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 21 ft. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| 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 | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | open water | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | open water | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 18 ft.
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 Hamilton City Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →
Hamilton City Lake is about 21 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Water Science Center bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, crappie on Hamilton City Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
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 Hamilton City 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.
Sunrise Lake 11 mi · Century Lake 12 mi · Eagle Lake 12 mi · Grindstone Lake 14 mi · Pony Express Lake 19 mi · Pony Express Lake Conservation Area 19 mi · Jamesport Community Lake 20 mi · Willow Brook Lake 21 mi · Poosey Conservation Area 21 mi · Ronald and Maude Hartell Conservation Area 22 mi · Elam Bend Conservation Area 26 mi · King Lake Conservation Area 29 mi
See how Hamilton City Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best crappie lakes in Missouri · best bluegill lakes in Missouri · best channel catfish lakes in Missouri
Browse all Missouri fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri Water Science Center. 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.