Swift Lake Depth Map & Fishing Spots (WI)

Lake depth chart

Swift Lake, WI

Max 8 ft

Today's read

Where to start

Fall shiner run window is on — see the hatch outlook

Target species

Species from state lake data, resolved by location. These species come from the Wisconsin DNR's own per-lake fish listing. Where the DNR reports a group rather than a species — “panfish”, “catfish”, “trout” — the specific species are resolved from Wisconsin's fish distribution by this lake's location, depth and habitat, so those are an informed estimate, not a per-species survey. The named gamefish (walleye, musky, bass, pike, sturgeon…) are the DNR's own listing. (The depth chart is a computer-generated estimate from the lake's real shoreline and the DNR's maximum depth — not measured contours.) How we estimate species →

Hatch outlook

Fall shiner runActive window

Typical here: Sep 1 – Oct 31 · colder nights and shortening days start the push in early September — shiners slide out of open water toward warmer shallows and run up the rivers; the Rainy River run off Lake of the Woods is the marquee version

adultdaylight for the jig bite; after dark the shiners stack under dock lights with walleyes and pike mixed right in — follow the bait, not the spot — millions of shiners move together and the predators ride with them; silver profile and flash matter

Concentrates hard but travels — the school (and the walleyes under it) can be off a river mouth one week and miles upriver the next.

Jig-and-minnow is the event's signature — a frozen emerald shiner on a 1/4 oz jig drifted along the run; silver jerkbaits and trolled crankbaits take the roaming fish; blade baits under the schools.

The event happens over river mouths and the first miles upriver, warming shallow shorelines, and rocky points where the displaced bait stacks

Next on this water

Spring crawfish emergence · forageApr 1 – Jun 15 · in ~7 months

Bluegill spawn (bream-bed bass) · forageMay 15 – Aug 10 · in ~9 months

Hex (giant mayfly) · mayflyJun 15 – Aug 15 · in ~10 months

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours on this water are approximations. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Swift Lake

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Swift Lake on the board.

Fishing Swift Lake: what the data says

19-acre lake in Walworth County, Wisconsin. The lake tops out around 8 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.

The outline encloses 19 acres, worked by 0.7 miles of shoreline. A shoreline index of 1.2 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. It sits in Walworth County. Peters Lake sits 0 mi southwest — the closest neighbouring chart.

Yellow Perch fishing at Swift Lake

Spring puts yellow perch in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for fall yellow perch. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	open water	Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn	Deep basin (7 ft)	Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday	Deep basin (7 ft)	Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Deep basin (7 ft)	Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small)

Largemouth Bass fishing at Swift Lake

Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 8 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 8 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 8 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is 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	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Spinnerbait, Chatterbait
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (4 ft)	Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	Main-lake point (8 ft)	Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Break off the point (4 ft)	Blade bait, Jigging spoon

Crappie fishing at Swift Lake

Spring crappie on Swift Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 7 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled).

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	2 to 8 ft	midday & dawn	open water	1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	Break off the point (4 ft)	Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled)
Fall	2 to 8 ft	dawn	Break off the point (4 ft)	Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2")
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Deep basin (7 ft)	Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon

Bluegill fishing at Swift Lake

Spring bluegill on Swift Lake hold shallow, usually 1 to 6 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 8 ft, and by winter most fish are in 2 to 8 ft. The chart's best answer is Deep basin — deep basin, 7 ft, prime for winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	1 to 6 ft	midday & dusk	open water	1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings)
Summer	2 to 8 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig
Fall	2 to 8 ft	midday	Break off the point (4 ft)	Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped
Winter	2 to 8 ft	midday	Deep basin (7 ft)	Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon

Notable structure

Swift Lake carries 4 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Main-lake point, about 8 ft down.

Main-lake point: point, around 8 ft
Secondary point: point, around 8 ft
Deep basin: deep basin, around 7 ft
Break off the point: drop-off, around 4 ft

Swift Lake fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Wisconsin waters are set by the Wisconsin DNR — and special regulations can apply to Swift Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Wisconsin fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Swift Lake?

Swift Lake is about 8 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.

What fish are in Swift Lake?

Anglers target yellow perch, largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill on Swift Lake. These come from the Wisconsin DNR's per-lake fish listing; where the DNR lists a group (panfish, catfish, trout) the specific species are resolved from Wisconsin's fish distribution by the lake's location, depth and habitat.

Where is the best fishing spot on Swift Lake?

Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 7 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Swift Lake?

For yellow perch, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.

What are the fishing regulations for Swift Lake?

Fishing on Swift Lake is regulated by the Wisconsin DNR. Check the official Wisconsin regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.

Nearby waters

Peters Lake 0 mi · Pleasant Lake 3 mi · Lulu Lake 3 mi · Pickerel Lake 4 mi · Cedar Grove Pond 4 mi · Green Lake 4 mi · Eagle Spring Lake (Eagle L) 4 mi · Booth Lake 4 mi · Mill Lake 5 mi · Middle Lake 5 mi · Swan Lake 5 mi · Rainbow Springs Lake 5 mi

See how Swift Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Wisconsin · best crappie lakes in Wisconsin · best bluegill lakes in Wisconsin · best yellow perch lakes in Wisconsin

More water nearby: Walworth County fishing maps (31 charts). Browse all Wisconsin fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. 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.

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