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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
Upper Tonto Creek below the Rim. A cold, stocked and wild trout reach above the warmwater lower creek. The river tops out around 7 ft. The contours come from a model of the real basin shape and its known max depth. Read them as probabilities, not soundings, and keep them out of navigation decisions. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Drawn out, this is 176 acres of water rimmed by 23 miles of bank. The 12.4 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the 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. Figure 9 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.1 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Gila County. The nearest mapped water is Christopher Creek, 3 mi to the east.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: rainbow trout in 2 to 7 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 7 ft through summer, 1 to 7 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in the 5 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon gets it done.
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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Early season brown trout use the shallows, holding in 1 to 7 ft. Even in summer they hold at 2 to 7 ft; winter keeps them in 1 to 7 ft. Put Riffle & run (mile 10.3) first on the milk run — a rock pile near 3 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and early morning. Tie on a spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) and you're in the game.
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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | night & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dusk & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | dawn | open water | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Spring puts smallmouth bass in skinny water — 2 to 7 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 7 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 7 ft. Riffle & run (mile 10.3) is the standout, a rock pile at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring smallmouth bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Riffle & run (mile 10.3) (3 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 2 to 7 ft. Summer keeps them at 2 to 7 ft, and they winter in 2 to 7 ft. Summer channel catfish concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a prime-rated creek channel around 5 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
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 7 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 7 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (5 ft) |
6 pieces of structure are mapped here — Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), around 5 ft, is the deepest of them.
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 Tonto Creek specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Tonto Creek is about 7 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 on Tonto Creek.
Riffle & run (mile 10.3) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every 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 Tonto 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.
Christopher Creek 3 mi · Bear Canyon Lake 7 mi · Knoll Lake 7 mi · Woods Canyon Lake 8 mi · Haigler Creek 10 mi · Willow Springs Lake 12 mi · Webber Creek 17 mi · C.C. Cragin Reservoir (Blue Ridge Reservoir) 17 mi · East Clear Creek 18 mi · Chevelon Canyon Lake 19 mi · Pine Creek 21 mi · Black Canyon Lake 22 mi
See how Tonto Creek stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Arizona · best channel catfish lakes in Arizona · best rainbow trout lakes in Arizona · best brown trout lakes in Arizona
More water nearby: Gila County fishing maps (10 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.