Lake Wichita Depth Map & Fishing Spots (TX)

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Lake depth chart

Lake Wichita, TX

Max 10 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 ~5 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 on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Lake Wichita

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 Wichita on the board.

Fishing Lake Wichita: what the data says

1,224-acre reservoir near Wichita Falls. Historic shallow lake under restoration at Wichita Falls. The lake tops out around 10 ft. Contours on this water are modeled from its actual shoreline and max depth. Good for finding likely water, never for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

Lake Wichita maps at 1,244 acres behind 12.4 miles of shoreline. An index of 2.5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 3.3 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.8 mi at the beam. Archer County claims this one. Lake Arrowhead sits 14 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.

Largemouth Bass fishing at Lake Wichita

Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 3 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	3 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Break off the point (5 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

White Bass fishing at Lake Wichita

Spring puts white bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Main-lake point is the standout, a point at roughly 8 ft, rated prime for fall white bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. 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 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Old creek channel (5 ft)	Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank
Summer	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish)
Fall	2 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Jigging spoon, Blade bait
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Deep basin (9 ft)	Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait

White Bass & Hybrids fishing at Lake Wichita

When the water first warms, white bass & hybrids slide up into 2 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 8 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in 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	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Old creek channel (5 ft)	Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse)
Summer	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling)
Fall	3 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Small blade bait, Jigging spoon
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Deep basin (9 ft)	Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical)

Crappie fishing at Lake Wichita

When the water first warms, crappie slide up into 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 10 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 5 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Old creek channel (5 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	3 to 10 ft	dawn	Old creek channel (5 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Deep basin (9 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Lake Wichita

Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. Start at Old creek channel. It's a creek channel holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 10 ft	dusk	Old creek channel (5 ft)
Summer	3 to 10 ft	night & dusk	Old creek channel (5 ft)
Fall	3 to 10 ft	dusk	Old creek channel (5 ft)
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Deep basin (9 ft)

Bluegill fishing at Lake Wichita

Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 3 to 10 ft in summer and finish the year down in 3 to 10 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 3 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.

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	3 to 10 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	3 to 10 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (3 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	3 to 10 ft	midday	Deep basin (9 ft)	Tiny spoon

Notable structure

The chart marks 8 structure features on Lake Wichita; the deepest is Deep basin at about 9 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 9 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 5 ft
Old creek channel: creek channel, around 5 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 3 ft
Dock / pier line: dock line, around 0 ft

Lake Wichita stocking report

Date	Species	Count	Size
2025*	Channel Catfish (fingerling)	60,826	—

* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: TPWD stocking history, retrieved 2026-09-03.

Lake Wichita 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 Wichita specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Texas fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Lake Wichita?

Lake Wichita is about 10 ft (3 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Lake Wichita?

Anglers target largemouth bass, white bass, white bass & hybrids, crappie, channel catfish, bluegill on Lake Wichita.

Where is the best fishing spot on Lake Wichita?

Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Lake Wichita?

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 Wichita stocked with fish?

Yes — per TPWD stocking history records, Lake Wichita was most recently stocked 2025 with 60,826 channel catfish (fingerling). The full stocking history is listed above.

What are the fishing regulations for Lake Wichita?

Fishing on Lake Wichita 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 Arrowhead 14 mi · North Fork Buffalo Creek Reservoir 16 mi · Lake Kickapoo 21 mi · Diversion Lake 24 mi · Lake Cooper (Olney) 30 mi · Lake Olney 31 mi · Lake Jap Beaver 37 mi, OK · Lake Kemp 39 mi · Dave Boyer Lake 39 mi, OK · Waurika Lake 41 mi, OK · Lake Bryson 45 mi · Amon G. Carter Lake 46 mi

See how Lake Wichita 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. 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.