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Bright Angel Creek from Ribbon Falls to Phantom Ranch. A hike-in inner-canyon trout stream (check NPS native-fish regs). The river tops out around 5 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Drawn out, this is 44 acres of water rimmed by 11.8 miles of bank. An index of 12.7 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Figure 5.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.4 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Coconino County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Kaibab Lake, 59 mi south of here.
In spring, rainbow trout run shallow here, mostly 1 to 5 ft. Summer keeps them at 1 to 5 ft, and they winter in 1 to 5 ft. Current seam (mile 0.3) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring rainbow trout. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon most summer days.
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 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
When the water first warms, brown trout slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 5 ft, winter 1 to 5 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Current seam (mile 0.3): a current seam around 3 ft that scores good in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Keep a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) 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 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 0.3) (3 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish 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. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1), a creek channel in the 4 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
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 | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) |
In spring, flathead catfish run shallow here, mostly 1 to 5 ft. Summer keeps them at 1 to 5 ft, and they winter in 2 to 5 ft. Summer flathead catfish concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1), a prime-rated creek channel around 4 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
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 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1) (4 ft) |
Count 3 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Outside-bend hole (mile 2.1), sits near 4 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Arizona waters are set by the Arizona Game & Fish Department — and special regulations can apply to Bright Angel Creek specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Bright Angel Creek is about 5 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.
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Bright Angel Creek.
Current seam (mile 0.3) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For rainbow 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.
Fishing on Bright Angel Creek is regulated by the Arizona Game & Fish Department. Check the official Arizona regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Kaibab Lake 59 mi · Colorado River (Lees Ferry) 60 mi · Cataract Lake 61 mi · White Horse Lake 70 mi · Lower Lake Mary 76 mi · Upper Lake Mary 81 mi · Ashurst Lake 86 mi · Oak Creek 90 mi · Verde River (Upper) 91 mi · Sand Hollow Reservoir 99 mi, UT · Quail Creek Reservoir 103 mi, UT · Beaver & Wet Beaver Creeks 104 mi
See how Bright Angel Creek stacks up: best channel catfish lakes in Arizona · best rainbow trout lakes in Arizona · best flathead catfish lakes in Arizona · best brown trout lakes in Arizona
More water nearby: Coconino County fishing maps (16 charts). Browse all Arizona fishing maps. 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.