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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Laguna Dam through Yuma to Morelos Dam. Flathead and channel catfish, bass and tilapia in a heavily diverted border reach. The river tops out around 15 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
On the chart, Colorado River (Yuma Division) draws 1,041 acres inside 44.6 miles of shoreline. The 9.9 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. End to end it runs roughly 16 mi, about 5.7 mi across. You'll find it in Imperial County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Redondo Lake, 8 mi east of here.
In spring, largemouth bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Fall largemouth bass concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9), a prime-rated creek channel around 11 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.
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 | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 8.7) (8 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9) (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9) (11 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Summer channel catfish concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9), a prime-rated creek channel around 11 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
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 | Tailout eddy (mile 21.3) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9) (11 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: flathead catfish sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 15 ft covers summer, 5 to 15 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Tailout eddy (mile 21.3), an eddy pocket in the 8 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
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 | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 21.3) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 21.3) (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 21.3) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 21.3) (8 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 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Tailout eddy (mile 21.3), an eddy pocket in the 8 ft range, prime in winter. Time it for early morning and the evening.
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 | midday & dawn | Tailout eddy (mile 21.3) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Hanlon Heading tailrace (13 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 21.3) (8 ft) |
18 pieces of structure are mapped here — Hanlon Heading tailrace, around 13 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 (Yuma Division) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Colorado River (Yuma Division) is about 15 ft (5 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 largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, common carp on Colorado River (Yuma Division).
Outside-bend hole (mile 4.9) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For largemouth 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 Colorado River (Yuma Division) 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.
Redondo Lake 8 mi · Colorado River (Laguna Division) 10 mi · Colorado River (Imperial Division) 15 mi · Colorado River (Palo Verde / Cibola) 42 mi · Colorado River (Parker Strip) 104 mi · Alamo Lake 119 mi · Gila River 120 mi · Lake Hemet 135 mi, CA · Lake Havasu 137 mi, AZ/CA · Surprise Lake 142 mi · Pioneer Lake 148 mi · Desert West Lake 148 mi
See how Colorado River (Yuma Division) stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Arizona · best channel catfish lakes in Arizona · best flathead catfish lakes in Arizona · best common carp lakes in Arizona
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.