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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Oak Creek Canyon from Slide Rock to Sedona. Stocked and wild trout up top, smallmouth and bass toward the Verde. The river tops out around 8 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
The outline encloses 595 acres, worked by 53.8 miles of shoreline. With a shoreline index of 15.7, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. All of it is shallow-zone water — under ~15 ft across the entire basin, so the food chain has the run of the place. The basin spans about 15.2 mi end to end and 4.1 mi across at its widest. It sits in Yavapai County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Beaver & Wet Beaver Creeks, is 14 mi to the south.
Spring rainbow trout on Oak Creek hold shallow, usually 2 to 8 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 8 ft in summer, 2 to 8 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Current seam (mile 2.5) — current seam, 4 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 1 to 8 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 8 ft, and they winter in 1 to 8 ft. Summer brown trout concentrate at Current seam (mile 2.5), a prime-rated current seam around 4 ft. Fish it in after dark and early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
When the water first warms, smallmouth bass slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. Start at Current seam (mile 2.5). It's a current seam holding about 4 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig rigged through the warm months.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 2.5) (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Come spring, look for channel catfish tight to the bank in 2 to 8 ft. Through summer count on 2 to 8 ft; the winter hold is 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): a creek channel around 6 ft that scores prime in summer. Best bite is after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) |
When the water first warms, flathead catfish slide up into 2 to 8 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 8 ft, winter 2 to 8 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6): a creek channel around 6 ft that scores prime in summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) |
Count 11 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), sits near 6 ft.
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 Oak Creek specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Oak Creek is about 8 ft (2 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 rainbow trout, brown trout, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Oak Creek.
Current seam (mile 2.5) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For rainbow trout, 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 Oak Creek 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.
Beaver & Wet Beaver Creeks 14 mi · Verde River (Upper) 16 mi · White Horse Lake 22 mi · Lower Lake Mary 22 mi · West Clear Creek 23 mi · Upper Lake Mary 23 mi · Ashurst Lake 26 mi · Verde River 27 mi · Kaibab Lake 36 mi · Cataract Lake 36 mi · Sycamore Creek 37 mi · Pine Creek 37 mi
See how Oak Creek stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Arizona · best channel catfish lakes in Arizona · best rainbow trout lakes in Arizona · best flathead catfish lakes in Arizona
More water nearby: Yavapai County fishing maps (9 charts). Browse all Arizona fishing maps. 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.