Methods of treating a subterranean formation having a vertically oriented fracture with a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous base fluid, a gelling agent, proppant particulates, and swellable particulates having an unswelled form and a swelled form; placing the treatment fluid into the vertically oriented fracture; swelling the swellable particulates at a first location against walls of the vertically oriented fracture, thereby forming a first swelled particulates plug; swelling the swellable particulates at a second location above or below the first location against the walls of the vertically oriented fracture, thereby forming a second swelled particulates plug; and settling the proppant particulates atop the first swelled particulates plug and the second swelled particulates plug to form a proppant-free channel.