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1,071-acre lake near Pierce County. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. The lake tops out around 24 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's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
On the chart, Willow Creek Lake draws 1,071 acres inside 5.3 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.2), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 86% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. End to end it runs roughly 2.2 mi, about 1.2 mi across. You'll find it in Pierce County. For a second option, Skyview Lake lies 12 mi southeast.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 7 to 24 ft, then a winter hold in 7 to 24 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 16 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, saugeye slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is an 8 to 22 ft game here, winter a 7 to 24 ft one. Start at Break off the point. It's a drop-off holding about 16 ft of water and rates prime come fall. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness (shallow) or a jig + crawler rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + twister tail, Blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 22 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Crawler harness (shallow), Jig + crawler |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging rap |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Blade bait |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 7 to 24 ft for winter. Spring largemouth bass concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 2 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Break off the point (16 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, white bass slide up into 2 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 7 to 24 ft, and by winter most fish are in 7 to 24 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 23 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (23 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Spring puts white bass & hybrids in skinny water — 3 to 15 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 23 ft, rated prime for winter white bass & hybrids. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jigging spoon or a topwater (when schooling) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Rooster tail / inline spinner, Curly-tail jig (white/chartreuse) |
| Summer | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jigging spoon, Topwater (when schooling) |
| Fall | 7 to 24 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (4 ft) | Small blade bait, Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait (vertical) |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 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 23 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| 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 | 7 to 24 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (16 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 7 to 24 ft | midday | Deep basin (23 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Willow Creek Lake also holds bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), channel catfish (7 to 24 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 23 ft.
Access data: Nebraska Game & Parks — Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Willow Creek Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Willow Creek Lake is about 24 ft (7 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 walleye, saugeye, largemouth bass, white bass, white bass & hybrids, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp on Willow Creek Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Willow Creek Lake 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.
Skyview Lake 12 mi · Maskenthine Reservoir 22 mi · Grove Lake 31 mi · Maple Creek Reservoir 36 mi · Chalkrock Lake 44 mi · Buckskin Hills Lake 46 mi · Missouri River 46 mi · Missouri River (Gavins Point) 47 mi, SD/NE · Powder Creek Reservoir 47 mi · Lewis and Clark Lake 47 mi, SD/NE · Elkhorn River 51 mi · Goose Lake 51 mi
See how Willow Creek Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best saugeye lakes in Nebraska
Browse all Nebraska 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.