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Fishing Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley): what the data says
Gila River near Cliff. smallmouth, catfish and carp on a warmwater desert river. The river tops out around 10 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Smallmouth Bass fishing at Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. The spot to know is riffle run, a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Channel Catfish fishing at Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. tributary inflow is the standout, a inflow / creek mouth at roughly 7 ft, rated prime for spring channel catfish. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday |
Flathead Catfish fishing at Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)
In spring, flathead catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Gila River pool is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 10 ft, rated prime for summer flathead catfish. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday |
Common Carp fishing at Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)
Start shallow in spring: common carp sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 2 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. The spot to know is backwater slack, a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for common carp in spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday |
Notable structure
- Gila River pool: creek channel, around 10 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 11.6): creek channel, around 8 ft
- tributary inflow: inflow / creek mouth, around 7 ft
- channel drop: drop-off, around 6 ft
- backwater slack: weed flat, around 4 ft
- riffle run: rock pile, around 3 ft
Common questions
How deep is Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)?
Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley) is about 10 ft (3 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.
What fish are in Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, common carp on Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley).
Where is the best fishing spot on Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)?
riffle run is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley)?
For smallmouth 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.
Nearby waters
Bill Evans Lake · Lake Roberts · Snow Lake · San Francisco River (Glenwood) · Trees Lake · Quemado Lake
See how Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley) stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in New Mexico · best channel catfish lakes in New Mexico · best common carp lakes in New Mexico
Browse all New Mexico fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.