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22,000-acre reservoir near Gainesville. The lake tops out around 176 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.
The outline encloses 22,249 acres, worked by 352 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 16.8, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 27% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. The basin spans about 23.9 mi end to end and 11 mi across at its widest. It sits in Baxter County. If the bite dies, Norfork River is 6 mi to the north.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 25 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 50 ft. Secondary point is the standout, a point at roughly 13 ft, rated prime for fall striped bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (13 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (58 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (13 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Spring white bass & hybrids on Norfork Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 15 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. Put Offshore hump first on the milk run — an offshore hump near 15 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (13 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (13 ft) | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 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 | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Weed flat (20 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (13 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring smallmouth bass on Norfork Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. They move out to 10 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 22 ft that grades prime for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (6 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (22 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (13 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (35 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring crappie on Norfork 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 2 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 (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Weed flat (20 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Weed flat (20 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Offshore hump, an offshore hump in the 15 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Secondary point (13 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (35 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (35 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Norfork Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), channel catfish (8 to 25 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 35 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 157 ft.
Access data: Missouri Department of Conservation — Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Norfork Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →
Norfork Lake is about 176 ft (54 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 striped bass, white bass & hybrids, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye, bluegill, channel catfish on Norfork Lake.
Secondary point is the top-rated area: a point in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For striped 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 Norfork 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.
Norfork River 6 mi, AR · White River (Bull Shoals) 14 mi, AR · North Fork of the White 21 mi · Bull Shoals Lake 32 mi, MO/AR · Eleven Point River 50 mi · Buffalo National River 52 mi, AR · Lake Taneycomo 52 mi · Greers Ferry Lake 60 mi, AR · Jacks Fork 66 mi · Little Red River 68 mi, AR · Current River 69 mi · Table Rock Lake 70 mi, MO/AR
See how Norfork Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best smallmouth bass lakes in Missouri · best walleye lakes in Missouri · best crappie lakes in Missouri
Browse all Missouri 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.