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55-acre lake near Lincoln County. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. The lake tops out around 21 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:
The drawn water covers 55 acres wrapped in 1.7 miles of bank. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 66% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.8 mi. It sits in Lincoln County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Maloney Reservoir, is 13 mi to the southeast.
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 6 to 21 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 21 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring northern pike on Hershey Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 8 to 20 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 21 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (13 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts rock bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 21 ft. Summer rock bass concentrate at Main-lake point, a prime-rated point around 11 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. A ned rig (small) or a marabou jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
Spring bluegill on Hershey 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 6 to 21 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 6 to 21 ft game here, winter a 6 to 21 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 21 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) |
Hershey Lake also holds flathead catfish (6 to 21 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 21 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Hershey Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Hershey Lake is about 21 ft (6 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 yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Hershey Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in 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 Hershey 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.
Maloney Reservoir 13 mi · Wellfleet Lake 29 mi · Brady Lake 34 mi · Lake Ogallala 35 mi · Hayes Center 38 mi · Lake Helen 45 mi · Lake McConaughy 45 mi · Arnold Lake 45 mi · East Gothenburg WMA 49 mi · Willow Island 51 mi · Red Willow Reservoir 55 mi · Cozad 56 mi
See how Hershey Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best northern pike lakes in Nebraska · best bluegill 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.