Update, July 8 - Access is reopened to Big Lake and other popular areas. Click here for full story.
The specific areas opened on the Alpine and Springerville Ranger Districts include:
Big Lake and Crescent Lake Recreation Areas including: Big Lake boat ramps and parking areas, Big Lake Visitor’s Center; Big Lake Administrative Site, Big Lake store and marina, South Cove boat ramp and parking area, Railroad Cove boat ramp and parking area. Current access to Big Lake is by Highway 273 only (Sunrise Highway) as Highway 261 is still closed and unsafe for motor vehicle use due to damaged guardrails.
Greer Lakes Day Use Area including the following: Greer Lakes picnic area, Greer Lakes boat ramps and parking areas, Bunch Reservoir, River Reservoir, and Tunnel Reservoir.
Lee Valley Reservoir Day Use Area including the following: boat ramp and parking area, and the lake itself.
Rolfe C. Hoyer and Benny Creek Campgrounds and Squirrel Springs Picnic Area, Winn Campground, Springerville Ranger Station, Alpine Ranger Station.
Luna Lake Day Use including the following: boat ramps and parking areas, Luna Lake Store and Marina, and the lake itself.
Nelson Reservoir Day Use Area including the following: north end boat ramp, north end parking area, fishing piers, NFS land underlying Nelson Reservoir, and the lake itself.
Stage 2 fire restrictions will remain in place, which means that no campfires will be allowed, even in developed campgrounds.
Lee Valley Reservoir, Luna Lake, Crescent Lake, and the three Greer lakes are for day use only.
Reservations at the Big Lake and Greer campgrounds can be made starting on July 8 by calling 1-877-444-6777 or on the web at www.recreation.gov.
Rory's fishing tips:
Hello once again friends! I gladly take the reigns of the Fishing Report from Rory the Fishing Guru for a couple weeks while he is off playing in the mountains. He says he has to work, but I don’t think this has ever been work to Rory! A wise person once told me: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’ve been with Game and Fish about four years now and I truly understand that line. I LOVE this job!
Fires, rain and dust, Oh my!
Is it just me or has the weather just been crazy the last week or two? On a serious note, the wildfires are mostly under control, and we feel for those who lost homes or where displaced for any length of time. What an ordeal, I can't even imagine and they say it might not be over yet for this season. Come on Monsoons!
The rains have begun pretty much in earnest in many places across the state and we pray they don’t wash too much junk into the lakes, rivers and streams. Erin, A co-worker of mine said she saw a bunch of dead fish in the Gila River out near Safford because of ash in the water. You might want to call ahead to wherever you are heading to make sure it’s open and that fish are viable.
And now, those of us in the Valley have lived through what they are calling “Dust Storm 2011.” Royal Norman, our weather friend at Channel 3, says this is one for the record books! Mary (my wife) and I watched that monster roll in from our backyard. What a sight!
(Sadly, this is not my picture. Thanks to whoever posted it!)
I’ve never been so excited and that nervous all at the same time. Once safely inside, we looked out the front window and could not see the neighbor’s house across the street! I’d say it’s maybe 100 feet from our house to theirs and you could not see a thing! I got to wash both my cars the next morning just so we could see out the windows to drive to work. They looked like they had been sitting there for 100 years. What a mess!
Luckily a dust storm doesn’t hurt the fishing prospects too much.
The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest has opened back up the water areas that were closed on the Sitgreaves side because of the Wallow Fire as of noon July 7, 2011. Woods Canyon and Willow Springs Lakes are open as well, and the fishing has been pretty decent. I’m told the rain up there hasn’t ruined too much by way of fishing, but some run off is being reported. Show Low Lake, Fool Hollow Lake and Scotts Reservoir have all received lots of extra trout that we couldn't stock in other waters because of forest closures due to fires. I hear it’s kind of like fishing in your bathtub in some spots!
I was asked at a recent off-highway vehicle information event where a person could fish for northern pike in Arizona. After his buddies got done laughing at him, I was able to promote Upper Lake Mary as one of the best places in Arizona to try for them. Walleye, catfish, yellow perch, and my favorite, largemouth bass are all in season round those parts this time of year. Old reliable Kinnickinick Lake is hopping right now too. So give it a chance.
(Here is a proud guy named Kenny showing off the northern pike that he caught up at Lake Mary!)
With the rain, the barometer has been dropping recently. When that happens those trout just love to move. You can probably get some good bites at sunrise and toward sunset. If you want to take home something to really be proud of, try Becker Lake in Springerville. You might catch a record there!
The new moon happened on July 1st and as of last night there is only a little sliver in the sky. That makes it a great time to do some night time work. Use the submersible lights and use small bait. Feel free to chum a bit to get the interest going. Hungry fish will flock to where you are! Lake Pleasant can be neat after dark with all the wildlife that comes down for a drink as well as the local herd of burros. Watch out when driving out there after dark and make sure you wear your lifejacket when out on the water.
If the heat in the Valley is too much, Lees Ferry is always a great trip! Great fishing, not a lot of people and some fun places to stay while you are up there. As always I recommend the breakfast at Lees Ferry Lodge, course all their food is great, but I love the breakfast! Say Hi to Charlie from me when you stop in.
If you are out and about, let us know at "Been Fishing?” at bfishing@azgfd.gov and we’ll share your story in the weeks to come. You don’t have to give away your special hiding spot, but it’s always neat to hear about someone’s success. After all, they do call it fishing, not catching!
Go catch some memories and I hope to see you out there!
Jim “The Fishing Guru in Training” Harken
We got these great pictures and a note from Capt. Don Martin from a Fourth of July fishing trip.
Here Chuck and Julie decker show off their catch!
Here Tammy Bollinger and her family show off their haul!
Here Tammy Bollinger gives us a great close up of one of those stripers!
All fire closures on the Sitgreaves National Forest have been terminated as of Noon on July 7, 2011. Essentially, this means that use of roads, trails, developed recreation areas, and dispersed recreation/ camping is allowed. Also, stage 1 Fire restriction will remain in effect.
All of the Apache National Forest is closed to public entry, including the Big Lake Area, Luna Lake, and Nelson Reservoir, the Black River area and Greer lakes and campgrounds.
Bear Canyon Recreation Area is closed Due to the Willow Fire. A Closure Order and Map are available on the Forest website at http: www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf
Campfire restrictions expanded on Coconino NF
Flagstaff, AZ – The Coconino National Forest will expand campfire and smoking restrictions to include the entire national forest including developed campgrounds and recreation sites, effective Wednesday morning, June 22.
This restriction prohibits all fires, campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves and limits smoking to within enclosed vehicles or buildings. Pressurized liquid or gas stoves and lanterns meeting safety specifications will continue to be allowed. Approved stoves and lanterns include devices that can be turned off.
Violations of restrictions are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000, imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. Fire prevention staff will continue aggressively patrolling, especially on weekends to inform campers of the fire restrictions. Last weekend was relatively quiet as far as fire activity on the Coconino National Forest, with most campers being compliant with fire restrictions.
