River depth chart
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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
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Chevelon Creek below Chevelon Canyon Lake. Remote hike-in wild and stocked trout in a rim-country canyon. The river tops out around 6 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Chevelon Creek runs 102 acres with 18.8 miles of edge. An index of 13.3 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. Tip to tip the water measures near 7 mi with a 0.9-mi widest point. The water lies in Coconino County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Chevelon Canyon Lake, 5 mi south of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 2 to 6 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 6 ft through summer, 1 to 6 ft in winter. The spot to know is Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 1 to 6 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 6 ft; winter keeps them in 1 to 6 ft. The chart's best answer is Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace — dam tailrace, 5 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
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 6 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 6 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
The chart marks 5 structure features on Chevelon Creek; the deepest is Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace at about 5 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 Chevelon Creek specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Chevelon Creek is about 6 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 on Chevelon Creek.
Chevelon Canyon Dam tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 5 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 Chevelon 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.
Chevelon Canyon Lake 5 mi · Bear Canyon Lake 16 mi · Black Canyon Lake 17 mi · Woods Canyon Lake 17 mi · Willow Springs Lake 18 mi · East Clear Creek 19 mi · Knoll Lake 19 mi · Christopher Creek 21 mi · Tonto Creek 23 mi · C.C. Cragin Reservoir (Blue Ridge Reservoir) 23 mi · Haigler Creek 25 mi · Webber Creek 33 mi
See how Chevelon Creek stacks up: best rainbow trout 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.