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Camp Verde to Childs. Desert canyon smallmouth and flathead water. The river tops out around 8 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. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Drawn out, this is 673 acres of water rimmed by 53.2 miles of bank. With a shoreline index of 14.6, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. There is no deep basin to speak of — the entire surface is under ~15 ft, prime weed water end to end. The basin spans about 16.9 mi end to end and 2.4 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Yavapai County. The nearest mapped water is West Clear Creek, 5 mi to the north.
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 2 to 8 ft covers summer, 2 to 8 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 20.4), a current seam in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 20.4) (4 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 20.4) (4 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Current seam (mile 20.4) (4 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 20.4) (4 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: channel catfish in 2 to 8 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 8 ft through summer, 2 to 8 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in the 6 ft range, prime in summer. Time it for after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) |
Spring puts flathead catfish in skinny water — 2 to 8 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 2 to 8 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 8 ft. Summer flathead catfish concentrate at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a prime-rated creek channel around 6 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) |
Structure-wise the chart holds 11 features, led in depth by Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) at roughly 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 Verde River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Verde River 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 smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish on Verde River.
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for channel catfish in summer. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each 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.
Fishing on Verde River 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.
West Clear Creek 5 mi · Sycamore Creek 10 mi · Beaver & Wet Beaver Creeks 14 mi · Pine Creek 21 mi · East Verde River 21 mi · Webber Creek 25 mi · Oak Creek 27 mi · Horseshoe Reservoir 30 mi · Verde River (Upper) 31 mi · C.C. Cragin Reservoir (Blue Ridge Reservoir) 33 mi · Watson Lake 37 mi · East Clear Creek 38 mi
See how Verde River stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Arizona · best channel catfish lakes in Arizona · best flathead catfish 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.