For additional information on fire restrictions on the Coconino National Forest, please call 928-527-3600. For information on fire restrictions on public lands across Arizona and New Mexico, call 877-864-6985 or see http://www.publiclands.org/firenews/AZ.php.
Portions of Tonto National Forest closed
PHOENIX (June 16, 2011) – Public safety concerns due to drought conditions, hot temperatures and increased fire danger have resulted in two temporary area closures on the Tonto National Forest starting June 17.
The two area closures are within the following boundaries:
1. All National Forest System Lands, roads and trails below the Mogollon Rim and North of the Control Road, bounded by National Forest System Road 708 at the Fossil Springs Trailhead proceeding easterly along National Forest System Road 708 to the intersection with the power line road at the Southwest edge of the town of Strawberry; following the power line corridor southerly then easterly to the intersection of Forest System Road 583 at Tonto Natural Bridge State Park; continuing easterly on Forest Road 583 to State Highway 87; then northerly following State Highway 87 to National Forest System Road 64 (The Control Road); thence easterly following the Control Road to the Intersection with State Highway 260; easterly along State Highway 260 to the Forest boundary at the top of the Mogollon Rim; and westerly along the Mogollon Rim and Tonto National Forest Boundary to the Fossil Springs Trailhead at Forest Road 708.
2. All National Forest System Lands, roads and trails within the Mt. Ord, Four Peaks and Three Bar Wildlife Area, bounded by the eastern edge of Highway 87 on the west beginning at the intersection with Forest System Road 143; on the north along State Highway 87 to the intersection with State Highway 188; on the south along the western edge of Highway 188 to the Salt River corridor; on the west along the north side of the Salt river corridor including the north shores of Apache Lake, Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake to Cottonwood Creek; northerly along Cottonwood creek to the intersection with Forest System Road 401, continuing northerly on Forest System Road 401 to the intersection with Forest System Road 143 and westerly on Forest System Road 143 terminating at the intersection with State Highway 87.
Exceptions to this closure are the RV Dump site on the west side of State Highway 188 at Cholla Bay. The Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, highways 87 and 188 are unaffected by this closure, as are all county roads.
Also, most types of fire or fire-causing activities are prohibited across the Tonto National Forest.
“Because of ongoing drought, dry forest conditions, and exceptionally low relative humidities, fire restrictions are needed to protect forest users, structures and natural resources from the increased potential for wildland fires,” said Tonto National Forest Deputy Fire Staff Officer Helen Graham. “These precautionary measures are intended to enhance our visitors’ quality recreation experiences. Most areas of the Tonto National Forest remain available for recreation activity, including all the Salt River system lakes.”
Graham concluded: “We continue to remind the public that all fireworks are prohibited on the forest at all times.”
Violation of these restrictions is punishable by a fine of up to $5,000 for individuals, $10,000 for organizations, and imprisonment for up to six months.
CENTRAL WATERS
Note: If you have a fishing report, send it to "Been Fishing?” at bfishing@azgfd.gov
URBAN -- It's bottom fishing time for Mr. Whiskers.
Fishing is good to excellent for anglers using worms, stink baits, or shrimp fished on the bottom. If you want to use bobbers, rig up a slip bobber and fish 8-12 feet deep. Catfish are biting throughout the day, but are more active when the sun goes down. The last load of catfish included many hefty fish in the 3-6 pound range. Bluegill fishing has been consistently good in recent weeks for anglers using worms and mealworms fished under a small bobber in 3-6 foot depths. Action for largemouth bass is fair with the best baits finesse plastics fished in the early morning hours. Action for bass and crappie at Green Valley Lake is really picking up and anglers using worms and meal worms under a small bobber are enjoying plenty of action. Also try small jigs and plastic worms.
Overall, water quality conditions at the Urban Lakes have been very good this spring with no incidences of golden algae blooms. This is great news for anglers and the fish populations.
(Here a younster show us a HUGE carp caught at Chaparral Park in Scottsdale.)
Urban Fishing Program staff and parks personnel continue to monitor Urban Program lakes for signs of the microscopic golden algae. The department and cities’ active monitoring program has helped to keep the toxic alga in check before it causes harm to the resident bass, bluegill and catfish populations. Anglers are reminded to take precautions not to move any water, live fish or wet objects from lake to lake. Remember to clean, drain and dry all items that come in contact with the lake water before moving to another lake location. For more information on golden alga, go to www.azgfd.gov.
Browns were throughout the area although they are tough to catch during the day. Night time fishing is best for browns. Copper johns, wooly buggers, nymphs and hare’s ears typically good this time of year. Throw in a few caddis flies and beadheads. We did catch a few 4-pound browns hanging out in the pools and where structure created cover in the catch-and-release area.
TEMPE TOWN LAKE - Bass fishing is slow during the day. Fish can be caught before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. at times. Try crank baits and rubber worms around the ledges and docks. Minnows under a slip bobber will work as well. A good mixed bag of yellows, catfish and sunfish can also be caught this way. Yellow bass and bluegill are plentiful in the 5- to 7-inch range and will bite mealworms or night crawlers. Channel catfish averaging 1 to 2 pounds will bite stink baits, hotdogs and shrimp.
LAKE PLEASANT - Lake elevation 1684 ft (80% full)
Night fishermen are slaying the stripers using anchovies near the tires over 60 feet of water. Get the anchovies down fast to avoid the little ones. One group caught quite a few with the largest striper being 22 inches and smallest was 14 inches.
Morning fishing wasn’t quite as good for one group. They started fishing about 5:15am when the sun was just breaking the horizon. They used spooks, crankbaits, robo worms and brush hawgs for about 2 hours and didn’t catch any. They found a few striper boils and switched to Kastmasters and other spoons and still nothing. The only thing that worked was a night crawler that enticed a 14 inch striper. By 9 am the boils dissipated. The boils in the coves tend to be productive where the stripers and largemouth are herding the shad. The boils in the middle of the lake tend to house smaller stripers but the larger fish are usually hanging below so try some diving cranks or spoons below the boils.
Another couple anglers are doing well with Kastmasters under boils. We all have seen video of schools of bait fish and the way they switch directions so try to mimic that movement.
ROOSEVELT LAKE - Lake Elevation is 2137 ft (84% full). Tonto Creek runoff is 0 cfs while inflow from the Salt River is at 94 cfs.
A fishing duo fished from 5pm to 10:30pm and caught about 15 fish using drop shot, and Texas rigged worms. The fish were consistently between 15 and 25 feet deep.
(This isn't the duo mentioned, but these two guys did have some luck night fishing at Rosey!)
Fishing off points in 10-25 feet of water should effective as well as in areas of stick ups and brush. Live shad or minnows are also good baits either with bobbers or free-lined. Crappie fishing should be good at night under submersible lights.
Catfishing should be good for both flatheads and channels.
Fishing for smallmouth bass can be good; especially on windy days. Try areas where waves are stirring up the rocky shoreline. Use in-line spinners and crayfish imitations especially off rocky points and cliff walls and live night crawlers. Remember the slot is in place for smallmouth as well. Bluegills are spawning: this is a great time to take the kids out. Try the backs of coves, especially around structure.
