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Marshall to Allegan. Underrated smallmouth float water. The river tops out around 10 ft. The depth picture is modeled, anchored to the true shoreline and the water's published max depth — a scouting aid, never a chart to run a boat by. Every species below gets its seasonal read from the same numbers driving the chart.
Traced from the shoreline, Kalamazoo River runs 5,496 acres with 145.2 miles of edge, broken up by 3 islands. The 14 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. 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 49.4 mi, about 10.6 mi across. The water lies in Kalamazoo County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Gull Lake, 0 mi northwest of here.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: smallmouth bass in 3 to 10 ft. The depth story barely changes: 3 to 10 ft through summer, 3 to 10 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Riffle & run (mile 3.1), a rock pile in the 4 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 3.1) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 3.1) (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 3.1) (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 20.5) (6 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 3 to 10 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 10 ft, winter 3 to 10 ft. Start at Dam tailrace. It's a dam tailrace holding about 9 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Dam tailrace (9 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Dam tailrace (9 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & night | Dam tailrace (9 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Dam tailrace (9 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Start shallow in spring: channel catfish sit in 3 to 10 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 3 to 10 ft covers summer, 3 to 10 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Outside-bend hole (mile 8.4), a creek channel in about 8 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 6.5) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.4) (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.4) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 8.4) (8 ft) |
Spring rock bass on Kalamazoo River hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 10 ft in summer, 3 to 10 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Riffle & run (mile 3.1) — rock pile, 4 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in the evening. The summer box starts with a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 3.1) (4 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dusk | Riffle & run (mile 3.1) (4 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 3.1) (4 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 3.1) (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
The chart marks 41 structure features on Kalamazoo River; the deepest is Dam tailrace at about 9 ft.
Access data: Michigan DNR — Michigan Boating Access Sites. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10 | Walleye | 54,588 | ~3.2" |
| May 9 | Chinook salmon | 124,672 | ~9.2" |
| Apr 3 | Rainbow trout | 23,212 | ~19.5" |
Source: Michigan DNR fish-stocking database, retrieved 2026-08-18.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Michigan waters are set by the Michigan DNR — and special regulations can apply to Kalamazoo River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Michigan fishing regulations →
Kalamazoo River 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, walleye, channel catfish, rock bass on Kalamazoo River.
Riffle & run (mile 3.1) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
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.
Yes — per Michigan DNR fish-stocking database records, Kalamazoo River was most recently stocked Jun 10 with 54,588 walleye. The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Kalamazoo River is regulated by the Michigan DNR. Check the official Michigan regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Gull Lake 0 mi · Wintergreen Lake 1 mi · Duck Lake 2 mi · Little Long Lake 3 mi · Sherman Lake 3 mi · Stony Lake 3 mi · Campbell Lake 6 mi · Crooked Lake, Lower 6 mi · Gilkey Lake 6 mi · Eagle Lake 6 mi · Pleasant Lake 7 mi · Warner Lake 8 mi
See how Kalamazoo River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Michigan · best walleye lakes in Michigan · best channel catfish lakes in Michigan · best rock bass lakes in Michigan
More water nearby: Kalamazoo County fishing maps (16 charts). Browse all Michigan 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.