Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Coshocton to Marietta through the historic hand-operated locks. Big flathead country. The river tops out around 30 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. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Drawn out, this is 10,988 acres of water rimmed by 220.9 miles of bank, with 3 islands in the mix. An index of 15 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Roughly 63% of the water is 15 ft or less as modeled, the band where the food chain lives. End to end it runs roughly 63.8 mi, about 17.3 mi across. You'll find it in Muskingum County. For a second option, Ohio Power Company Pond Mb-46 lies 6 mi south.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: flathead catfish in 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 30 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. The spot to know is Marietta harbor hole, a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in fall. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 82.2) (17 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 82.2) (17 ft) | |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Marietta harbor hole (26 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Marietta harbor hole (26 ft) |
Spring puts channel catfish in skinny water — 3 to 12 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 25 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the standout, a creek channel at roughly 23 ft, rated prime for summer channel catfish. Plan around after dark and the evening in the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 82.2) (17 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (23 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (23 ft) | |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Marietta harbor hole (26 ft) |
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 10 to 30 ft before dropping to 9 to 30 ft for winter. Spring smallmouth bass concentrate at Zanesville lock tailwater, a prime-rated rock pile around 12 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Zanesville lock tailwater (12 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Zanesville lock tailwater (12 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 11.8) (12 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 5.0) (17 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: freshwater drum in 5 to 20 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 30 ft, wintering in 9 to 30 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in the 23 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for the evening. Summer baits: a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dawn | Zanesville lock tailwater (12 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (23 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (23 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Marietta harbor hole (26 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Start shallow in spring: common carp sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 30 ft. The spot to know is Marietta harbor hole, a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for common carp in winter. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | open water | |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 82.2) (17 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 18 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 82.2) (17 ft) | |
| Winter | 10 to 30 ft | midday | Marietta harbor hole (26 ft) |
Spring puts largemouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 20 ft; cold water stacks them in 9 to 30 ft. Channel bar / point (mile 11.8) is the standout, a point at roughly 12 ft, rated prime for fall largemouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel bar / point (mile 11.8) (12 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel bar / point (mile 11.8) (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Channel bar / point (mile 11.8) (12 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 9 to 30 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (23 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Muskingum River also holds longnose gar (1 to 12 ft in summer), saugeye (8 to 22 ft in summer), rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 57 structure features on Muskingum River; the deepest is Marietta harbor hole at about 26 ft.
Access data: Ohio DNR — Boater & Stream Access. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Ohio waters are set by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife — and special regulations can apply to Muskingum River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Ohio fishing regulations →
Muskingum River is about 30 ft (9 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 flathead catfish, channel catfish, smallmouth bass, freshwater drum, common carp, largemouth bass, longnose gar, saugeye, rock bass on Muskingum River.
Marietta harbor hole is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 26 ft of water that rates prime for flathead catfish in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For flathead catfish, the summer bite is best in after dark 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 Muskingum River is regulated by the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife. Check the official Ohio regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Ohio Power Company Pond Mb-46 6 mi · Cutler Lake 6 mi · Ohio Power Company Pond 9515-001 7 mi · Ohio Power Company Pond 9515-004 7 mi · Wolf Run Lake 11 mi · Seneca Lake 19 mi · Wills Creek 22 mi · Salt Fork Lake 22 mi · Dillon Lake 24 mi · Burr Oak Lake 26 mi · Slope Creek Reservoir (Barnesville #3) 30 mi · Barnesville #4 Lake 31 mi
See how Muskingum River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Ohio · best smallmouth bass lakes in Ohio · best saugeye lakes in Ohio · best channel catfish lakes in Ohio
Browse all Ohio 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.