Game and Fish Report July 7 2010 |
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| Old Game and Fish Reports |
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Rory's Tips:
Don't get caught on the lakes during thunderstorms, but when the cumulo nimbus clouds are stacking up to the heavens, especialy along the Mogollon Rim or San Francisco Peaks, the barometer will start to plummet, insects will get frantically active, and trout will respond by feeding aggressively at the surface. It's a weather/food-chain phenomenon.
Even spin anglers may want to fish with flies using casting bubbles or some other device that allows a leader to be attached with a fly. Try a tapered leader you can get at any fly fishing shop or most tackle stores, and use any number of flies, but brown or green wooly buggers are simple and can often be effective this time of year.
Also keep in mind that we have a waning moon, with a new moon on July 11 (the first quarter is July 18), so fishing at night using submersible lights can be quite effective if you find the right location. This is a good time to go after summer crappie using live minnows or jigs (see the crappie report below). It is a great time to go after striped bass at places like Lake Pleasant, Havasu, Mead and Powell; use frozen anchovies or squid.
For those fishing at night, mark July 28-29 on your calendar for the Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower thatcan produce about 20 meteors per hour at peak. The shower usually peaks on July 28 and 29, but some meteors can also be seen from July 18 - Aug. 18. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. Best viewing is usually to the east after
Right next door at Lake Powell, Bullfrog is boiling -- at least according to my old friend Wayne Gustaveson. And he is always spot on. Go to Kayenta and turn left past Monument Valley and Mexican Hat, then up over the hill past the Goosenecks of the San Juan (or through Bluff, Utah), and visit Hall's Crossing/Bullfrog. There is even a way cool car ferry crossing betweeen the two resorts. By the way, it's also prime smallmouth bass and walleye country as well. It can be eight to 10 hours of driving from Phoenix towing a boat, or rent one there.
This is a great time for catfish, especially at night. Channel catfish are plentiful at all our desert lakes and you can catch them from shore. Try hot dogs, corn, chicken liver, stinkbait or dough bait fished on the bottom with slip sinkers.
We are also in prime flathead catfish time. Some of the best places for catfish include Bartlett, Roosevelt, Colorado River (Imperical Division near Yuma), and Havasu. Use bluegill or small carp as bait.
Go catch some memories. Maybe I'll see you out there.
Thanks, Buck J. Yee
Alamo- I haven’t heard much lately, it gets rippin hot out at Alamo and a lot of anglers will stay away during the summer because of the heat. That being said, Alamo is producing some nice Crappie in the late afternoon. Try trolling grubs and cranks at about 10’ deep over 40-plus feet of water. The steep cliff walls near the dam can be very productive and you may even find some shade to hide from the heat in. Bartlett- Still producing some very nice bags. A lot of the Crappie are smaller but they hit like a freight train. I’ve heard of several great night trip and a few that were un-productive. Bartlett Crappie can be very finicky so bring lots of different baits in different colors. Pleasant- No reports. The AZCA had its June meeting there a couple weeks ago but most of them fished for stripers with mixed results. Roosevelt- Day time trollers on the Tonto end and near Haystack have been catching some real nice Crappie over deep water. Look for some kind of vertical change in the bottom, even if its 80 to 100’ deep. You should find pods of Crappie at about 12’ below the surface. Night fishing has been feast or famine. I’ve heard more reports of good fishing but a few folks have had a tough time finding a bite. The Schoolhouse area and the east side of Windy Hill are good spots to try. San Carlos- You can still find schools of Crappie during the day but they probably should look for deeper water. 2” Kalin and Bass Pro Grubs in Fire Tiger of Yellow Jacket are great colors for SC. Also small cranks like the Strike King Mini 3, Norman Deep Tiny N’s or my favorite, Wally Marshall Crappie Cranks in 1.5”. Troll the cranks 10’ deep at just over 1 MPH. At night I would fish minnows under bobbers up by the dam. If you need any help with your tackle or just want to share a report, I will be work the closing shift at Bass Pro Shops this week. Stop by and say howdy. To protect the sport we love The Arizona Crappie Association promotes and practice the immediate release of all Crappie under 10” in length. Let them lil fellers go and catch them again next year. For more reports on Crappie, check out the official website of the AZCA at www.azcrappie.com. Bill (Piscolli) Eveland AZCA/ BPS
