Lake Corpus Christi Depth Map & Fishing Spots (TX)

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Lake depth chart

Lake Corpus Christi, TX

Max 56 ft

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Where to start

Fall shad migration window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Fall shad migrationActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Dec 15 · upper ends and stained creeks turn on first, the main lake follows; Deep-South creeks hold bait into December

adultall day, best mid-afternoon as the sun warms the bait — the rare pattern where you can sleep in — follow the bait, not the structure: gulls, herons and egrets diving or stacked in a creek mean the shad (and the bass) are there — run and gun until you find flickering bait or surface activity

Concentrates hard but unevenly — whole stretches go empty while one creek loads up. The birds are the map.

Creek-arm run-and-gun: lipless crankbait and squarebill through the flats and ditches, walking topwater over surface schools, a 3/8 oz spinnerbait around isolated cover along the creek channel. Downsize to match the young-of-year shad; jerkbaits are the sleeper.

The event happens over backs of creek arms, pockets and ditches, secondary points on the way in, and main-lake flats where the bait balls roam

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageFeb 15 – May 15 · in ~6 months

Shad spawn · baitfishMar 15 – Jun 15 · in ~6 months

Bluegill spawn (bream-bed bass) · forageMay 1 – Jul 31 · in ~8 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are generated from real agency depth surveys; use the survey badge for the provider, dataset, datum and measured coverage. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Lake Corpus Christi

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Lake Corpus Christi on the board.

Fishing Lake Corpus Christi: what the data says

18,256-acre reservoir near Mathis. The lake tops out around 56 ft. The depth chart comes from Texas Water Development Board bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

The drawn water covers 18,115 acres wrapped in 197.1 miles of bank, with 46 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 10.4, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 66% of this chart. Tip to tip the water measures near 18.2 mi with a 6.7-mi widest point. Live Oak County claims this one. If the bite dies, Lake Findley is 26 mi to the south.

Largemouth Bass fishing at Lake Corpus Christi

Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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 (2 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	8 to 20 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (17 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	4 to 15 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (7 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Break off the point (17 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

White Bass fishing at Lake Corpus Christi

Start shallow in spring: white bass sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Long Hollow inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) until the fish tell you otherwise.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 12 ft	dawn & dusk	Long Hollow inflow (2 ft)	Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank
Summer	8 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Shoreline point (9 ft)	Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish)
Fall	6 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (7 ft)	Jigging spoon, Blade bait
Winter	15 to 40 ft	midday	Deepest basin (43 ft)	Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait

Crappie fishing at Lake Corpus Christi

Spring crappie on Lake Corpus Christi hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (2 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	10 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (17 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Break off the point (17 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Break off the point (17 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Lake Corpus Christi

Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Long Hollow inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	Long Hollow inflow (2 ft)
Summer	8 to 25 ft	night & dusk	Shallow feeding flat (20 ft)
Fall	10 to 30 ft	dusk	Shallow feeding flat (20 ft)
Winter	20 to 40 ft	midday	Deepest basin (43 ft)

Blue Catfish fishing at Lake Corpus Christi

The spring pattern is a shallow one: blue catfish in 5 to 25 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 40 ft before dropping to 20 to 50 ft for winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 44 ft of water that rates prime for blue catfish in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 25 ft	dusk	Long Hollow inflow (2 ft)
Summer	10 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow feeding flat (20 ft)
Fall	15 to 45 ft	dusk	Deep basin (44 ft)
Winter	20 to 50 ft	midday	Deep basin (44 ft)

Flathead Catfish fishing at Lake Corpus Christi

Early season flathead catfish use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 44 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 20 ft	night & dusk	Rock reef (4 ft)
Summer	8 to 30 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (17 ft)
Fall	10 to 35 ft	night & dusk	Break off the point (17 ft)
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Deep basin (44 ft)

Lake Corpus Christi also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Structure-wise the chart holds 17 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 44 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 44 ft
Deepest basin: deep basin, around 43 ft
Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 20 ft
Shallow feeding flat: feeding flat, around 19 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 17 ft
Dock / pier line: dock line, around 10 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 9 ft
Weed flat: weed flat, around 8 ft
Dock / pier line: dock line, around 8 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 7 ft
Rock reef: rock pile, around 4 ft
Weed flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Weed flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Secondary point: point, around 2 ft

Public access & boat ramps

Lake Corpus Christi — ramp
Lake Corpus Christi — ramp
Lake Corpus Christi — ramp
Lake Corpus Christi — ramp
Lake Corpus Christi — ramp

Access data: Texas Parks & Wildlife — Public Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.

Lake Corpus Christi stocking report

Date	Species	Count	Size
2026*	Channel Catfish (fry)	242,241	—
2026*	Lone Star Bass (fingerling)	100,154	—
2024*	Rainbow Trout (adult)	2,016	—

* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: TPWD stocking history, retrieved 2026-08-18.

Lake Corpus Christi fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Texas waters are set by the Texas Parks & Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Lake Corpus Christi specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Texas fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Lake Corpus Christi?

Lake Corpus Christi is about 56 ft (17 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Texas Water Development Board bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.

What fish are in Lake Corpus Christi?

Anglers target largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, bluegill on Lake Corpus Christi.

Where is the best fishing spot on Lake Corpus Christi?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Lake Corpus Christi?

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.

Is Lake Corpus Christi stocked with fish?

Yes — per TPWD stocking history records, Lake Corpus Christi was most recently stocked 2026 with 242,241 channel catfish (fry). The full stocking history is listed above.

What are the fishing regulations for Lake Corpus Christi?

Fishing on Lake Corpus Christi is regulated by the Texas Parks & Wildlife. Check the official Texas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Lake Findley 26 mi · Choke Canyon Reservoir 36 mi · Copano Bay 50 mi · Redfish Bay 52 mi · Aransas Bay 58 mi · Coleto Creek Reservoir 61 mi · Victor Braunig Lake 81 mi · Calaveras Lake 83 mi · Espiritu Santo Bay 87 mi · Lavaca Bay 88 mi · Lake Placid 97 mi · Lake Casa Blanca 101 mi

See how Lake Corpus Christi stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Texas · best white bass lakes in Texas · best crappie lakes in Texas · best bluegill lakes in Texas

Browse all Texas fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.