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1,675-acre reservoir near Lincoln County. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. The lake tops out around 20 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 season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 6 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 20 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Break off the point, a drop-off in the 10 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Break off the point (10 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season white bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 12 ft. Summer is a 6 to 20 ft game here, winter a 6 to 20 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 20 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (20 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (3 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: white bass & hybrids in 3 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 20 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (3 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (3 ft) | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 6 to 20 ft, wintering in 6 to 20 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 20 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| 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 | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 20 ft | midday | Deep basin (20 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Maloney Reservoir also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), channel catfish (6 to 20 ft in summer), flathead catfish (5 to 20 ft in summer), freshwater drum (5 to 20 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 17 structure features on Maloney Reservoir; the deepest is Deep basin at about 20 ft.
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 Maloney Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Maloney Reservoir is about 20 ft (6 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, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, white bass, white bass & hybrids, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, common carp on Maloney Reservoir.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated 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 Maloney Reservoir 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.
Hershey Lake 13 mi · Wellfleet Lake 20 mi · Brady Lake 21 mi · Hayes Center 32 mi · Lake Helen 33 mi · East Gothenburg WMA 36 mi · Willow Island 39 mi · Arnold Lake 40 mi · Cozad 44 mi · Red Willow Reservoir 46 mi · Lake Ogallala 47 mi · Darr 51 mi
See how Maloney Reservoir stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best crappie 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.