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Emporia to Iola. Kansas flathead country; huge fish from the log-jammed bends. The river tops out around 15 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The drawn water covers 5,518 acres wrapped in 179.8 miles of bank. An index of 17.3 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. End to end it runs roughly 54.1 mi, about 6.6 mi across. Coffey County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, John Redmond Lake, is 6 mi to the north.
Come spring, look for flathead catfish tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 15 ft; the winter hold is 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Log-jam bends: a standing timber / brush around 10 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Log-jam bends (10 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Log-jam bends (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 76.6) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 76.6) (8 ft) |
When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Cottonwood confluence (Emporia): an inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Cottonwood confluence (Emporia) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | night & dusk | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) |
Spring puts blue catfish in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 15 ft. John Redmond tailwater is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for spring blue catfish. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dusk | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Lowhead weir tailrace (13 ft) |
In spring, white bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring white bass concentrate at Cottonwood confluence (Emporia), a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Cottonwood confluence (Emporia) (8 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (13 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Lowhead weir tailrace (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Lowhead weir tailrace (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
In spring, spotted bass run shallow here, mostly 4 to 15 ft. Summer keeps them at 5 to 15 ft, and they winter in 5 to 15 ft. Spring spotted bass concentrate at Current seam (mile 9.9), a prime-rated current seam around 8 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 9.9) (8 ft) | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 9.9) (8 ft) | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 9.9) (8 ft) | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 9.9) (8 ft) | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
Spring freshwater drum on Neosho River hold shallow, usually 4 to 15 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 4 to 15 ft in summer, 5 to 15 ft once it turns cold. Put John Redmond tailwater first on the milk run — a creek channel near 12 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run the evening. The summer box starts with a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Cottonwood confluence (Emporia) (8 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | John Redmond tailwater (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Neosho River also holds common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), crappie (5 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 39 features, led in depth by Lowhead weir tailrace at roughly 13 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Kansas waters are set by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks — and special regulations can apply to Neosho River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Kansas fishing regulations →
Neosho River is about 15 ft (5 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.
Anglers target flathead catfish, channel catfish, blue catfish, white bass, spotted bass, freshwater drum, common carp, crappie on Neosho River.
Log-jam bends is the top-rated area: a standing timber / brush in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For flathead catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark 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 Neosho River is regulated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks. Check the official Kansas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
John Redmond Lake 6 mi · Madison City Lake 20 mi · Yates Center Reservoir 21 mi · Melvern Lake 23 mi · New Yates Center Lake 23 mi · Woodson County State Fishing Lake 26 mi · Cedar Creek Lake 26 mi · Toronto Lake 29 mi · Osage City Reservoir 30 mi · Eureka Lake 33 mi · Wilson County State Fishing Lake 33 mi · Pomona Lake 35 mi
See how Neosho River stacks up: best white bass lakes in Kansas · best crappie lakes in Kansas · best channel catfish lakes in Kansas · best flathead catfish lakes in Kansas
Browse all Kansas 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.