APACHE - Lake elevation is 1906 ft (92% full).
Fishing has been good for yellow bass. Yellow bass fishing should be good on jigs and spoons. Gold KastMasters can work especially well. Fish for them around balls of shad in 20-60 feet of water. Cut bait also works well for them. There is a certified scale at the marina boathouse.
(This monster was caught on 10 pound test at Apache. I too thought it was a fisher persons story, but have since found out it was in fact a truth!)
CANYON - Lake elevation is 1657 ft, which is 95% full.
Bass fishing has transitioned to dawn/dusk and then good at night. For bass, drop shotting (fish slow, letting the worm rest on the bottom for a few seconds at a time) is still the method of choice. Senkos and Westy Worms have also been catching fish. Night fishing for bass is also good at this time. This is also a great lake for yellow bass; jig spoons in and around balls of shad. We have received several reports from anglers catching good numbers of larger bluegill. Try meal worm under a slipbobber.
SAGUARO - Lake elevation 1524 feet at 92% full.
A father son duo fished from 9pm to 1am and caught 11 largemouth bass. The largest was 4 pounds. They fished again for a few hours in the morning and the fish started biting around 7am; they caught 9 using dropshot. All were shallow with the biggest one a personal best for the son at 6 pounds.
An angler fishing from a float tube in the Butcher Jones area fished from 5am until about 10am. He caught 7 largemouth bass between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds. He used Roboworms with a split shot.
There is a certified scale at the marina to get an official weight and still release your catch. Two witnesses are needed for the weight to be official.
BARTLETT – Lake elevation is 1760 ft, which is 52% full. Reservoir release is 150 cfs.
Bass fishing is good! A group of 3 fishermen did well using jigs and worms from float tubes and the shore. They all caught about 10 largemouth bass.
Another group fished sandy spots along the cliffs and coves and some points. Silver Ricos with stripes and clear ones worked the best. The biggest largemouth was 2.5 pounds.
This is a good time to switch to night fishing for crappies: they are mostly in the post-spawn mode. Some anglers are picking up good numbers of crappies in the 2-pound range under lights.
This is an excellent time to target flathead and channel catfish. Bluegills are on the beds and big flatheads can often be found raiding those nests in the backs of coves or along rocky ledges. Use live bait such as bluegill or small carp for the flatheads and shrimp, hotdogs or stink bait for the channels.
Remember the live bait most come from the lake itself (excluding minnows, water dogs or worms) not transported from another body of water! This is a good time to take the kids bluegill fishing. Mealworms and a small bobber in the backs of rocky coves can be the ticket.
HORSESHOE - Lake elevation is at 1952 feet 0% full. They are releasing water at 80 cfs.
VERDE RIVER – Verde River flow at Tangle is 69 cubic feet per second. Release from Bartlett Lake is 150 cfs.
Fishing has been poor for largemouth, smallmouth and catfish. Remember that no baitfish can be transported into this part of the river (above Horseshoe). For further information concerning regulations, call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (480) 324-3544. This morning flow was 87 cfs at Tangle Creek station above Horseshoe Lake.
LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – Salt River into Roosevelt is 94 cfs, and Salt River Canyon is 76 cfs. They are releasing 1475 cfs out of Stewart Mountain dam from Saguaro.
Rainbow trout were stocked at Blue Point Bridge and Water Users Park. Try inline spinners, Power Bait or drifting night crawlers. Fly-fishing can be good with nymphs and Wooly Buggers.
COLORADO RIVER NORTHWEST
Note: If you have a fishing report, send it to "Been Fishing?” at bfishing@azgfd.gov
LAKE POWELL – By: Wayne Gustaveson, June 29, 2011, Lake Elevation: 3647, Water Temperature 74-78 F
From this point forward many of the reports will be about surface feeding by striped bass. Here are some terms that will make it easier for you to understand my reports.
"Slurps" are defined as surface feeding by stripers of all sizes on very small larval shad. Tiny shad are poor swimmers. There is not much chance of them eluding stripers that line up with open mouths and skim the surface sucking in shad as they go. The scrimmage line moves along at high speed (3-5 mph). Slurpers go down when the boat gets in range but then resurface in random directions. If they come up near the boat stripers are easier to catch. If they surface well out of range the boat must be quickly repositioned to get in casting range again.
Slurping stripers can be fussy eaters because their prey is so small. The feeding school can move in just about any direction as larval shad are commonly found in most open water areas. Fishing success in slurps requires precision casting. A lure tossed into the scrimmage line will spook the whole school or be ignored by fish looking straight ahead. But a lure cast well in front of the first fish and worked back into the scrimmage line will be seen and sometimes eaten.
Slurps have begun lakewide but colder water temperatures have delayed catching success. Slurps are seen each day from Wahweap to Bullfrog. Wind erases the trail making it difficult to find slurpers but in calm periods keep an eye out for the small surface disturbance that marks a feeding school.
Larger stripers may slurp but it is more likely to find them very deep (60-90 feet) in the same areas they have occupied all spring. Look along the main channel walls from the dam to Bullfrog. Fish much deeper then was necessary in May and June using copious chum to get the school going.
Bass fishing is getting better. Largemouth are in the green brush just being flooded by increasing lake levels. Go flippin' for best results . That entails nosing the boat into a brush thicket and working the bait vertically instead of horizontally to keep the lure from grabbing a limb instead of a fish. Big bass are in the brush from the shoreline to 25 feet.
Smallmouth are on the rocky terraces and ledges also at 20-25 feet. Tubes, grubs and senkos are working well now when the bait gets in the correct depth zone. Try to keep the bait at last 20 feet deep for best results. Black and watermelon green colors are working well for bass.
Walleye are the surprise fish for this time of year. Slow warming has kept walleye active longer than normal. The best way to find walleye is to work the shoreline where brush is evident. Look for the deep slot leading to the cove. Fish plastic grubs or live night crawlers slowly along the deep slot where walleye are stationed scanning for food moving from one side of the brush canyon to the other.
Catfish have taken off and will be caught each evening on the sandy beach near your camp. Bluegills are in the brush along the shoreline. The lake level continues to increase in dramatic fashion. The big inflow and flooded brush means there will be good survival of small fish which leads to good fishing for the coming years.
LEES FERRY -- July 1st, 2011 by Lees Ferry Anglers
Report by: Scott Sargent
Friday, July 1, 2011
Today’s Fish rating
Upriver: 8.0
Walk-In: 8.0
Spin-Fishing: 7
Today’s Weather: Sunny with a high of 102 degrees. No wind!!! Woo Hoo
Crowd Rating
Upriver: 3 No Crowds
Walk In: 3
Key: 1 = Sleep late and fish where you want.
10 = Very crowded, get up early
Fly Fishing Upriver:
The fishing conditions have been very favorable the past few days. Or should I say beyond belief? We’ve been having a lot of fun on the river. Fish are healthy, plump, juicy, and abundant. Weather is a bit hot, so make sure that you bring some cool refreshments to stay hydrated.
