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Fishing Johnson Lake: what the data says
2,061-acre lake near Lexington. The lake tops out around 30 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. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Walleye fishing at Johnson Lake
Spring walleye on Johnson Lake hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 9 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 15 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
White Bass fishing at Johnson Lake
In spring, white bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 9 to 30 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 30 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | see map |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | see map |
Channel Catfish fishing at Johnson Lake
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday |
Crappie fishing at Johnson Lake
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 30 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 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 | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Freshwater Drum fishing at Johnson Lake
In spring, freshwater drum run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 9 to 30 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 30 ft, rated prime for winter freshwater drum. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. A jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 30 ft
- Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 15 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 3 ft
- Main-lake 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 Johnson Lake?
Johnson Lake is about 30 ft 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 Johnson Lake?
Anglers target walleye, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, freshwater drum on Johnson Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Johnson Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Johnson Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Dogwood WMA · East Gothenburg WMA · Lake Helen · Blue Hole West Lake · Medicine Creek · Sandy Channel SRA
See how Johnson 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 every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.