Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
36-acre lake in Dawson County, Nebraska. The lake tops out around 13 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
The outline encloses 36 acres, worked by 1.1 miles of shoreline. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.3) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Call it 0.5 mi long by 0.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. Dawson County claims this one. If the bite dies, East Gothenburg WMA is 2 mi to the northwest.
Spring crappie on Willow Island hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 4 to 13 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 13 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 13 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).
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 (2 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 13 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 13 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 13 ft that grades prime for winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
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 | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 4 to 13 ft, then a winter hold in 4 to 13 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
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 (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (5 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring bluegill on Willow Island hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 3 to 13 ft in summer and finish the year down in 4 to 13 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 2 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.
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 (2 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (5 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 3 to 13 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 13 ft covers summer, 4 to 13 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening and early morning. Throw a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) 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 | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (5 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (5 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: white bass sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 13 ft; cold water stacks them in 4 to 13 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 13 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) 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 | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (13 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 3 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (2 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 4 to 13 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Willow Island also holds common carp (3 to 13 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 5 structure features on Willow Island; the deepest is Deep basin at about 13 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 Willow Island specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Willow Island is about 13 ft (4 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, bluegill, walleye, white bass, common carp on Willow Island.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Willow Island 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.
East Gothenburg WMA 2 mi · Cozad 5 mi · Lake Helen 7 mi · Darr 13 mi · Johnson Lake 17 mi · Brady Lake 18 mi · Dogwood WMA 27 mi · Medicine Creek 33 mi · Wellfleet Lake 36 mi · Arnold Lake 38 mi · Blue Hole West Lake 38 mi · Maloney Reservoir 39 mi
See how Willow Island stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best crappie lakes in Nebraska
More water nearby: Dawson County fishing maps (6 charts). Browse all Nebraska fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.