As you’ve read in the prior fishing reports, the current flow rate for the river is at a constant 24,000cfs. This is very advantageous to fishing conditions as this transports more food downriver. Fish are already beginning to become fatter and will be more evident later this year.
Drifting from the boat upriver has been the most effective means to fish this water. Wading opportunities are at a minimum. Fish over areas that you would normally wade. The fish are all over the banks!
Fish appear to be very, very happy. They have been sipping the surface quite regularly, mostly throughout the later evening and early morning. There has also been many opportunities to use dry flies.
For those of you who have been anxiously awaiting the CICADA hatch…The Cicadas have definitely been singing. They seem much more abundant than in the last fishing report; but on the other hand there’s probably a little while longer till they are in full bloom. Middle of July is typically the finest occasion to dry fly with cicadas as proved in the previous years. We’ve been using a straight cicada dry fly in various areas – a dropper can be effective too, but try not to get snagged on the bottom.
Double midging with Zebras and Lasers has been tremendously productive. Honestly, this is what I would recommend as far as nymphing is concerned. Scuds and San Juan Worms have been successful as well. Have your first fly as a Laser or Zebra midge, and then play with your dropper. Experiment until you establish some strikes.
Longer drifts have been important because it allows your flies to be presented at a more adequate depth – generally, the deeper the better. Mending your line correctly is also of high importance. But even more importantly, using plenty of split shot is your principal (but not the only) factor determining if you have a good, or bad day. If you’re not catching fish and not touching, or getting close to the bottom near the end of your drift, you’re most likely not using enough split shot. Start with a smaller split shot, and gradually add more shot until you begin receiving results.
Try fishing near aquatic structures, such as flooded bushes near the banks, many fish are feeding in these areas. Also, don’t forget to fish in the seams, where the slower water meets the faster water, as this is where the food that the trout consume is centrally located.
We’ve been noticing that the Tamarisk Beatle has been active on the river. These little fellers are most prominently known for killing trees, but on the river, the fish seem to like them. Not sure how this will effect fishing conditions. We haven’t yet tried to duplicate the Beatle as a fly, but it may be something to consider if they progress to be furthermore active.
Overall; the fishing has been absolutely terrific and there hasn’t been a crowd to compete with. If you have an opportunity to fish here, it would be unwise to decide against it. The fishing has been mind-boggling great. If you don’t have a boat, we have rentals available. You may inquire information about obtaining a rental boat, or a guide by calling 1-800-962-9755.
Walk in:
Before I get started on the Walk-In report…I want to stress….Don’t wade past your waist! I mostly only waded up to my knees, and I’m a pretty short dude. The fish are in the banks – and they’re plentiful.
I fished the walk-in area today and yesterday. I had a blast. I primarily fished the upper boulder field, near where you can see a little bit of a tree branch in the water. Further downriver fished well too, around the barely visible rock in the middle of the river.
There are some nice, nice, nice seams in the upper boulder field. Look for the pocket water. Present your flies in the inside seams, where the slower water meets the faster water, closer to the banks – the better. There are some really spectacular feeding lanes that you can find here, which will produce you consistent strikes.
As for downriver near the rock in the middle of the river… Stay close to the banks and use really long drifts. Ensure you are executing a dead drift. You can shorten your drift a little if you use more splitshot.
Glo bug, glo bug, glo bug!!! Use a glo bug as a dropper and a Laser Midge, or Zebra Midge as your first fly. 50% of my strikes were on my glo bug, the remainder percentage on my midges.
I did experiment with some dries in the later afternoon (around 3, 4PM). Had most of my success on a Hopper. Don’t use a dropper unless you are sure you have clearance, as you can easily snag the bottom. You’ll want to definitely fish the upper boulder field if you intend to try some dries. Watch the river and find where they are sipping the surface.
While fishing the Walk-In, I ensured that I was mending my line properly and using sufficient splitshot. As for splitshot, start with what you believe would be adequate, and then progressively add more. If you’re not hitting the bottom towards the middle of your drift, you’re probably not deep enough. Don’t be embarrassed if you snag the bottom towards the end of a long drift – you’re on the right track. As for mending, when your strike indicator is in front of you, slowly move your rod in a counter-clockwise motion, so that you get your fly-line behind your flies. I normally try not to jerk the motion too quickly, as that would cause my flies to lose depth, so try to execute the motion subtlety, yet effectively.
To my comfort, I didn’t fall when I fished this area, but it could easily be possible if I waded further into the water, so use caution. Don’t wade much further than a little above your knees (maybe, maybe –occasionally- to your waist if your short) – this water is fast and can potentially carry you away. The fish will ultimately reside in the banks, so fish there.
Try to have a fun time while fishing the Walk-In. Maintain confidence in your fishing. And practice safety. Honestly, after today, the higher flows didn’t seem to impact the fishing in any possible negative way – the fishing was so great today. I had an extremely successful day. I really recommend the Walk-In area to anyone.
Spin Fishing:
Spin fishing is good! It’s all about bouncing glo bugs off the bottom.
You can also try fishing with gold Kastmasters or black and gold Panther Martins. I have heard many success stories with these two flies.
Also definitely don’t forget about the marabou jig, this one has been working great and has been very reliable. Try the olive and black.
LAKE MEAD – The current water level is 1103 feet above msl. Lake levels have moved up slowly this past week. The Largemouth are biting. Try plastics in the trees. Stripers are getting better. Many anglers were successful last weekend. Cut anchovies are still the bait of choice. Check the moon phases before you go – last new moon was Friday, July 1st. Dark nights work best when fishing under light. Fish for strippers in 50 plus feet of water to find the larger fish. If you can locate the shad, the stripers are not far behind. Trolling usually works best in areas were shad are found and best done in the early mornings and evenings. The recent Stripe-R-Rama XX produced a tournament record monster striped bass that tipped the scales at just over 52 lbs. and was caught trolling at 20 feet deep over a grass bed. This of course produced the winning team with a 40 fish bag of 115 lbs. The second place team’s 40 fish bag weighed just under 74 lbs. The second biggest fish weighed 3.95 lbs with the average fish weighed was approximately 1.5 lbs.
Launching conditions at South Cove have improved as the water level has gone up. There are currently four lanes. Launching conditions in general are better at Temple Bar than South Cove.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.
LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 641 feet above msl. The black bass are hitting soft baits when worked slowly. Trolling with anchovies in 30-50ft has been producing some stripers, while catfish are on the bottom. While the number of stripers in Mohave has been decreasing, the quality of the fish caught has increased. A local fisherman that fishes at Katherine’s Landing fishing pier often said the strippers bite is down, but did catch the biggest stripper he had ever caught there. He catches catfish often in the 2-8 lb. range. Best time to fish is at night for cats and he likes fishing for largemouth and smallmouth in the early morning with blue, black and purple and black grubs and worms.
Submersible lights fished during the new moon are an effective way to catch stripers. New moon was Wednesday, June 1st. Cut anchovies usually work the best.
Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove, Shoshone, and Arrowhead. Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, smallmouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures. Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years. These structures are fish magnets.
There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine's Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.
WILLOW BEACH – Willow beach is stocked every Friday with 3,000 13” rainbow trout. Rainbow, orange and yellow Power Baits and Powerworms were being used most for trout. Jakes, Panther Martin and Rooster Tails are also usually effective. Construction near the river is mostly complete and the new store and parking lots are open.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.
TOPOCK MARSH – Bass and catfish are all biting, but the bite can be hit and miss.
You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.
For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.
COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM – The next trout stocking at Davis Camp will occur in October of 2011. Trout continue to bite in the casino area. In addition to the stockers multiple anglers have been reporting catching trout in the 20- to 22-inch range on night crawlers.
Summertime in the Topock Gorge is characteristically a busy season for big, noisy boats and Memorial Day weekend was the official kick off. Prudent anglers, hoping for a few hours of quiet bliss, fished at the crack of dawn or stayed off the water altogether. Striped bass bite, although starting to show signs of tapering off, is still strong. The catfish bite has been slow. Trout, however, have made their way into the Gorge. Night crawlers are the best bait for the trout. The smallmouth bass a starting to come out of their post spawn funk which means the action has begun to improve. Chartreuse and white spinner baits are preferred by some, but my favorite lure is the 4 inch purple and black curly tail, Texas rigged.
Rainbow trout are located throughout the river below Davis Dam, but anglers typically report catching trout on the Arizona side across from the Riverside, off the shore of Davis Camp and in the big bend area. This year we have received multiple reports of larger holdover trout being caught. Remember to fish for trout, you need a trout stamp on Class A and Lifetime fishing licenses.
Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
SOUTHWESTERN WATERS
Note: If you have a fishing report, send it to "Been Fishing?" at bfishing@azgfd.gov.
LAKE HAVASU -- Unfortunately, there have been some cases recently (and some unverified reports) of people spear fishing at Lake Havasu and along other areas of the river for bass and catfish. That's illegal. You can spear fish for carp and tilapia only.
Lake Havasu Fishing Report from John Galbraith of BassTackleMaster.com, Lake Havasu City.
Striper bite continues to be good north in the main river current from the buoy line north to Mohave rock. Stripers will continue to spawn for a few more weeks.
Largemouth bass bite is good using Senkos around tulles and weeds where bass seek out shady ambush spots.
Smallmouth bass hitting are good on Hula grubs rigged on football head jigs fished around chunk rocks and rocky/gravel shorelines in 6 to 12 feet of water.
Redear sunfish in full spawn now. Night crawlers and crappie tubes are excellent choices to catch these big hard fighting panfish. Please practice catch and release during this spawning time to give our redears a chance to reproduce and make our fishery even better.
PARKER STRIP -- Catfishing should be picking up. We've got mostly channels and some flatheads on the strip. They'll be getting more active as the days get hotter with the best action at night. Channel cats should be hitting on night crawlers or frozen anchovies. Good local areas include, Patria Flats day use, La Paz County Park near the lagoon, upper end of Barefoot Alley, and even take off point at the south end of Havasu right by Parker Dam. Flatheads will be hitting on live bait, bluegill work well but many of the locals like goldfish too.
The smallmouth bass fishing is best just below Parker Dam.
And as an FYI, the parker stretch is generally drawn down to its lowest on Thursdays, which could affect boating, so be careful out there.
ALAMO LAKE -- Report courtesy Mark Knapp, Alamo Lake State Park.
I have been deployed to the Wallow Fire for the last week so everything is hear say on fishing. Pam and Ward Peterson have been catching some nice sized bass trolling deep diving crank baits in the upper end of the lake. They have been catching a few crappies also. Locals have been telling me there catching 3 pounders (bass) and up on top water. This starts around day break and is over by 7 a.m. There throwing chug bugs and buzz baits.
Joe and Laura Cavaliere from Williams just stopped by a few days ago and said they limited out on cat fish. They were in the upper end of the lake in about 4 foot of water. They were using worms and bobbers. They started at 6 a.m. and had their limit by 10 a.m. Most of the cats were in the 2 pound range. I gotta say 50 cats in 4 hours is pretty darn good. Now we're going back a couple of weeks, but I told Robert I would pass this on to you.
Robert Pinto, who works at Cabellas, caught 30 crappies between 10 and 2 up in the river area. He was using spit shot and minnows, trolling with allot of line out. We talking 100 feet plus. Most of the crappie were over 2 pounds. Sorry this took so long Robert.
Prescott bass masters had a tournament out here and a congratulations goes to Jon Peugh and Luke Eggers with a winning weight of 13 plus pounds. I have no idea what they were using. I saw this sitting on my desk and wanted to get it in this report. As you should know by now we closed Cholla campground and boat ramp for the summer. The repairs should go to bid next month and with a little luck be done by the end of September. In the meantime the Dept installed a courtesy dock at the main ramp. I remembered to send a picture this time. Everyone is giving it a thumbs up. Once Cholla ramp is completed, a dock will be added there also.
The lake level is at 1116ish with releases of 50 cfs. I know I'm forgetting something but I'm so brain dead from working 14 hour days at the Wallow fire that I can't see straight. I will say it's very sad to see the damage the fire has done. I did see allot of wild life. Lot's of elk, and deer. I even had a bear jump out in front of my truck. That was pretty cool. I will try to post pictures in the next report. That's all I got. mark
TOPOCK GORGE – Capt. Doyle’s report - Catfish in the Topock Gorge remain disinclined. However, a monster of a cat–it looked to be about eighteen inches across its head¬–was seen chasing a big bass in the back waters of the refuge. Jerry Smith and Keith Dockwell of Golden Valley, Arizona killed the sunfish and the smallmouth bass! The duo caught and released twenty bluegill and eighteen smallmouth bass. Also taken and released was a 7-pound carp that by the way it acted all aboard thought it was a striped bass–it swam to open water rather than the tulles. Although a small number of largemouth bass have been caught, the majority of the bass that end up on the hook are smallmouth. Sizes have been ranging from dinks to 5-pounders and while night crawlers are nearly always successful, my preferred bait has been four inch black and purple curly tails Texas rigged. Striper action has been somewhat lean. Nevertheless there are some decent numbers being caught after dark near the rocky points.
COLORADO RIVER (PARKER STRIP AREA) -- Fishing for smallmouth bass over two pounds in size is expected to be good to excellent. In addition, redear sunfish should also be good in the pound-plus sizes. The Parker Strip is well known for its smallmouth bass fishing, especially in the area from the dam to several miles downstream. The Parker Strip is also home to some really impressive, dinner-plate sized redear sunfish of two pounds or larger. Channel and flathead catfish fishing is always fair in this section of the Colorado River. Below the dam, striper fishing should also be fair, using live shad or anchovies. Largemouth bass are abundant, especially in the downstream portions of the Parker Strip. Channel and flathead catfish fishing will be fair to good in this section of the Colorado River as the weather warms up.
