Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up free Sign inSign up freeShared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
1592 km of the Vermilion River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 48 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
The drawn water covers 18,947 acres wrapped in 124.3 miles of bank. The 6.4 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. 88% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Figure 40.1 mi of water from one end to the other, 13.6 mi at the beam. Atchafalaya River sits 50 mi north — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring largemouth bass on Vermilion River hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 15 to 35 ft. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) — creek channel, 11 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Current seam (mile 6.8) (13 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 53.5) (25 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Early season crappie use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 25 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 11 ft that grades prime for fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 36.7) (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 53.5) (25 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: blue catfish sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 40 ft; cold water stacks them in 14 to 48 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6), a creek channel in the 11 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Main-channel hole (mile 53.5) (25 ft) | |
| Winter | 14 to 48 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 4.7) (14 ft) |
Spring flathead catfish on Vermilion River hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 45 ft. Put Slackwater eddy (mile 13.7) first on the milk run — an eddy pocket near 14 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 13.7) (14 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 13.7) (14 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 13.7) (14 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 49.1) (25 ft) |
Spring channel catfish on Vermilion River hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 8 to 25 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. The chart's best answer is Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) — creek channel, 11 ft, prime for summer. Prime time lands in after dark and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 53.5) (25 ft) |
Spring longnose gar on Vermilion River hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 1 to 12 ft in summer and finish the year down in 10 to 25 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 11 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run midday and the evening. The summer box starts with a rope lure or a small white spinner.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday | open water | Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow) |
| Summer | 1 to 12 ft | midday & dusk | Slackwater eddy (mile 13.7) (14 ft) | Rope lure, Small white spinner |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) (11 ft) | Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy) |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | Slackwater eddy (mile 13.7) (14 ft) |
Vermilion River also holds freshwater drum (8 to 30 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
28 pieces of structure are mapped here — Slackwater eddy (mile 49.1), around 25 ft, is the deepest of them.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Louisiana waters are set by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries — and special regulations can apply to Vermilion River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Louisiana fishing regulations →
Vermilion River is about 48 ft (15 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target largemouth bass, crappie, blue catfish, flathead catfish, channel catfish, longnose gar, freshwater drum on Vermilion River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Outside-bend hole (mile 0.6) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For largemouth 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 Vermilion River is regulated by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Check the official Louisiana regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Atchafalaya River 50 mi · Belle River 51 mi · Lake Chicot 51 mi · False River 53 mi · Lower Atchafalaya River 54 mi · Lake Verret 56 mi · Lower Old River 68 mi, LA/MS · Calcasieu Lake 77 mi · Amite River 83 mi · Kincaid Lake 89 mi · Lac Des Allemands 89 mi · Lake Maurepas 94 mi
See how Vermilion River stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Louisiana · best crappie lakes in Louisiana · best channel catfish lakes in Louisiana · best flathead catfish lakes in Louisiana
Browse all Louisiana fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.