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12-acre lake in Buffalo County, Nebraska. The lake tops out around 13 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
On the chart, North Kearney Rest Stop draws 12 acres inside 0.6 miles of shoreline. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. Figure 0.3 mi of water from one end to the other. The water lies in Buffalo County. The nearest mapped water is Yanney Lake, 1 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 2 to 8 ft. As the season builds they drop to 4 to 13 ft, wintering in 4 to 13 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 12 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 13 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 13 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 13 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 13 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts bluegill in skinny water — 1 to 6 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 13 ft, wintering in 4 to 13 ft. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 5 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 3 to 13 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 4 to 13 ft, winter 4 to 13 ft. Start at Shoreline break. It's a drop-off holding about 11 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (11 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Early season white bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 12 ft. Summer is a 4 to 13 ft game here, winter a 4 to 13 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 12 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.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (12 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (12 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
North Kearney Rest Stop also holds rock bass (3 to 13 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 4 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 12 ft.
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 North Kearney Rest Stop specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
North Kearney Rest Stop is about 13 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, walleye, white bass, rock bass on North Kearney Rest Stop.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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 North Kearney Rest Stop 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.
Yanney Lake 1 mi · Kea Lake WMA 2 mi · Cottonmill Lake 3 mi · Archway Lake 1 4 mi · Bufflehead 6 mi · Union Pacific SRA 7 mi · Bassway Strip WMA 9 mi · Sandy Channel SRA 13 mi · Blue Hole West Lake 14 mi · Windmill Lake 1 15 mi · War Axe Lake 21 mi · Platte River 22 mi
See how North Kearney Rest Stop stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best crappie lakes in Nebraska
More water nearby: Buffalo County fishing maps (13 charts). Browse all Nebraska fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.