Del Rio Springs Fishing Guides
The spring complex at the very top of the Verde River, holding a steady flow out of the Chino Valley aquifer with discharge, stage and turbidity on the gauge.
Guides on the Del Rio Springs
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About the Del Rio Springs
Del Rio Springs is where the Verde River begins. The springs rise at the north end of the Chino Valley, discharging from the regional aquifer beneath the Big Chino sub-basin, and the water they put out is the first perennial flow in a drainage that runs more than a hundred and seventy miles south and east to the Salt River. For a river that becomes one of the most important trout and smallmouth fisheries in Arizona, the headwater is remarkably modest: a marshy spring complex on private ranch land in high desert grassland at about four thousand five hundred feet.
The gauge here matters out of proportion to its flow. It reports discharge, stage and turbidity, and because the springs are aquifer fed rather than runoff fed, the discharge record is effectively a readout of groundwater conditions in the Big Chino. Anglers who fish the Verde downstream learn to watch it, because a declining baseflow at the top of the system shows up weeks later as thinner water through the upper river, and a spring pulse after a wet winter is the earliest signal that the whole drainage is in good shape. Spring water also arrives at a stable temperature, which buffers the first few miles against the extremes the surrounding desert produces.
There is no meaningful public fishing at the springs themselves, which sit on private land and are partly diverted. The value of the site is as a reference point for the water below. The upper Verde, from the confluence with Granite Creek down through the wild and scenic reach, carries smallmouth bass, channel catfish, green sunfish and carp, with stocked rainbow and wild brown trout in the cooler reaches and tributaries higher up. Read the springs gauge before committing to a trip on the upper river; it tells you more about wadeability than any forecast will.
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Access
Chino Valley - the town at the springs, with basic services, fuel and the gauge reference point.
Prescott - half an hour south, with lodging, tackle shops, guides and the regional airport.
Upper Verde River Wildlife Area - state land on the river below, with the best public access in the upper basin.
Granite Creek - the tributary joining below, marking the start of the perennial Verde proper.
Sullivan Lake - the small impoundment at the top of the Verde, immediately downstream.
Perkinsville - the remote river crossing further down, reached by dirt road and a classic put-in.
Clarkdale - down the valley, the usual launch for the wild and scenic reach and the nearest full outfitting.
Seasons
Spring: the strongest flows of the year after a wet winter, with the upper Verde at its most floatable.
Summer: hot and low, with the spring reach holding steady while the river downstream warms and thins.
Fall: excellent, as temperatures drop and the smallmouth fishing on the upper river comes back on.
Winter: cold nights and stable spring discharge, with trout fishing in the tributaries and quiet water below.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Del Rio Springs?
As of Oct 18, 5:30 pm, the USGS gauge DEL RIO SPRINGS NEAR CHINO VALLEY, AZ reads 1 cfs. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Del Rio Springs?
Anglers target Bluegill, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass on the Del Rio Springs in Arizona.
Where can you access the Del Rio Springs?
Chino Valley - the town at the springs, with basic services, fuel and the gauge reference point. Prescott - half an hour south, with lodging, tackle shops, guides and the regional airport. Upper Verde River Wildlife Area - state land on the river below, with the best public access in the upper basin. Granite Creek - the tributary joining below, marking the start of the perennial Verde proper. Sullivan Lake - the small impoundment at the top of the Verde, immediately downstream. Perkinsville - the remote river crossing further down, reached by dirt road and a classic put-in. Clarkdale - down th...
When is the best time to fish the Del Rio Springs?
Spring: the strongest flows of the year after a wet winter, with the upper Verde at its most floatable. Summer: hot and low, with the spring reach holding steady while the river downstream warms and thins. Fall: excellent, as temperatures drop and the smallmouth fishing on the upper river comes back on. Winter: cold nights and stable spring discharge, with trout fishing in the tributaries and quiet water below.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Del Rio Springs?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Arizona agency site: https://www.azgfd.com/fishing/regulations/