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Fishing Colorado River (Lees Ferry): what the data says
Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry: 15 miles of wild rainbows beneath sandstone walls. The river tops out around 20 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Rainbow Trout fishing at Colorado River (Lees Ferry)
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 5 to 20 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Lowhead weir tailrace: a dam tailrace around 17 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 6 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 4 to 20 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at Colorado River (Lees Ferry)
Start shallow in spring: brown trout sit in 2 to 20 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 6 to 20 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 20 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Lowhead weir tailrace: a dam tailrace around 17 ft that scores prime in spring. Plan around after dark and early morning in the warm months. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 6 to 20 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 3 to 20 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Notable structure
- Lowhead weir tailrace: dam tailrace, around 17 ft
- Glen Canyon Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 17 ft
- Page Effluent Ponds 2A & 2B Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 17 ft
- Glen Canyon tailrace: creek channel, around 15 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 4.1): creek channel, around 15 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 6.9): creek channel, around 15 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 8.8): creek channel, around 15 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 11.9): creek channel, around 15 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 15.9): eddy pocket, around 11 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 0.3): eddy pocket, around 11 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 1.9): eddy pocket, around 11 ft
Common questions
How deep is Colorado River (Lees Ferry)?
Colorado River (Lees Ferry) is about 20 ft 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.
What fish are in Colorado River (Lees Ferry)?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout on Colorado River (Lees Ferry).
Where is the best fishing spot on Colorado River (Lees Ferry)?
Lowhead weir tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 17 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Colorado River (Lees Ferry)?
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.
Nearby waters
Lake Powell · Kaibab Lake · Lower Lake Mary · Upper Lake Mary · White Horse Lake · Ashurst Lake
See how Colorado River (Lees Ferry) stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Arizona · best brown trout lakes in Arizona
Browse all Arizona fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.