Take precautions to make sure your boat and equipment is clean before leaving the water to make sure you don’t spread quagga mussels to other water by accident.
COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN PALO VERDE DIVERSION DAM AND WALTER’S CAMP) -- This area should be fair for both smallmouth bass (in the channel) up river from the I-10 Bridge and largemouth bass (in the backwaters) throughout the entire area. Channel and flathead catfish are always fair to good in this section of the Colorado River. Most of the flathead catfish will be in the 2 to 5 pound size range with an occasional fish over 40 pounds. Flathead catfish surveys last May yielded a handful of fish between 15 and 50 pounds in this section of the river, although the majority of fish were much smaller. The time for fishing for both species of catfish will be late spring and throughout the summer. Generally, when fishing for catfish, the hotter the weather, the better the fishing. Lively bait is the key to successful flathead fishing. Using the largest bait fish you can come by will increase the odds of catching a larger flathead.
This section of the Colorado River, all the way down to Yuma, is where the invasive vegetative species known as Giant Salvinia is located. Quagga mussels are also found here. If using a boat, make sure that boats, live wells, engines, and trailers are clean before leaving the area.
COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN WALTER’S CAMP AND PICACHO STATE PARK) -- This section of the Colorado River is relatively remote and can only be accessed by boat from either end. Fishing is expected to be good to excellent for flathead catfish with sizes over 40 pounds. The best time will be late spring and on into the summer (the hotter the better). Backwaters are somewhat limited in this stretch of the river, but the few that are there will be good for largemouth bass and other sunfish (bluegill, redear and occasionally black crappie). Channel catfish are also very numerous in this section of the river. Smaller numbers of smallmouth bass and striped bass also occur.
The invasive vegetative species, giant salvinia, as well as quagga mussels, are found in this stretch of the river. If using a boat, make sure that boats, live wells, engines, and trailers are clean before leaving the area.
COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN PICACHO STATE PARK AND IMPERIAL DAM) -- This area is expected to be good to excellent for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and flathead catfish. Bass and channel catfish in excess of 5 pounds are present along with flathead catfish as large as 40 pounds not uncommon, occasionally much larger. There is definitely a state record or two lurking in these waters. Only very heavy fishing tackle will suffice for the really large fish. Bluegills, redear sunfish and black crappie are also present in the various backwaters. Occasional striped bass will be caught in the channels connecting backwaters and the main river channel. Smallmouth bass seem to be on the increase in the lower river above Imperial Dam. They generally prefer swifter water and rockier substrate than largemouth bass, and certainly aren’t as numerous, but they are very aggressive and very scrappy fighters and well worth seeking out.
The invasive vegetative species, giant salvinia, as well as quagga mussels, are found in this stretch of the river. If using a boat, make sure that boats, live wells, engines, and trailers are clean before leaving the area.
COLORADO RIVER (BETWEEN LAGUNA AND MORELOS DAMS) -- This area will be good for largemouth bass and flathead catfish. Bass in excess of 5 pounds are common and flathead catfish over 20 pounds are a good bet. In this area, accessibility to the river is dependent on the amount of water being released. Usually shallow draft boats are a must. The lower end has had some dredging work done and a larger boat may be able to get on the river in that area. Be aware that some sections of the river are within Quechan tribal boundaries, and a tribal permit is required to fish there. Boundaries are not well marked, so doing some research prior to fishing this section may prevent hassles while you are out there.
The invasive vegetative species, giant salvinia, as well as quagga mussels, are found in this stretch of the river. If using a boat, make sure that boats, live wells, engines, and trailers are clean before leaving the area.
With the increase in border issues and illegal activity on the lower end of this stretch, we recommend exercising extreme caution, avoiding nighttime use, or even staying away from the area altogether (Pilot Knob to Morelos Dam).
MITTRY LAKE -- Mittry Lake is located just above Laguna Dam, and supports a good population of largemouth bass and channel catfish, and even some good-sized flathead catfish. There are shoreline fishing opportunities at this lake in the form of about a dozen rock jetties, but you’ll probably have the best success in a small boat. Mittry Lake can be frustrating, as the bite seems to be real variable, but the fish are there. It is just a question of getting them to respond to your presentation. The water tends to be very murky most of the year, except for the upper end of Teal Alley where the lake inflow comes in, so play to the fish’s sense of hearing and smell, rather than sight. There are also crappie and sunfish to be caught, although they tend to average relatively small in size. Mittry Lake is well-known locally for the quality largemouth bass it produces, and fishing during the spring spawn will increase your chances of success.
YUMA AREA PONDS -- The Department has stepped up efforts to encourage the recruitment of new anglers, and retention of existing ones. To this end, the Department has increased stocking efforts in a few ponds in the Yuma area that are easily accessed without a boat, within a short distance of the urban center. Those ponds are the Yuma West Wetlands pond, located in the City Park, and Redondo and Fortuna ponds, located about 10 miles northeast of Yuma. Access to Redondo Pond was recently improved with the addition of an ADA compliant fishing pier, and thick cattail growth was removed at Fortuna Pond this summer, improving shoreline access by many orders of magnitude. All of these waters received multiple stockings of rainbow trout in the winter months; Redondo Pond will be stocked with channel catfish during the spring, and the Yuma West Wetlands pond will receive channel catfish and bluegills. We may be able to stock Fortuna Pond with channel catfish in the future, pending the outcome of the statewide sport-fish stocking consultation with the USFWS that is hopefully nearing completion. Depending on available funding, we hope to continue regular stockings into all three of these shoreline-accessible waters, and perhaps add additional waters to our stocking schedule. These ponds provide an ideal place to take the family. All three waters now are provided with restroom and trash facilities. Special regulations on fish limits are in effect for these waters, so be sure to consult the Regulations before you take fish.
REGIONAL HOT SPOTS -- Alamo Lake will continue to be a hot spot for plentiful largemouth bass and channel catfish, although trophy-sized fish will be uncommon. Lake Havasu is probably currently the premier lake in our Region (and perhaps the State) for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and redear sunfish. Numbers caught will likely be lower, but the quality of the fish much higher. The Parker Strip should remain excellent for smallmouth bass and redear sunfish, and the Colorado River below Walter’s Camp down to Imperial Dam the best bet for large and plentiful flathead catfish. Our spring surveys indicate that there is a very impressive population of flathead catfish in the lower Imperial Division between Picacho State Park and Imperial Dam. Expect many in the 5-10 pounds size class, but we know of at least one state record lurking in those waters. Backwaters in the Imperial Division above Imperial Dam will continue to yield impressive largemouth bass, up to and exceeding 10 pounds.
If you need any additional information or assistance, don't hesitate to contact the Yuma Regional office at (928) 342-0091, and we will be happy to give you whatever information we have. A very good resource for local fishing information in the Yuma area is the website and forum at www.yumabassman.com.
CENTRAL MOUNTAINS
Note: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect on the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts of Kaibab National Forest beginning 8:00 AM, Wednesday, June 8, 2011.
