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13,250-acre reservoir near Republican City. The lake tops out around 40 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, Harlan County Lake draws 13,508 acres inside 28.4 miles of shoreline. Index 1.7 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 41% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 9 mi of water from one end to the other, 4.8 mi at the beam. The water lies in Harlan County. For a second option, Kirwin Lake lies 30 mi south.
Spring walleye on Harlan County Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 19 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. The summer box starts with a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for white bass tight to the bank in 2 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 40 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 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 (40 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
In spring, white bass & hybrids run shallow here, mostly 3 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 40 ft, rated prime for winter white bass & hybrids. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (4 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 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 | Deep basin (40 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 40 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (19 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 20 to 40 ft. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 40 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (18 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: flathead catfish in 5 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 12 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 40 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Rock reef (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (19 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (40 ft) | |
| Winter | 12 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (40 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 13 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 40 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 Harlan County Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Harlan County Lake is about 40 ft (12 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, white bass & hybrids, crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Harlan County Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Harlan County Lake 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.
Kirwin Lake 30 mi, KS · Sandy Channel SRA 43 mi · Union Pacific SRA 43 mi · North Kearney Rest Stop 43 mi · Kea Lake WMA 43 mi · Blue Hole West Lake 44 mi · Yanney Lake 44 mi · Archway Lake 1 44 mi · Bufflehead 45 mi · Cottonmill Lake 45 mi · Webster Lake 46 mi, KS · Bassway Strip WMA 47 mi
See how Harlan County Lake 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.