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310-acre reservoir in Pawnee County, Oklahoma. The lake tops out around 24 ft. The depth chart comes from Oklahoma Water Resources Board bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Traced from the shoreline, Pawnee Lake runs 310 acres with 5.4 miles of edge. A development index of 2.2 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 60% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Tip to tip the water measures near 1.3 mi with a 0.8-mi widest point. You'll find it in Pawnee County. For a second option, Lone Chimney Lake lies 9 mi south.
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 24 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig 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 | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Tiny spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 24 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 24 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 24 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in 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 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (24 ft) | |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (24 ft) | |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 7 to 24 ft before dropping to 7 to 24 ft for winter. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 24 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) most summer days.
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 (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (18 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 7 to 24 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 18 ft, rated prime for winter largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait 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 | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (18 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, redear sunfish run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 7 to 24 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 24 ft, rated prime for winter redear sunfish. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a micro jig or a small soft-plastic nymph most summer days.
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 | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig dragged near bottom, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 4 to 18 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig, Small soft-plastic nymph |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Break off the point (18 ft) | Tiny jig tipped with worm, Micro spoon |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (24 ft) | Tiny jigging spoon |
Pawnee Lake carries 6 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 24 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Oklahoma waters are set by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation — and special regulations can apply to Pawnee Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Oklahoma fishing regulations →
Pawnee Lake is about 24 ft (7 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Oklahoma Water Resources Board bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish on Pawnee Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for bluegill in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For bluegill, 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 Pawnee Lake is regulated by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. Check the official Oklahoma regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lone Chimney Lake 9 mi · Cleveland City Lake 14 mi · Fairfax City Lake 17 mi · Boomer Lake 20 mi · Hominy Municipal Lake 21 mi · Keystone Lake 27 mi · Lake Ponca 28 mi · Pawhuska Lake 30 mi · Perry Lake 31 mi · Bluestem Lake 32 mi · Shell Lake 37 mi · Skiatook Lake 39 mi
See how Pawnee Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Oklahoma · best crappie lakes in Oklahoma · best bluegill lakes in Oklahoma · best channel catfish lakes in Oklahoma
Browse all Oklahoma fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Depth data: Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Lake bathymetry. 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.