There are also fire restrictions in effect on the Coconino National Forest.
For more information on fire restrictions, visit http://www.publiclands.org/firenews/AZ.php.
WILLIAMS LAKES:
KAIBAB LAKE — Campground is closed. Fishing was good over the weekend with some nice crappie and bluegill being caught on flies. Trout were also being caught on bait. Scheduled to be stocked this week. Stocked last week
CATARACT LAKE — Campground is open. Stocked last week Fishing for crappie, bass, bluegill and catfish should be taking off with the warmer temperatures
Angler Report: Fished Cataract Lake for a couple of hours for the first time last weekend. I landed several small crappies, a brown trout and this unlikely subject in the pic all on the same fly and all on my 2 wt flyrod. Took it cleanly in the corner of the mouth and it took a while to get it in. My tippet was 6X and I thought it would break me off before I could see what it was. By the way, it smiled nice and big as I put it back and it swam away! Next day I was at Show Low lake just before sunset and landed several rainbows, a couple of bluegills, some small green sunfish and a couple of nice smallmouths...all on the same fly as the day before. Seven different species in 2 days of fishing... Love those waters where you don't know what you'll catch next!!!! Steve, Tucson
CITY RESERVOIR — No report. Scheduled to be stocked this week.
DOGTOWN LAKE — Campground is open. Stocked last week
JD DAM — Had an angler report that he did well on wooly buggers.
RUSSELL TANK - The lake is to shallow to stock.
SANTA FE — No Report.
WHITEHORSE LAKE — Campground is open.
FLAGSTAFF LAKES:
LOWER LAKE MARY — No report
UPPER LAKE MARY — Fishing was slow over the weekend except in the area of the Narrows.
ASHURST LAKE — Trout were being caught on worms under a bobber or yellow powerbait on the bottom. Stocked last week.
FRANCIS SHORT POND – Fishing was good on corn dropped straight down by the dam.
KINNIKINICK LAKE — No report
MARSHALL LAKE — No report
OAK CREEK — No report. Stocked last week. Scheduled to be stocked this week.
LONG LAKE — No report.
SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX — No report
STONEMAN LAKE — NO FISH.
BLUE RIDGE — No report.
KNOLL LAKE — No report. Stocked last week.
VERBE VALLEY
Note: Fire restrictions are in effect for the Coconino National Forest.
DEAD HORSE STATE PARK – Catfish were stocked for free fishing day on June 4th. The catfish bite should remain good following the stocking. They bite best in the early morning hours and the evening.
VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) – The last trout stocking was the week of March 7th. The catfish and bass should be active. Always check your regulations before fishing this area with live bait. Game and Fish Commission Rule requires anglers to only use live bait that has been caught in the river. No transporting of live baitfish or crayfish is allowed.
BEAVER CREEK – No report.
WEST CLEAR CREEK — No report.
OAK CREEK — Scheduled to be stocked this week. Fishing will likely range from fair to good for rainbows, depending on the stretch you fish, and poor to fair for brown trout, with the best brown fishing located in the upper end of the canyon in the signed catch-and-release area. Was a report of a nice 2.5-pound brown caught in the lower canyon.
FOSSIL CREEK -- Is now closed to fishing. This unique catch-and-release, artificial lure with barbless hook only fishing for roundtail chub fishery came to an end April 30. This fishery will open again on the first Saturday of October.
Prescott Area
FAIN LAKE — Fain Lake is open and was stocked last week with 500 trout, the week of June 27th. Game and Fish will be stocking bass, catfish and bluegill as soon as it receives clearances.
GOLDWATER LAKE — Trout were stocked before the 4th of July weekend. Many anglers reported doing well. Power bait is probably your best bet, although spinners and flies can do well also. With the monsoons hitting, fishing patterns may change frequently. One day fishing may be great, and the next it may be slow.
Game and Fish has been trying to boost the some of the warm water species in Goldwater. Bass and catfish have been stocked three times over the last three years. The bass are being stocked to give a boost to a dwindling population in the lake and to reduce the excessive number of crayfish. Please practice catch and release with the bass, while the population gets re-established.
Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Goldwater on Sept. 15, 2009 and found bass and catfish populations to be much improved over last year. The number of green sunfish was greatly reduced. The bass had a successful spawn last year. If you fish Goldwater and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
GRANITE BASIN LAKE – Both largemouth bass and bluegill should be active. If you fish Granite Basin and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
LYNX LAKE – The bass and bluegill should be active. Catfish can be caught in the late evening and early morning. Trout stockings will resume in the fall.
Cut anchovies, night crawlers or hot dog are your best bet for catfish. Lynx can be difficult to fish, if you are not catching anything try moving to a new spot. There are some good spots on the north end of the lake that don’t get fished as heavily as the south end does.
MINGUS LAKE – Trout were stocked last the week of June 20th. The best bait is usually orange, pink, or white Power Bait, fished on the bottom with a treble hook and an egg sinker. Fishing can be really good at times, because angler use is lower than other lakes in the area. This lake is more remote than the other Prescott area lakes and not very big.
Someone illegally stocked yellow bullhead into Mingus several years ago. These fish compete directly with the trout and keep growth rates very low. If you witness anyone, anywhere, moving fish like bass, bluegill, catfish and stocking them, please report it to our Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-352-0700 or online at www.azgfd.gov/ogt_form.shtml. Illegal stockings cost YOU money!
WATSON – Watson Lake was stocked with 8250 Rainbow on March 30th. Over 13000 rainbow trout have been stocked since January into Watson Lake. Prior to the January stocking Game and Fish had not stocked trout here since 1962. Not much information coming in about Watson.
Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Watson last fall and found the bass, sunfish, and bullhead to be plentiful. Crappies were also doing well. Look for the crappie fishing to pick up in a year or two. If you fish Watson and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR – Willow has a great population of bass. THE vegetation makes fishing this lake a challenge in the summer.
If you fish Willow and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
WHITE MOUNTAINS AND RIM LAKES:
Recommended waters to fish:
The entire Apache side of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest (Springerville Ranger District, Alpine Ranger District, and Clifton Ranger District) is closed to public entry due to the Wallow Fire. Most of the Sitgreaves side of the Forest (Lakeside Ranger District and Black Mesa Ranger District) were recently closed to the public due to extreme fire danger. Select lakes on the Sitgreaves Forest are still open. We recommend Show Low Lake, Fool Hollow Lake, Scott Reservoir, and Silver Creek near the Show Low area, which have been stocked with extra trout to enhance angling opportunities. Woods Canyon Lake and Willow Springs Lake are open in the Mogollon Rim area.
MOGOLLON RIM LAKES
Note: Stage I fire restrictions are in effect on the Sitgreaves portion of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Black Mesa Ranger District and Lakeside Ranger District) due to fire danger.
BEAR CANYON LAKE – The lake is closed to access.
BLACK CANYON LAKE – The lake is closed to access.
BLUE RIDGE (CC CRAGIN) -- No recent angler reports.
CHEVELON LAKE – The lake is closed to access.
