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Verde River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

Arizona’s desert river: the Verde runs smallmouth and catfish through cottonwood galleries.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
101 cfs
Air / High
89 / 92 F
Wind
S 14 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 09506000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Verde River sits in the sweet spot of the season: active fish and workable weather. The river is running 101 cfs, on the rise. Today brings a mixed sky, wind S around 14 mph, rising pressure near 1010 hPa and a high of 92. Water sits around 73 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

MuskellungeExcellent

Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Smallmouth bassGood

Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

WalleyeGood

Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Catfish (blue, channel)Good

Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

Tomorrow: Similar at 92 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Verde River near Camp Verde.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 09506000.

71120169101 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp89 F
High / Low92 / 75 F
WindS 14-18 mph
Pressure1010.2 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain33% cloud, 5%
Sunrise / Sunset06:02 / 18:49
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~73 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Partly cloudy, 92/75 F, wind 18 mph, rain 5%

Fair or better. A 18 mph breeze puts a working chop on the banks it hits: fish the wind-blown side.

Species guide

The species that matter on Verde River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Smallmouth bass illustration

Smallmouth bass

Best: May-Oct

Current and rock. Finds gravel flats, boulders and drop-offs, and fights far above its weight. Peak season. Tubes, jerkbaits and swimbaits around gravel points, boulders and current seams.

Walleye illustration

Walleye

Best: May-Jun, Oct

The glass-eyed prize of northern lakes. Low light, wind-blown structure and live bait. Jig and minnow on rock reefs and points; the evening bite on wind-blown shores is the one to plan around.

Muskellunge illustration

Muskellunge

Best: Sep-Nov

The fish of ten thousand casts. Weed edges, rock bars and big-water structure. Bucktails and rubber over cabbage and rock bars; moon majors matter here more than anywhere.

Catfish (blue, channel) illustration

Catfish (blue, channel)

Good year-round

The most reliable bite on most southern waters. Blues run big; channels fill the cooler. Drift cut bait across flats near the river channel, or anchor on ledges at dusk.

When to come: the Verde River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Smallmouth bass
Walleye
Muskellunge
Catfish (blue, channel)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 73 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~73 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Verde River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Muskellunge led the card at excellent. High of 91 F, wind to 16 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Muskellunge led the card at excellent. High of 91 F, wind to 17 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Smallmouth bass led the card at excellent. High of 92 F, wind to 13 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Arizona requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Arizona license. Bass and catfish limits per current AZGFD regulations; trout stamp for the stocked winter fishery.

Access

Dead Horse Ranch State Park at Cottonwood, road crossings and the Verde River Greenway.

About this water

A 170-mile perennial desert river through central Arizona to the Salt River, Yavapai County.

Fishing Verde River: the full guide

A perennial river in the desert

The Verde River flows about 170 miles through central Arizona to the Salt River, one of the state’s few perennial desert rivers and protected as Wild and Scenic through part of its length. Cottonwood and willow line its banks in a landscape of saguaro and juniper. Smallmouth bass are the primary sport fish, with channel and flathead catfish, sunfish and, in the upper river, stocked trout in cool months.

Smallmouth water

The middle river through Camp Verde and downstream holds smallmouth in the runs, pools and around wood: tubes, small crankbaits, spinners and topwater on light tackle, fished by wading or floating. The river is small enough to wade in much of its length at typical flows, and pressure is light given how few Arizonans fish rivers.

Catfish and the season

Channel and flathead catfish hold the deeper holes and are taken on cut and live bait, particularly at night in summer. The upper river near Cottonwood receives winter trout stockings. Summer heat is severe in the desert corridor: fish dawn and dusk, and carry more water than you expect to need.

Yavapai County logistics

Access is via Dead Horse Ranch State Park at Cottonwood, road crossings, and the Verde River Greenway, with float trips popular in spring. Camp Verde and Cottonwood provide services. Flows vary with rain and diversions; monsoon storms can raise the river quickly and muddy it for days.

Common questions

Is it really perennial?

Yes: one of Arizona’s few year-round desert rivers, with Wild and Scenic protection on part of its length.

What is the main species?

Smallmouth bass through the middle river, with catfish in the deeper holes and winter trout stockings upstream.

How hot does it get?

Severely in summer: fish dawn and dusk and carry more water than you think you need.

Is fishing good at Verde River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Oak Creek24 miBartlett Lake49 miWoods Canyon Lake50 miLake Pleasant53 miLower Salt River69 miSaguaro Lake69 mi
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