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Toronto tailwater to Independence. Spotted bass and three species of catfish. The river tops out around 15 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
Drawn out, this is 3,948 acres of water rimmed by 141.2 miles of bank. That shoreline is heavily fingered (development index 16) — bays, points and pockets everywhere, which multiplies the fishable edge. Tip to tip the water measures near 39.3 mi with a 9-mi widest point. You'll find it in Wilson County. For a second option, Wilson County State Fishing Lake lies 16 mi northeast.
Start shallow in spring: flathead catfish sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 15 ft covers summer, 5 to 15 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Tailout eddy (mile 1.9), an eddy pocket in the 8 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 1.9) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 1.9) (8 ft) | |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Tailout eddy (mile 1.9) (8 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Tailout eddy (mile 1.9) (8 ft) |
Come spring, look for blue catfish tight to the bank in 3 to 15 ft. Through summer count on 4 to 15 ft; the winter hold is 5 to 15 ft. Start at Toronto Lake tailwater. It's a creek channel holding about 10 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dusk | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Toronto Dam tailrace (13 ft) |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring channel catfish concentrate at Fall River confluence (Neodesha), a prime-rated inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Fall River confluence (Neodesha) (8 ft) | |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | night & dusk | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dusk | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) |
When the water first warms, spotted bass slide up into 4 to 15 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 5 to 15 ft, winter 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Current seam (mile 11.8): a current seam around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a drop shot over brush or an underspin + fluke (schoolers) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 11.8) (8 ft) | Ned rig on gravel points, Shaky head |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 11.8) (8 ft) | Drop shot over brush, Underspin + fluke (schoolers) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 11.8) (8 ft) | Walking topwater, Underspin |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Current seam (mile 11.8) (8 ft) | Damiki/hover rig, Jigging spoon |
When the water first warms, white bass slide up into 2 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 5 to 15 ft, and by winter most fish are in 5 to 15 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Fall River confluence (Neodesha): an inflow / creek mouth around 8 ft that scores prime in spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Fall River confluence (Neodesha) (8 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Toronto Dam tailrace (13 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Toronto Dam tailrace (13 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Toronto Dam tailrace (13 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Start shallow in spring: freshwater drum sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 4 to 15 ft covers summer, 5 to 15 ft covers winter. The spot to know is Toronto Lake tailwater, a creek channel in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for freshwater drum in summer. Warm-month bites cluster around the evening. Throw a jig + crawler combo or a small crankbait (slow) until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Fall River confluence (Neodesha) (8 ft) | Jig + curly tail (bounced), Small blade bait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | Jig + crawler combo, Small crankbait (slow) |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | Blade bait (vertical), Jigging spoon |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Toronto Lake tailwater (10 ft) | Jigging spoon (slow) |
Verdigris River also holds common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Verdigris River carries 27 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Toronto Dam tailrace, about 13 ft down.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Kansas waters are set by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks — and special regulations can apply to Verdigris River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Kansas fishing regulations →
Verdigris River is about 15 ft (5 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, blue catfish, channel catfish, spotted bass, white bass, freshwater drum, common carp on Verdigris River.
Toronto Lake tailwater is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 10 ft of water that rates prime for blue catfish in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each 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 Verdigris River is regulated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks. Check the official Kansas regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Wilson County State Fishing Lake 16 mi · Thayer New City Lake 16 mi · Elk City Lake 17 mi · Thayer Old City Lake 17 mi · Fall River Lake 20 mi · Toronto Lake 21 mi · Woodson County State Fishing Lake 21 mi · Severy City Lake 22 mi · Big Hill Lake 23 mi · Polk Daniels Lake 24 mi · New Yates Center Lake 24 mi · Parsons Lake 25 mi
See how Verdigris River stacks up: best white bass lakes in Kansas · best channel catfish lakes in Kansas · best flathead catfish lakes in Kansas · best blue catfish lakes in Kansas
Browse all Kansas 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.