Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeLake depth chart
Today's read
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
1,188-acre lake near Emmet County. Iowa DNR survey water. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 1,188 acres wrapped in 6.3 miles of bank. At index 1.3 the outline is almost a bowl — read the depth changes, not the shoreline. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 2.8 mi long by 1 mi wide at the broadest reach. Emmet County claims this one. If the bite dies, Ingham Lake is 3 mi to the southwest.
When the water first warms, largemouth bass slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 5 ft, winter 2 to 5 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Shallow bay flat: a weed flat around 1 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (1 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, bluegill slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 1 to 5 ft, winter 2 to 5 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 1 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Come spring, look for crappie tight to the bank in 1 to 5 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 5 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 5 ft. Start at Deep basin. It's a deep basin holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: yellow perch sit in 1 to 5 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 5 ft covers summer, 2 to 5 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for yellow perch in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
When the water first warms, channel catfish slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 5 ft, winter 2 to 5 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 5 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) |
Early season common carp use the shallows, holding in 1 to 5 ft. Even in summer they hold at 1 to 5 ft; winter keeps them in 2 to 5 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 1 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) |
West Swan Lake S.W.M.A. also holds northern pike (2 to 5 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 5 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: Iowa DNR — Boat Ramps. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Iowa waters are set by the Iowa DNR — and special regulations can apply to West Swan Lake S.W.M.A. specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Iowa fishing regulations →
West Swan Lake S.W.M.A. is about 5 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish, common carp, northern pike on West Swan Lake S.W.M.A.. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 1 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For largemouth bass, 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.
Fishing on West Swan Lake S.W.M.A. is regulated by the Iowa DNR. Check the official Iowa regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Ingham Lake 3 mi · Twelve Mile Lake 11 mi · Clear 12 mi, MN · Okamanpeedan 12 mi, MN · Iowa 14 mi, MN · Bright 15 mi, MN · Five Island Lake 15 mi · South Silver 15 mi, MN · North Silver 16 mi, MN · Wilmert 17 mi, MN · Lost Island Lake 18 mi · Trumbull Lake 18 mi
See how West Swan Lake S.W.M.A. stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Iowa · best northern pike lakes in Iowa · best crappie lakes in Iowa · best bluegill lakes in Iowa
Browse all Iowa fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.