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7,190-acre reservoir near Smithville. The lake tops out around 55 ft. This chart interpolates between a real shoreline and a known maximum depth. It will point you at likely water, but it is not a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The drawn water covers 7,109 acres wrapped in 112.1 miles of bank. An index of 9.5 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. About 80% of the surface sits shallower than 15 ft on the modeled chart — that's the weed-and-bait zone. The basin spans about 13 mi end to end and 6.2 mi across at its widest. It sits in Clinton County. Ronald and Maude Hartell Conservation Area sits 11 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 10 to 25 ft in summer and finish the year down in 15 to 35 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Old creek channel: a creek channel around 28 ft that scores prime in winter. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Marina / dock area (10 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (28 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring puts walleye in skinny water — 4 to 15 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 15 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 40 ft. Little Platte River inflow is the standout, an inflow / creek mouth at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring walleye. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Little Platte River inflow (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (25 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 2 to 10 ft. Summer is an 8 to 20 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (9 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (14 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 25 ft game here, winter a 20 to 40 ft one. Start at Little Platte River inflow. It's an inflow / creek mouth holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Little Platte River inflow (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Old creek channel (28 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Old creek channel (28 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Old creek channel (28 ft) |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 10 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Break off the point (25 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season common carp use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 3 to 15 ft, then a winter hold in 10 to 30 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Old creek channel (28 ft) |
The chart marks 21 structure features on Smithville Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 47 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. 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 Smithville Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Missouri fishing regulations →
Smithville Lake is about 55 ft (17 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 crappie, walleye, largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill, common carp on Smithville Lake.
Little Platte River inflow is the top-rated area: an inflow / creek mouth in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Smithville 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.
Ronald and Maude Hartell Conservation Area 11 mi · Belcher Branch Lake Conservation Area 15 mi · Grindstone Lake 24 mi · Pony Express Lake 24 mi · Century Lake 24 mi · Sunrise Lake 24 mi · Eagle Lake 25 mi · Pony Express Lake Conservation Area 25 mi · Wyandotte County Lake 26 mi, KS · Willow Brook Lake 29 mi · Hamilton City Lake 32 mi · Blue Springs Lake 33 mi
See how Smithville Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Missouri · best walleye lakes in Missouri · best crappie lakes in Missouri · best bluegill lakes in Missouri
Browse all Missouri 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.