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Rating depth structure for largemouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
The intermittent desert Gila west of Phoenix toward Gillespie Dam. Catfish, bass, carp and tilapia in runoff- and return-flow pools. The river tops out around 8 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The outline encloses 522 acres, worked by 37.2 miles of shoreline. An index of 11.6 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. Call it 16.8 mi long by 1.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Maricopa County claims this one. Surprise Lake sits 26 mi northeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Come spring, look for largemouth bass tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 8 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2). It's a creek channel holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait is the honest summer answer here.
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 8 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 0.6) (4 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 8 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2). It's a creek channel holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come summer. Prime time lands in after dark 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 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) |
When the water first warms, flathead catfish slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2). It's a creek channel holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come summer. The feeding windows run after dark 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 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) |
Spring common carp on Gila River hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 6 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run 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 8 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 18 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) (6 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 10 features, led in depth by Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) at roughly 6 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 Gila River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Gila River is about 8 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 largemouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, common carp on Gila River.
Outside-bend hole (mile 6.2) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Gila 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.
Surprise Lake 26 mi · Desert West Lake 28 mi · Pioneer Lake 29 mi · Alvord Lake 29 mi · Copper Sky Lake 39 mi · Kiwanis Park Lake 41 mi · Tempe Town Lake 42 mi · Lake Pleasant 46 mi · Veterans Oasis Lake 50 mi · Gilbert Regional Park Pond 53 mi · Red Mountain Lake 56 mi · Verde River (Lower) 61 mi
See how Gila River 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
More water nearby: Maricopa County fishing maps (16 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.