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4,974-acre reservoir near Trenton. The lake tops out around 45 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. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Drawn out, this is 4,170 acres of water rimmed by 18.9 miles of bank. Index 2.1 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. Roughly 25% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Call it 4.9 mi long by 2.4 mi wide at the broadest reach. You'll find it in Hitchcock County. For a second option, Red Willow Reservoir lies 26 mi northeast.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 4 to 15 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 35 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 35 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 (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (35 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, white bass slide up into 2 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 9 ft that scores prime in fall. 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 (9 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (9 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (45 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 35 ft. Back-bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring 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 | Back-bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (35 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Fall channel catfish concentrate at Shallow feeding flat, a prime-rated feeding flat around 20 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (45 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: flathead catfish sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Deep basin, a deep basin in the 45 ft range, prime in winter. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (20 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (35 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (45 ft) |
Swanson Reservoir carries 10 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Deep basin, about 45 ft down.
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 Swanson Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Nebraska fishing regulations →
Swanson Reservoir is about 45 ft (14 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, white bass, crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Swanson Reservoir.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 35 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Swanson Reservoir 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.
Red Willow Reservoir 26 mi · Enders Reservoir 30 mi · Hayes Center 31 mi · Rock Creek 35 mi · Wellfleet Lake 45 mi · Medicine Creek 49 mi · Maloney Reservoir 63 mi · Hershey Lake 68 mi · Brady Lake 70 mi · East Gothenburg WMA 73 mi · Lake Helen 73 mi · Willow Island 74 mi
See how Swanson Reservoir stacks up: best walleye lakes in Nebraska · best white bass lakes in Nebraska · best crappie lakes in Nebraska · best channel catfish 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.