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9,186-acre lake in Yavapai County, Arizona. The lake tops out around 293 ft. Bathymetry on this water is estimated from its real outline and maximum depth. Use it to shortlist water, then verify with your electronics — and never navigate by it. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 8,399 acres wrapped in 90.8 miles of bank, with 11 islands in the mix. A development index of 7.1 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. Roughly 31% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 8.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 5.5 mi at the beam. Yavapai County claims this one. Its nearest charted neighbour, Surprise Lake, is 20 mi to the south.
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (17 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Spring smallmouth bass on Lake Pleasant hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. The chart's best answer is Offshore hump — offshore hump, 29 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in 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 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (29 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shoreline point (19 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (17 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. As the season builds they drop to 25 to 60 ft, wintering in 20 to 50 ft. Spring striped bass concentrate at Creek inflow, a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (29 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (19 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Sharp break (17 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Start shallow in spring: white bass sit in 2 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 15 to 40 ft. Top water on the chart: Creek inflow, an inflow / creek mouth in the 8 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (17 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (19 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Offshore hump (29 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 40 ft. Put Creek inflow first on the milk run — an inflow / creek mouth near 8 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Sharp break (17 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (249 ft) |
Early season flathead catfish use the shallows, holding in 5 to 20 ft. Summer is an 8 to 30 ft game here, winter a 20 to 45 ft one. The chart's best answer is Sharp break — drop-off, 17 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Creek inflow (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Sharp break (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Sharp break (17 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (249 ft) |
Lake Pleasant also holds crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), tilapia (2 to 10 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 25 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 249 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Lake Pleasant specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Lake Pleasant is about 293 ft (89 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, smallmouth bass, striped bass, white bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, crappie, bluegill, common carp, tilapia on Lake Pleasant.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
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 Lake Pleasant 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 20 mi · Pioneer Lake 24 mi · Desert West Lake 30 mi · Horseshoe Reservoir 33 mi · Sycamore Creek 37 mi · Alvord Lake 37 mi · Bartlett Lake 38 mi · Tempe Town Lake 38 mi · Verde River (Lower) 38 mi · Kiwanis Park Lake 42 mi · Gila River 46 mi · Lower Salt River 46 mi
See how Lake Pleasant stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Arizona · best tilapia lakes in Arizona · best smallmouth bass lakes in Arizona · best crappie lakes in Arizona
More water nearby: Yavapai County fishing maps (9 charts). Browse all Arizona 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.