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Kearney to Grand Island The river tops out around 25 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Platte River runs 3,468 acres with 117.4 miles of edge, with 42 islands in the mix. With a shoreline index of 14.2, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. 60% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 44.9 mi, about 3.9 mi across. You'll find it in Hall County. The nearest mapped water is War Axe Lake, 3 mi to the southwest.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 8 to 25 ft for winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in about 19 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 12 ft | dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) (14 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) |
Spring puts flathead catfish in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 7 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) is the standout, an eddy pocket at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for spring flathead catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) (14 ft) | |
| Summer | 7 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 7 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) (14 ft) |
In spring, freshwater drum run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 25 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 19 ft, rated prime for summer freshwater drum. Time it for the evening. You won't need more than a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 7 to 25 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 7 to 25 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Spring puts common carp in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 15 ft, wintering in 8 to 25 ft. Winter common carp concentrate at Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8), a prime-rated eddy pocket around 14 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 | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 11.8) (14 ft) |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 8 to 25 ft. Start at Channel bar / point (mile 6.2). It's a point holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come fall. 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 | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Channel current seam (mile 2.5) (13 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 6.2) (10 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & night | Channel bar / point (mile 6.2) (10 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (19 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Structure-wise the chart holds 25 features, led in depth by Main-channel hole (mile 23.0) at roughly 20 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 Platte River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Platte River is about 25 ft (8 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, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, walleye on Platte River.
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
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 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.
War Axe Lake 3 mi · West Wood River Point 5 mi · Cheyenne 6 mi · Windmill Lake 1 8 mi · Bassway Strip WMA 13 mi · Bufflehead 17 mi · Mormon Island West 18 mi · Archway Lake 1 18 mi · Mormon Island Middle 18 mi · Prairie Lake 19 mi · Ravenna Lake 20 mi · L E Ray Lake 21 mi
See how Platte River stacks up: best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best channel catfish lakes in Nebraska · best flathead catfish lakes in Nebraska · best freshwater drum lakes in Nebraska
More water nearby: Hall County fishing maps (6 charts). 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.