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108-acre lake near Saline County. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission survey water. 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 108 acres of water rimmed by 1.7 miles of bank. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.1) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 92% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.7 mi with a 0.4-mi widest point. The water lies in Saline County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Wild Plum Lake, 23 mi northeast of here.
Early season saugeye use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 5 to 16 ft, then a winter hold in 5 to 16 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 13 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness (shallow) or a jig + crawler and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + twister tail, Blade bait |
| Summer | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Crawler harness (shallow), Jig + crawler |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (13 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging rap |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (16 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Blade bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 16 ft, wintering in 5 to 16 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 2 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| 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 | Break off the point (13 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Break off the point (13 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: crappie sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 5 to 16 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 16 ft. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 16 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 | Break off the point (13 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | dawn | Break off the point (13 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 |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 16 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 2 ft, rated prime for spring bluegill. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
| 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 (4 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Back-bay flat (4 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 16 ft | midday | Deep basin (16 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 16 ft, wintering in 5 to 16 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 16 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Back-bay flat (4 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) |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Swan Creek 5A; the deepest is Deep basin at about 16 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 Swan Creek 5A specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Swan Creek 5A 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 saugeye, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish on Swan Creek 5A.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 13 ft of water that rates prime for saugeye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For saugeye, 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 Swan Creek 5A 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.
Wild Plum Lake 23 mi · Walnut Creek 2A 23 mi · Olive Creek Lake 23 mi · Merganser Lake 24 mi · Bluestem Lake 27 mi · Cottontail Lake 29 mi · Twin Lakes WMA (West) 30 mi · Conestoga Lake 30 mi · Twin Lakes WMA (East) 31 mi · Yankee Hill Lake 31 mi · Pawnee Lake 34 mi · Stagecoach Lake 34 mi
See how Swan Creek 5A stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Nebraska · best saugeye lakes in Nebraska · best crappie lakes in Nebraska · best bluegill 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.