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18-acre lake near Mahaska County. The lake tops out around 16 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
The drawn water covers 18 acres wrapped in 0.8 miles of bank. Its 1.4 shoreline index means few bank features; the contours below do the pattern work. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 98% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. The basin spans about 0.4 mi end to end. It sits in Mahaska County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Lake Keomah, is 4 mi to the west.
Spring crappie on White Oak Conservation Area Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. They move out to 5 to 16 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 16 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 16 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on White Oak Conservation Area Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 16 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 5 to 16 ft game here, winter a 5 to 16 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 2 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn & dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 5 to 16 ft game here, winter a 5 to 16 ft one. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 16 ft, prime for winter. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (16 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk | Deep basin (16 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) |
Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 16 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 16 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Back-bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 16 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 16 ft. Top water on the chart: Shoreline break, a drop-off in the 11 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (11 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & night | Shoreline break (11 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The chart marks 4 structure features on White Oak Conservation Area Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 16 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Iowa waters are set by the Iowa DNR — and special regulations can apply to White Oak Conservation Area Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Iowa fishing regulations →
White Oak Conservation Area Lake is about 16 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish, yellow perch, walleye on White Oak Conservation Area Lake. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Open the map above to see every rated 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 White Oak Conservation Area Lake is regulated by the Iowa DNR. Check the official Iowa regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Lake Keomah 4 mi · Hawthorn Lake 15 mi · Ottumwa Park Pond East 18 mi · Lake Belva Deer 19 mi · Lake Miami 22 mi · Diamond Lake 22 mi · Albia Lower Reservoir 23 mi · Albia Upper Reservoir 24 mi · Iowa Lake (Iowa Co.) 30 mi · Lake Darling 31 mi · Roberts Creek Lake 32 mi · Lake Wapello 32 mi
See how White Oak Conservation Area Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Iowa · best walleye lakes in Iowa · best crappie lakes in Iowa · best bluegill lakes in Iowa
Browse all Iowa fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.