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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
55-acre lake near Williams. The lake tops out around 25 ft. What you see is a modeled chart: the shoreline is real, the max depth is published, and the contours between are estimated. Plan with it; don't navigate by it. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Cataract Lake's chart carries 1.2 miles of bank. Index 1.6 on the shoreline: a few honest points and pockets, nothing labyrinthine. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 64% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 0.5 mi with a 0.2-mi widest point. You'll find it in Coconino County. The nearest mapped water is Kaibab Lake, 4 mi to the northeast.
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 7 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 25 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon 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 | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 7 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 7 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 5 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Spring brown trout on Cataract Lake hold shallow, usually 3 to 25 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 8 to 25 ft in summer, 4 to 25 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 11 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and early morning. The summer box starts with a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night).
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 | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 4 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Shallow bay flat is the standout, a weed flat at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
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 | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 8 to 25 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 21 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in 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 | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (21 ft) | |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) |
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 25 ft before dropping to 8 to 25 ft for winter. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 21 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) 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 | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Break off the point (11 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 8 to 25 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: bluegill sit in 1 to 6 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (11 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (21 ft) | Tiny spoon |
The chart marks 5 structure features on Cataract Lake; the deepest is Deep basin at about 21 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Cataract Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Cataract Lake is about 25 ft (8 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, largemouth bass, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill on Cataract Lake.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Cataract Lake 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 4 mi · White Horse Lake 15 mi · Verde River (Upper) 31 mi · Oak Creek 36 mi · Lower Lake Mary 38 mi · Upper Lake Mary 43 mi · Watson Lake 47 mi · Ashurst Lake 49 mi · Beaver & Wet Beaver Creeks 49 mi · West Clear Creek 57 mi · Verde River 60 mi · Bright Angel Creek 61 mi
See how Cataract Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Arizona · best crappie lakes in Arizona · best bluegill lakes in Arizona · best channel catfish 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.