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Oshkosh to Lewellen (McConaughy inlet) The river tops out around 10 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Drawn out, this is 375 acres of water rimmed by 26.9 miles of bank, broken up by 5 islands. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 9.9) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Tip to tip the water measures near 11.6 mi with a 1.1-mi widest point. You'll find it in Garden County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Lake McConaughy, 22 mi east of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 10 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 10 ft through summer, 3 to 10 ft in winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2), a creek channel in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 3 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 3 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. Start at Riffle & run (mile 2.5). It's a rock pile holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Current seam (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & night | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring white bass on North Platte River hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 10 ft in summer, 3 to 10 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Current seam (mile 0.6) — current seam, 6 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Spring puts common carp in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Fall common carp concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2), a prime-rated creek channel around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) (8 ft) |
The chart marks 7 structure features on North Platte River; the deepest is Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) at about 8 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 Platte River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
North Platte River is about 10 ft (3 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 channel catfish, walleye, white bass, common carp on North Platte River.
Outside-bend hole (mile 8.2) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For channel 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 North Platte River 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.
Lake McConaughy 22 mi · Crescent Lake 26 mi · Blue Lake 27 mi · Island Lake 28 mi · Lake Ogallala 32 mi · Hershey Lake 67 mi · Enders Reservoir 73 mi · Smith Lake 74 mi · Lake Minatare 76 mi · Cottonwood Steverson Lake 78 mi · Maloney Reservoir 79 mi · Oliver Reservoir 83 mi
See how North Platte River stacks up: best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best channel catfish lakes in Nebraska · best common carp lakes in Nebraska
Browse all Nebraska 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.