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98-acre lake near Swanzey. NH GRANIT / NH Fish & Game survey water. The lake tops out around 50 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.
Swanzey Lake maps at 98 acres behind 1.8 miles of shoreline. Nearly circular (index 1.3), so the story is the bottom, not the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 35% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 0.8 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.3 mi at the beam. Cheshire County claims this one. Wilson Pond sits 4 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Early season brook trout use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 3 to 20 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 10 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a small spoon fished deep or a trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Small inline spinner (gold), Tiny spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Small spoon fished deep, Trolled lake-clear wobbler + worm |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Small spoon (orange), Spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Tungsten jig + plastic |
Spring rainbow trout on Swanzey Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. Put Break off the point first on the milk run — a drop-off near 42 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (42 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: yellow perch in 3 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 10 to 30 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 7 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning. Summer baits: a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (42 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (49 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Main-lake point: a point around 10 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (10 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (42 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for bluegill tight to the bank in 1 to 6 ft. They move out to 4 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Back-bay flat: a weed flat around 6 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Back-bay flat (6 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Start shallow in spring: pumpkinseed sit in 1 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 2 to 10 ft; cold water stacks them in 6 to 18 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 7 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in the evening and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a micro tube or a sponge spider (fly) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig under a float, Tiny beetle-spin |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro tube, Sponge spider (fly) |
| Fall | 4 to 14 ft | dusk & dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 6 to 18 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (7 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Swanzey Lake also holds brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), chain pickerel (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 6 structure features on Swanzey Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 49 ft.
Access data: New Hampshire Fish & Game — Public Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 6 | Rainbow Trout | 800 | — |
| Apr 9 | Brook Trout | 755 | — |
Source: NH Fish & Game stocking report, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Hampshire waters are set by the New Hampshire Fish and Game — and special regulations can apply to Swanzey Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Hampshire fishing regulations →
Swanzey Lake is about 50 ft (15 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 brook trout, rainbow trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, bluegill, pumpkinseed, brown bullhead, chain pickerel on Swanzey Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For brook trout, 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.
Yes — per NH Fish & Game stocking report records, Swanzey Lake was most recently stocked May 6 with 800 rainbow trout. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Swanzey Lake is regulated by the New Hampshire Fish and Game. Check the official New Hampshire regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Wilson Pond 4 mi · SANDY POND 5 mi · Forest Lake 5 mi · FULLAM POND 6 mi · MEETINGHOUSE POND (CHESHIRE) 7 mi · Cass Pond 7 mi · Rockwood Pond 7 mi · Babbidge Reservoir 7 mi · Pisgah Reservoir 8 mi · Otter Brook Pool 8 mi · Stone Pond 8 mi · Spofford Lake 8 mi
See how Swanzey Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New Hampshire · best bluegill lakes in New Hampshire · best rainbow trout lakes in New Hampshire · best yellow perch lakes in New Hampshire
More water nearby: Cheshire County fishing maps (61 charts). Browse all New Hampshire 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.