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Rating depth structure for rainbow trout.
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A small Mogollon Rim trout tributary near Payson. Weekly-stocked rainbows at the Houston Mesa crossings. The river tops out around 5 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Drawn out, this is 448 acres of water rimmed by 46 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 15.5) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. End to end it runs roughly 12 mi, about 4.4 mi across. The water lies in Gila County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Pine Creek, 13 mi northeast of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 1 to 5 ft. The depth story barely changes: 1 to 5 ft through summer, 1 to 5 ft in winter. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 17.4), a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
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 | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 17.4) (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 17.4) (3 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 17.4) (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 5 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 17.4) (3 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
9 pieces of structure are mapped here — Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), around 4 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 East Verde River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
East Verde River is about 5 ft (2 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 rainbow trout on East Verde River.
Current seam (mile 17.4) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
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 East Verde River 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.
Pine Creek 13 mi · Webber Creek 15 mi · Horseshoe Reservoir 19 mi · Sycamore Creek 20 mi · Verde River 21 mi · West Clear Creek 23 mi · Tonto Creek 26 mi · Bartlett Lake 27 mi · C.C. Cragin Reservoir (Blue Ridge Reservoir) 27 mi · Knoll Lake 28 mi · Christopher Creek 28 mi · Beaver & Wet Beaver Creeks 31 mi
See how East Verde River stacks up: best rainbow trout lakes in Arizona
More water nearby: Gila County fishing maps (10 charts). 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.