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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Black Canyon below Hoover Dam. Cold, clear year-round trout and trophy striped bass in the Willow Beach gorge. The river tops out around 79 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 478 acres of water rimmed by 24.4 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 8) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Roughly 15% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 10.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 1.7 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Mohave County. For a second option, Lake Mead lies 23 mi northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 5 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 8 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Survey-surface local shoal, a gravel shoal in the 5 ft range, good in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface local shoal (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface channel edge (8 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface local shoal (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Survey-surface local basin (39 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 15 to 35 ft for winter. Winter largemouth bass concentrate at Survey-surface channel edge, a good-rated channel edge around 25 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface channel edge (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | open water | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Survey-surface channel edge (25 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Survey-surface local shoal is the standout, a gravel shoal at roughly 5 ft, rated good for spring smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface local shoal (5 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface channel edge (25 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Survey-surface channel edge (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Survey-surface channel edge (25 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring striped bass on Colorado River (Willow Beach) hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 50 ft. Put Survey-surface local basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 39 ft that grades good for summer. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface local shoal (5 ft) | 3-5 inch baitfish swimbait, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface local basin (39 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Survey-surface channel edge (25 ft) | Baitfish swimbait, Metal jig |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Survey-surface local basin (39 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Winter channel catfish concentrate at Survey-surface local basin, a good-rated deep basin around 39 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Survey-surface local basin (39 ft) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: common carp in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 3 to 15 ft, wintering in 10 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Survey-surface local shoal, a gravel shoal in the 5 ft range, good in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Survey-surface local shoal (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | open water | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | open water |
Structure-wise the chart holds 11 features, led in depth by Survey-surface channel edge at roughly 54 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 Colorado River (Willow Beach) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Colorado River (Willow Beach) is about 78.8 ft (24 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey 3D Elevation Program bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Anglers target rainbow trout, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, channel catfish, common carp on Colorado River (Willow Beach).
Survey-surface local basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 39 ft of water that rates good for striped bass in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Colorado River (Willow Beach) 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.
Lake Mead 23 mi, NV/AZ · Lake Mohave 23 mi, AZ/NV · Colorado River (below Davis Dam) 68 mi · Virgin River 79 mi · Lake Havasu 85 mi, AZ/CA · Gunlock Reservoir 105 mi, UT · Sand Hollow Reservoir 109 mi, UT · Quail Creek Reservoir 113 mi, UT · Baker Reservoir 115 mi, UT · Enterprise Reservoirs 118 mi, UT · Colorado River (Parker Strip) 122 mi · Alamo Lake 133 mi
See how Colorado River (Willow Beach) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Arizona · best smallmouth bass lakes in Arizona · best channel catfish lakes in Arizona · best rainbow trout lakes in Arizona
More water nearby: Mohave County fishing maps (5 charts). Browse all Arizona 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.