KNOLL LAKE -- Recent reports indicate the fishing has been very good at first light, and then a little slow until the evening bite starts. Fish can be caught near the shallows at first light during the early hatch, but then mostly go deep. There are lots of crayfish here. If you are bait fishing on the bottom, you'll want your bait to float up off the bottom. Or go ahead and catch a bucketful of crayfish to help the aquatic environment. They are good eating (try crayfish stuffed baked trout for dinner).
WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE – Fishing is fair to good. The lake will be stocked this week with over 3,000 rainbow trout. Trolling with lures or flies with cowbells have been successful.
WOODS CANYON LAKE - Fishing is fair to good. The lake was stocked last week with over 3,600 rainbow trout. Trolling with lures or flies with cowbells have been successful. The store is open and boat rentals are available.
A bald eagle closure area is still in effect on a portion of the lake and shoreline on the west side of the lake. Shoreline anglers will need to hike up and around the closure to get to the very upper west portions of the lake, while boaters will just need to avoid the shoreline at the closure. Buoys and signs are in place to mark the closure area.
Streams below the Mogollon Rim: Due to closures on the Tonto National Forest, the National Forest areas of those streams below the Mogollon Rim such as Christopher Creek are closed to the public.
WHITE MOUNTAIN LAKES and STREAMS
Note: The entire Apache portion of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Springerville, Alpine, and Clifton Ranger Districts) is closed to public entry due to the Wallow Fire. Most of the Lakeside Ranger District is also closed to public entry due to extreme fire danger. Fool Hollow Lake, Scott Reservoir, and Woodland Lake are still open. Stage II fire restrictions are in effect on the open portions of the Sitgreaves side of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests (Black Mesa and Lakeside Ranger Districts). Highways 60, 260, 373, and 180 are open. Highways 273, 261, and 191 between Alpine and Morenci are closed.
Lakes that are NOT accessible due to the Forest closure include:
*Big Lake
*Carnero Lake
*Crescent Lake
*Greer Lakes (River, Tunnel, Bunch reservoirs)
*Hulsey Lake
*Lee Valley Lake
*Luna Lake
*Nelson Reservoir
*Pratt Lake
Streams that are NOT accessible due to the Forest closure include:
*East Fork Black River
*West Fork Black River
*LCR around Greer
*Sheep’s Crossing
*Black River
All the numerous non-stocked streams on the Apache side of the Forest
BECKER LAKE – Becker Lake is open. Highways 60 and 260 from Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside are open. Water temperatures are high, so fish very early in the morning for best success. Becker is catch-and-release only, with artificial lure and fly only with single hook.
CLEAR CREEK RESERVOIR – Fishing is fair.
CONCHO LAKE – Fishing is poor. Water levels are very low and the weeds are thick.
FOOL HOLLOW LAKE – Fishing is fair to good. The lake was stocked recently with extra rainbow trout, including some larger sized trout (11-12 inches), to increase angling opportunities. Camping is available at this State Recreation Area.
LYMAN LAKE – Lyman Lake State Park is open. Fishing is good for bass and catfish. Camping is available.
*NELSON RESERVOIR – Nelson is technically closed as of July 5, however, the U.S. Forest Service and the Department are attempting to open access to this lake very soon.
RAINBOW LAKE – Fishing is fair. The weeds are fairly thick, however, the weed harvesting machine will continue work on the lake for another work period.
SCOTT RESERVOIR – Fishing is fair to good. Scott Reservoir was stocked recently with extra rainbow trout, including larger sized trout (11-12 inches), to increase angling opportunities.
SHOW LOW LAKE – Fishing is fair to good. Show Low Lake was stocked recently with extra rainbow trout, including larger sized trout (11-12 inches), to increase angling opportunities, and will be stocked again this week with over 2,000 rainbow trout. The store and campground are open, and boat rentals are available.
SILVER CREEK – Fishing is good to excellent. The stream will be stocked heavily with Apache trout over the next several weeks. Opportunities for kids to catch their first fish and to fill your bag limit will be very good at Silver Creek while this heavy weekly stocking occurs. Silver Creek is located off Bourdon Ranch Road, 10 miles northeast of Show Low. Anglers can use bait, lures, and flies, and the bag and possession limit is 6 trout. The upper section is closed to fishing.
WOODLAND LAKE – Fishing is fair. The pH level has increased dramatically and the fishing has slowed because of the water conditions. Fishing in the early morning or in the evening is best to avoid the warmest conditions of the middle of the day.
SOUTHERN ARIZONA
The Coronado National Forest closed June 9 due to extreme fire conditions.
Please send me your fishing reports from Southern Arizona! Fishing reports can be sent to Don Mitchell, Regional Fish Program Manager by email at dmitchell@azgfd.gov. These reports will then be complied and reported in our weekly fishing reports.
Summers coming and that means the bass and bluegill fishing is warming up also! Anglers should begin to focus their attention along the shoreline in shady areas for great sunfish opportunities. Live worms and meal worms are the classic baits for these little fighters. Bass anglers will find the best action along the shoreline as well wherever you find breaks in the shoreline vegetation. Trout stocking for the summer months is underway. You can view the schedule here: 2011 Summer Stocking Schedule
URBAN WATERS -- Fishing is good to excellent for anglers using worms, stink baits, or shrimp fished on the bottom. If you want to use bobbers, rig up a slip bobber and fish 8-12 feet deep. Catfish are biting irregularly throughout the day, but are more active when the sun goes down.
Most catfish are from 14-18 inches, but some lunkers over three pounds are being hauled out of the lakes. Bluegill fishing is good for anglers using worms and mealworms fished under a small bobber in 3-6 foot depths.
Action for largemouth bass is fair with the best baits finesse plastics fished in the early morning hours.
RIGGS FLAT — Closed due to Fire danger.
CLUFF RANCH — Anglers are reporting smaller bass are hitting on night crawlers and that sunfish can be caught all day if you use smaller hooks. An angler also reported a 28-pound channel catfish was caught and released as well. The pond is full and there are no issues with boat launching. For lake information call (928) 485-9430.
ROPER LAKE — For lake information and status of the park call (928) 428-6760.
DANKWORTH POND — Closed to fishing during renovation.
FRYE MESA RESERVIOR – Closed due to fire danger.
KEARNY LAKES — This small lake remains fishless due to impacts of golden algae.
ARIVACA — Closed due to fire danger.
PENA BLANCA – Closed due to fire danger.
PATAGONIA — The level is dropping and boaters should use caution due to increased number of hazards. Some anglers are reporting that bass are beginning to chase shad and are reporting success fishing the boils in the late evening. No other recent reports of success.
PARKER CANYON — Closed due to fire danger.
ROSE CANYON LAKE — Closed due to fire danger.
Note to Anglers: The Sport Fish Restoration Program was created through the Dingell-Johnson Act of 1950 (Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act) and the Wallop-Breaux amendments of 1984.
Through a federal excise tax paid by manufacturers on fishing gear and motorboat fuels, it provides grant funds for fishery conservation, boating access, and aquatic education.
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