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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
2,500-acre reservoir near Byron. The lake tops out around 68 ft. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Clifton Court Forebay runs 2,212 acres with 7.9 miles of edge. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. Nothing on this chart breaks 15 ft, which makes the whole surface littoral: weeds, bait and ambush cover everywhere. The basin spans about 2.5 mi end to end and 2.1 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Contra Costa County. The nearest mapped water is Bethany Reservoir, 4 mi to the southwest.
When the water first warms, striped bass slide up into 5 to 20 ft. By summer they slide out to 25 to 60 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 50 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Deep basin: a deep basin around 51 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 ft) | 3-5 inch baitfish swimbait, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (51 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Secondary point (4 ft) | Baitfish swimbait, Metal jig |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (51 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Start shallow in spring: largemouth bass sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 15 to 35 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Secondary point (4 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (6 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 25 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 40 ft. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 6 ft of water that rates good for channel catfish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Break off the point (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | open water |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 51 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for California waters are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Clifton Court Forebay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official California fishing regulations →
Clifton Court Forebay is about 68 ft (21 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from published agency bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target striped bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish on Clifton Court Forebay.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 51 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in summer. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For striped bass, 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 Clifton Court Forebay is regulated by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Check the official California regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bethany Reservoir 4 mi · Franks Tract 14 mi · Big Break 14 mi · Lake Del Valle 18 mi · Suisun Bay 28 mi · San Pablo Bay 47 mi · Napa River 47 mi · Richardson Bay 50 mi · American River (Lower) 54 mi · Half Moon Bay 55 mi · Petaluma River 56 mi · Bolinas Bay 60 mi
See how Clifton Court Forebay stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in California · best channel catfish lakes in California · best striped bass lakes in California
Browse all California fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. 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.