Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at Cottonwood River
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing Cottonwood River: what the data says
Marion to the Neosho confluence at Emporia: classic Flint Hills flathead water. The river tops out around 12 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.
Flathead Catfish fishing at Cottonwood River
Spring flathead catfish on Cottonwood River hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Flint Hills snag reach: a standing timber / brush around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | night & dusk | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday |
Channel Catfish fishing at Cottonwood River
Spring channel catfish on Cottonwood River hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1), a creek channel in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday |
Spotted Bass fishing at Cottonwood River
Start shallow in spring: spotted bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. Current seam (mile 0.6) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring spotted bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a drop shot over brush or a underspin + fluke (schoolers) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
Crappie fishing at Cottonwood River
In spring, crappie run shallow here, mostly 2 to 8 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 12 ft, and winter fish settle into 4 to 12 ft. The spot to know is Flint Hills snag reach, a standing timber / brush in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 4 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 4 to 12 ft | dawn | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Freshwater Drum fishing at Cottonwood River
Spring freshwater drum on Cottonwood River hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 12 ft, and winter fish hold in 4 to 12 ft. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1), a creek channel in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for freshwater drum in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening. Summer baits: a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Common Carp fishing at Cottonwood River
Start shallow in spring: common carp sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. By summer they slide out to 2 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 4 to 12 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Tailout eddy (mile 51.3): a eddy pocket around 7 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | midday | |
| Winter | 4 to 12 ft | midday |
Notable structure
- Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Soden Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 10 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 3.1): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 5.0): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 7.2): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 9.3): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 12.1): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 16.2): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 18.0): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 21.2): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 23.6): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 25.8): creek channel, around 9 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 28.9): creek channel, around 9 ft
Common questions
How deep is Cottonwood River?
Cottonwood River is about 12 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 Cottonwood River?
Anglers target crappie, channel catfish, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, spotted bass on Cottonwood River.
Where is the best fishing spot on Cottonwood River?
Flint Hills snag reach is the top-rated area: a standing timber / brush in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Cottonwood River?
For flathead catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark 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
Council Grove City Lake · Council Grove Lake · El Dorado Lake · Herington Reservoir · Marion Lake · John Redmond Lake
See how Cottonwood River stacks up: best crappie lakes in Kansas · best channel catfish lakes in Kansas · best flathead catfish lakes in Kansas · best freshwater drum lakes in Kansas
Browse all Kansas fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.