Long Branch Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (MO)

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Lake depth chart

Long Branch Lake, MO

Max 72 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 5 – Nov 15 · the Midwest edition — a ~10° drop off summer temps starts it mid-September and it builds as the water falls through the 60s; gizzard shad tolerate cold, so it outlasts the southern threadfin version

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

Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageMar 15 – May 31 · in ~6 months

Shad spawn · baitfishMay 1 – Jun 30 · in ~8 months

Bluegill spawn (bream-bed bass) · forageMay 20 – Aug 5 · in ~9 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.

Depth · ft

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Recent catches at Long Branch Lake

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Fishing Long Branch Lake: what the data says

2,752-acre lake in Macon County, Missouri. The lake tops out around 72 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.

Long Branch Lake maps at 2,501 acres behind 44.1 miles of shoreline — one island included. With a shoreline index of 6.3, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 74% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Tip to tip the water measures near 7.3 mi with a 1.8-mi widest point. It sits in Macon County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Thomas Hill Reservoir, is 15 mi to the southwest.

Blue Catfish fishing at Long Branch Lake

The spring pattern is a shallow one: blue catfish in 5 to 25 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 40 ft, wintering in 20 to 50 ft. Top water on the chart: Old creek channel, a creek channel in the 36 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 25 ft	dusk	Sharp break (17 ft)
Summer	10 to 40 ft	dawn & dusk	Old creek channel (36 ft)
Fall	15 to 45 ft	dusk	Old creek channel (36 ft)
Winter	20 to 50 ft	midday	Old creek channel (36 ft)

Bluegill fishing at Long Branch Lake

Spring bluegill on Long Branch 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 10 to 25 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 6 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 (6 ft)	1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings)
Summer	4 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	6 to 18 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	10 to 25 ft	midday	Sharp break (17 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Channel Catfish fishing at Long Branch Lake

Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 25 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is Old creek channel — creek channel, 36 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Summer	8 to 25 ft	night & dusk	Sharp break (17 ft)
Fall	10 to 30 ft	dusk	Sharp break (17 ft)
Winter	20 to 40 ft	midday	Old creek channel (36 ft)

Common Carp fishing at Long Branch Lake

Come spring, look for common carp tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 30 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	2 to 10 ft	midday & dawn	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Summer	3 to 15 ft	dawn & dusk	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Fall	5 to 18 ft	midday	Shallow bay flat (6 ft)
Winter	10 to 30 ft	midday	Old creek channel (36 ft)

Crappie fishing at Long Branch Lake

Spring crappie on Long Branch Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 10 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run 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 (6 ft)	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	10 to 25 ft	dawn & dusk	Sharp break (17 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	8 to 20 ft	dawn	Sharp break (17 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	15 to 35 ft	midday	Old creek channel (36 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Flathead Catfish fishing at Long Branch Lake

Early season flathead catfish use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 45 ft. Put Old creek channel first on the milk run — a creek channel near 36 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 20 ft	night & dusk	open water
Summer	8 to 30 ft	night & dusk	Old creek channel (36 ft)
Fall	10 to 35 ft	night & dusk	Old creek channel (36 ft)
Winter	20 to 45 ft	midday	Old creek channel (36 ft)

Long Branch Lake also holds largemouth bass (8 to 20 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), striped bass (25 to 60 ft in summer), white bass & hybrids (10 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.

Notable structure

Count 13 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 61 ft.

Deep basin: deep basin, around 61 ft
Old creek channel: creek channel, around 36 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 32 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 22 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 21 ft
Main-lake point: point, around 18 ft
Secondary point: point, around 18 ft
Sharp break: drop-off, around 17 ft
Shoreline point: point, around 16 ft
Dock / pier line: dock line, around 15 ft
Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Dock / pier line: dock line, around 6 ft

Long Branch Lake fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Missouri waters are set by the Missouri Department of Conservation — and special regulations can apply to Long Branch Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Long Branch Lake?

Long Branch Lake is about 72 ft (22 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 Long Branch Lake?

Anglers target blue catfish, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, crappie, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, rock bass, striped bass, white bass & hybrids on Long Branch Lake.

Where is the best fishing spot on Long Branch Lake?

Old creek channel is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 36 ft of water that rates prime for blue catfish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.

When is the best time to fish Long Branch Lake?

For blue catfish, 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.

What are the fishing regulations for Long Branch Lake?

Fishing on Long Branch Lake is regulated by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Check the official Missouri regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Thomas Hill Reservoir 15 mi · Forest Lake 27 mi · Brookfield City Lake 27 mi · Marceline City Lake 27 mi · Hazel Creek Lake 34 mi · Rudolf Bennitt Conservation Area 38 mi · Fountain Grove Conservation Area 42 mi · Mark Twain Lake 44 mi · Fountain Grove Conservation Area 45 mi · Little Compton Lake Conservation Area 45 mi · Peters Lake 45 mi · D. C. Rogers Lake 46 mi

See how Long Branch Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best crappie lakes in Missouri · best bluegill lakes in Missouri · best channel catfish lakes in Missouri

Browse all Missouri 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.