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Best channel catfish lakes in Arizona

59 Arizona waters list channel catfish (official records or labelled estimates), 8 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Scent-driven bottom feeder. Holes, channels and inflows — best after dark.

1. Lake Powell — 516 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, CrappieWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
2. Lake Havasu — 105 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 64 public access sites
3. Lake Mead — 526 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, BluegillWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
4. Lake Mohave — 172 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites
5. Roosevelt Lake — 181 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, CrappieWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 9 public access sites
6. Apache Lake — 266 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, WalleyeWhy #6: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
7. Lake Pleasant — 293 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, White BassWhy #7: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 6 public access sites
8. Upper Lake Mary — 39 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
9. Bartlett Lake — 174 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
10. Canyon Lake — 128 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, WalleyeWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
11. Horseshoe Reservoir — 39 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
12. Saguaro Lake — 89 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, WalleyeWhy #12: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
13. Alamo Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Crappie, BluegillWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
14. Tempe Town Lake — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
15. Fool Hollow Lake — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
16. Patagonia Lake — 70 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #16: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
17. Lower Lake Mary — 27 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #17: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
18. Watson Lake — 20 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #18: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 3 public access sites
19. Kaibab Lake — 14 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #19: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
20. Lower Salt River — 10 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Common CarpWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
21. White Horse Lake — 13 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #21: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
22. Peña Blanca Lake — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #22: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
23. Cataract Lake — 25 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
24. Alvord Lake — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel CatfishWhy #24: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
25. Silverbell Lake — 7 ft max · Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow TroutWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites

…plus 34 more Arizona waters holding channel catfish.

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When to fish channel catfish in Arizona

• Spring 3–12 ft — Warm inflows and shallow mud flats after rain.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Deep holes by day; cats roam shallow flats to feed at night.
• Fall 10–30 ft — Fish concentrate in river/creek channels and deeper holes.
• Winter 20–40 ft — Stacked in the deepest holes; slow natural baits.

Also in Arizona: best largemouth bass lakes · best tilapia lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best common carp lakes · best brown trout lakes

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