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Fishing Harrison County Lake: what the data says
270-acre lake near Bethany. The lake tops out around 24 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.
Channel Catfish fishing at Harrison County Lake
Spring channel catfish on Harrison County Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 24 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 24 ft. Old creek channel is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for summer channel catfish. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday |
Walleye fishing at Harrison County Lake
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 7 to 24 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 24 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 7 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Flathead Catfish fishing at Harrison County Lake
In spring, flathead catfish run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 24 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 24 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for fall flathead catfish. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | |
| Summer | 6 to 24 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | night & dusk | |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday |
Crappie fishing at Harrison County Lake
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 24 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 24 ft. Old creek channel is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 9 ft, rated prime for fall crappie. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Harrison County Lake
Spring largemouth bass on Harrison County Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 24 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Harrison County Lake
Spring bluegill on Harrison County Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 24 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 2 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 22 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 18 ft
- Old creek channel: creek channel, around 9 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 7 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 4 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 2 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 2 ft
Common questions
How deep is Harrison County Lake?
Harrison County Lake is about 24 ft (7 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 Harrison County Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Harrison County Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Harrison County Lake?
Old creek channel is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 9 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.
When is the best time to fish Harrison County Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
North Bethany City Reservoir · Lake Paho · Worth County Community Lake · Jamesport Community Lake · King Lake Conservation Area · Crowder State Park Lake
See how Harrison County Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best walleye lakes in Missouri · best crappie lakes in Missouri · best bluegill lakes in Missouri
Browse all Missouri fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.