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40-acre lake near Lancaster County. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. The lake tops out around 12 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 40 acres wrapped in 1.1 miles of bank. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Call it 0.5 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Lancaster County. If the bite dies, Wild Plum Lake is 2 mi to the northwest.
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 4 to 12 ft game here, winter a 4 to 12 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is 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 | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on Merganser Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 3 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 12 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 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 (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Break off the point (9 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Even in summer they hold at 4 to 12 ft; winter keeps them in 4 to 12 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 12 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) |
Come spring, look for common carp tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 12 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 12 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 2 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) |
5 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 12 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 Merganser Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Merganser Lake is about 12 ft (4 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 largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp on Merganser Lake.
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. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Fishing on Merganser Lake 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.
Wild Plum Lake 2 mi · Olive Creek Lake 2 mi · Bluestem Lake 4 mi · Cottontail Lake 6 mi · Walnut Creek 2A 6 mi · Yankee Hill Lake 9 mi · Conestoga Lake 11 mi · Stagecoach Lake 11 mi · Wagon Train 14 mi · Hedgefield Lake 15 mi · Twin Lakes WMA (West) 16 mi · Twin Lakes WMA (East) 16 mi
See how Merganser Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best bluegill lakes in Nebraska · best channel catfish lakes in Nebraska · best common carp lakes in Nebraska
More water nearby: Lancaster County fishing maps (15 charts). 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.