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Rating depth structure for smallmouth bass.
Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
The Upper Verde Wild & Scenic canyon, Perkinsville to Clarkdale. Clear, spring-fed smallmouth and catfish water. The river tops out around 8 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
The outline encloses 363 acres, worked by 43.5 miles of shoreline. An index of 16.3 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Call it 12 mi long by 3.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Yavapai County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Oak Creek, is 16 mi to the east.
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 Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6). It's a creek channel holding about 6 ft of water and rates good come winter. 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 | open water | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 2 to 8 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (6 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) |
Verde River (Upper) carries 8 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), about 6 ft down.
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 (Upper) specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Arizona fishing regulations →
Verde River (Upper) 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 (Upper).
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. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 (Upper) 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.
Oak Creek 16 mi · White Horse Lake 21 mi · Beaver & Wet Beaver Creeks 22 mi · Watson Lake 25 mi · West Clear Creek 28 mi · Cataract Lake 31 mi · Verde River 31 mi · Kaibab Lake 32 mi · Lower Lake Mary 35 mi · Sycamore Creek 37 mi · Upper Lake Mary 38 mi · Ashurst Lake 41 mi
See how Verde River (Upper) 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. 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.