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14-acre lake near Crawford County. The lake tops out around 22 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, Nelson Park Lake draws 14 acres inside 0.8 miles of shoreline. Index 1.5 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 88% of this chart. Call it 0.3 mi long. The water lies in Crawford County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Manteno Park Pond, 9 mi southeast of here.
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 7 to 22 ft, wintering in 7 to 22 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 21 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| 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 | 7 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 6 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 15 ft, wintering in 7 to 22 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
| 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 22 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 22 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 22 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 21 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Time it for 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 | 7 to 22 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) |
Spring yellow perch on Nelson Park Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 22 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 22 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 21 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
| 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 | 7 to 22 ft | dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 7 to 22 ft game here, winter a 7 to 22 ft one. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 16 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (21 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The chart marks 4 structure features on Nelson Park Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 21 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Iowa waters are set by the Iowa DNR — and special regulations can apply to Nelson Park Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Iowa fishing regulations →
Nelson Park Lake is about 22 ft (7 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 crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish, yellow perch, walleye on Nelson Park Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 21 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For crappie, 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 Nelson Park Lake is regulated by the Iowa DNR. Check the official Iowa regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Manteno Park Pond 9 mi · Oldham Lake 11 mi · Yellow Smoke Park Lake 15 mi · Willow Lake 15 mi · Loess Hills State Forest - Jones Creek 18 mi · Crawford Creek Impoundment 23 mi · Moorehead Park Pond 30 mi · Prairie Rose Lake 30 mi · Blue Lake 30 mi · Arrowhead Pond 35 mi · Black Hawk Pits 36 mi · DeSoto Bend at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge 36 mi, IA/NE
See how Nelson Park Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Iowa · best walleye lakes in Iowa · best crappie lakes in Iowa · best bluegill lakes in Iowa
Browse all Iowa 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.