Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeRiver depth chart
Today's read
Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Gila River near Cliff. Smallmouth, catfish and carp on a warmwater desert river. The river tops out around 10 ft. Depth here is modeled from the true shoreline and max depth rather than surveyed; use it to plan, not to navigate. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 261 acres, worked by 28.2 miles of shoreline. An index of 12.5 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 11.2 mi long by 2.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Grant County. Bill Evans Lake sits 8 mi south — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring smallmouth bass on Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley) hold shallow, usually 3 to 10 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 10 ft in summer, 3 to 10 ft once it turns cold. Put riffle run first on the milk run — a rock pile near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | riffle run (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | riffle run (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | riffle run (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | channel drop (6 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 10 ft. The chart's best answer is tributary inflow — inflow / creek mouth, 7 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | tributary inflow (7 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Gila River pool (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Gila River pool (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Gila River pool (10 ft) |
Early season flathead catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 10 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 10 ft; winter keeps them in 3 to 10 ft. Put Gila River pool first on the milk run — a creek channel near 10 ft that grades prime for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Gila River pool (10 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Gila River pool (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Gila River pool (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Gila River pool (10 ft) |
Come spring, look for common carp tight to the bank in 2 to 10 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 10 ft; the winter hold is 3 to 10 ft. Start at backwater slack. It's a weed flat holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | backwater slack (4 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | backwater slack (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | backwater slack (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Gila River pool (10 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 6 features, led in depth by Gila River pool at roughly 10 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for New Mexico waters are set by the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish — and special regulations can apply to Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official New Mexico fishing regulations →
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.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, common carp 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. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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.
Fishing on Gila River (Cliff-Gila Valley) is regulated by the New Mexico Department of Game & Fish. Check the official New Mexico regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Bill Evans Lake 8 mi · Lake Roberts 24 mi · Snow Lake 31 mi · San Francisco River (Glenwood) 31 mi · Luna Lake 66 mi, AZ · Trees Lake 69 mi · Black River 70 mi, AZ · Caballo Lake 74 mi · West Fork Black River 75 mi, AZ · Cluff Ranch Pond 3 76 mi, AZ · Big Lake 79 mi, AZ · Quemado Lake 80 mi
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 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.