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30,500-acre reservoir near Ogallala. The lake tops out around 110 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
In spring, walleye run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 35 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Summer walleye concentrate at Offshore hump, a prime-rated offshore hump around 18 ft. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring puts white bass in skinny water — 2 to 12 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 25 ft, wintering in 15 to 40 ft. Summer white bass concentrate at Offshore hump, a prime-rated offshore hump around 18 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
When the water first warms, white bass & hybrids slide up into 3 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Offshore hump. It's an offshore hump holding about 18 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. Start at Rock reef. It's a rock pile holding about 8 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (18 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Rock reef (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (25 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 8 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Feeding flat: a feeding flat around 15 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Weed flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Feeding flat (15 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Feeding flat (15 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (25 ft) |
Spring rainbow trout on Lake McConaughy hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 8 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Rock reef — rock pile, 12 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (8 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (12 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Sharp break (25 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
31 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 110 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 Lake McConaughy specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Lake McConaughy is about 110 ft (34 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, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, rainbow trout on Lake McConaughy.
Offshore hump is the top-rated area: an offshore hump in about 18 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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 Lake McConaughy 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.
Lake Ogallala 10 mi · North Platte River 22 mi · Crescent Lake 43 mi · Blue Lake 44 mi · Island Lake 44 mi · Hershey Lake 45 mi · Maloney Reservoir 58 mi · Enders Reservoir 59 mi · Hayes Center 66 mi · Wellfleet Lake 67 mi · Brady Lake 79 mi · Rock Creek 80 mi
See how Lake McConaughy stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass 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.