Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Eldred Sherwood Lake
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Eldred Sherwood Lake: what the data says
28-acre lake near Hancock County. The lake tops out around 21 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.
Crappie fishing at Eldred Sherwood Lake
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 21 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 21 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 20 ft, rated prime for winter crappie. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Bluegill fishing at Eldred Sherwood Lake
Spring bluegill on Eldred Sherwood Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 21 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 20 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Largemouth Bass fishing at Eldred Sherwood Lake
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 21 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in winter. 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.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Channel Catfish fishing at Eldred Sherwood Lake
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 6 to 21 ft, and winter fish settle into 6 to 21 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday |
Yellow Perch fishing at Eldred Sherwood Lake
Spring yellow perch on Eldred Sherwood Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 6 to 21 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 21 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dawn | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | midday & dawn | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Walleye fishing at Eldred Sherwood Lake
Start shallow in spring: walleye sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 6 to 21 ft, and by winter most fish are in 6 to 21 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 19 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & night | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft | dusk & dawn | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 20 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 19 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 3 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Eldred Sherwood Lake?
Eldred Sherwood Lake is about 21 ft at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
What fish are in Eldred Sherwood Lake?
Anglers target largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, yellow perch on Eldred Sherwood Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on Eldred Sherwood Lake?
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 20 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Eldred Sherwood Lake?
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.
Nearby waters
Lake Cornelia · Clear Lake · Bluebill Lake · Beeds Lake · Crystal Lake · Rice Lake
See how Eldred Sherwood 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 every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.