TEMPE TOWN LAKE -- No new reports but we helped the Town of Tempe by catching a bunch of fish that washed over the west dam into a scour pool at the base of the dam. Fishing is not allowed due to liability reasons but we got in there with our electrofishing equipment and did what we could considering it was pretty deep. In all we caught 20 largemouth bass – 8 were young of year and the rest ranged in size from about 16 inches down to 10 inches. We also caught about 14 carp, and 13 bluegill, a readear sunfish and 2 green sunfish. The sunfish averaged about 4 to 5 inches in length and were in spawning colors. There were 50 fish in all. We transferred all the fish back in the lake at Tempe Beach Park. Don’t forget the current bag limit for largemouth bass at Town Lake is four fish per day with a 13-inch minimum length restriction. There are also no gas powered boats allowed on the lake and Tempe Town Lake permits are available at the City of Tempe Town Lake Operations Center, 620 N. Mill Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85281. Phone: (480) 350-8625. LAKE PLEASANT – Lake elevation 1,689 feet (85 percent full). This is a good time to target striped bass and largemouth bass at night using submersible lights. Use frozen anchovies for the stripers and live minnows (or shad) for the bucketmouths. Also, there should be a decent topwater bite at first and last light. At first light, try in the coves. At last light, try near major lake points, islands and reefs. ROOSEVELT LAKE -- Lake Elevation is 2,148 ft (97-percent full). Tonto Creek runoff is 0 cfs while inflow from the Salt River is at 198 cfs. The best fishing is probably at night, but expect a good topwater bite at first and last light. During the day, try working off the major points, islands and reefs in 15 to 30 feet of water using drop shots, deep-diving crankbaits, Texas-rigged worms and Carolina-rigged lizards. Rattling jigs and spoons can also be effective when subtlely bounced off the bottom. But also keep an eye out for periodic boils or slurps during the day. An angler did some lake hoping, hitting Apache, Roosevelt and then Saguaro lake. Before I mention his fishing results, I need to remind everybody golden algae are in Saguaro, Canyon and Apache Lakes (AIS listed water). It is not in Roosevelt as of yet, and it would benefit all of us if Roosevelt does not get contaminated. For you day users please follow the rules below, and if you must lake hop in the chain it is best to fish Roosevelt first then Apache, Canyon or Saguaro. When we do our sampling Roosevelt is always first with a boat that has been previously cleaned, drained and dried. DAY USERS: Any watercraft, boats, vehicles, conveyances, or other equipment that have been in or on waters where aquatic invasive species are present for 5 days or less. IF USING BOAT AGAIN IN LESS THAN FIVE DAYS FROM PREVIOUS USE: Replace bilge drain plug and disinfect the bilge by pouring in not less than one gallon of vinegar; the vinegar can be drained from the bilge upon arrival at home (vinegar can be reused several times). Back to fishing. This hopping angler fished for 2 hours and caught one slot largemouth bass and a slot smallmouth bass on dropshot. Two anglers fished in the evening and after it became dark. They caught 3 upper slot bass just as it was getting dark and the moon was coming up then the bite stopped. Just like fishing early morning and evening the same can be said about the moon. They like it just before and just after moon sets and rises. A fishing trio fished Saturday night. They started at 6:30pm. The best bite came on Texas rigged worms along shore near the dam. Pumkinseed and black and blue flake worms, were the best colors this night. Between the three of them they caught about 40 fish. Nine were over the slot. Another couple anglers fished the Tonto end in the trees over 12 feet of water and the bass liked the ¼ oz spinnerbait. Once the bite died they switched to using a Zara Spooks and that bite lasted till almost midnight. They caught 45 fish.
Anglers are catching walleye with cranks and jointed Rapalas. One angler also caught 15 largemouth bass from 2 to 4 pounds. An angler caught 20 largemouth, 1 smallie and 5 walleye using chatterbait, Power Worms and topwater. The bighorn sheep should be in the rut, so bring along your binoculars. You might hear or see rams butting heads. Also watch for nesting peregrine falcons. SAGUARO -- Lake elevation 1,524 feet at 92 percent full. Best fishing is at night, which is also the best way to avoid the intense recreational boating traffic this time of year. Target largemouth bass, yellow bass and channel catfish. There are plenty of fishing piers for shore anglers -- it's a good bet for families looking for a fun place to have a picnic and fish in the evening. This is a perfect time to fish the deep holes for flathead catfish using live bluegills as bait. For night crappie fishing, try in the Yellow Cliffs area or off the mouth of any cove sporting submerged artificial structure. Two fishermen fished in the evening and caught a bass over 2 pounds using a shad crank bouncing over a point. Another two-pound bass fell for Texas-rigged worm. They caught a few other smaller bass as well. HORSESHOE - Lake elevation is at 2010 feet, 65 percent full. They are releasing water at 600 cfs. No reports from anglers. VERDE RIVER -- Verde River flow at Tangle is 95 cubic feet per second. Release from Bartlett Lake is 900 cfs. SALT RIVER (upper) – Salt River into Roosevelt is 198 cfs, and Salt River Canyon is 151 cfs. They are releasing 1,000 cfs out of Stewart Mountain dam from Saguaro. LOWER SALT RIVER -- Stewart Mtn. Dam (below Saguaro Lake) release is 1,000 cfs. A fly fisherman caught a bunch of trout throwing midges and dry flies. Fish some of the deeper pools for trout and bass. At these flows, kayaks make a lot of sense for anglers. Look out for all the tubers -- go early. Where: Lower Salt River CREEKS – All these creeks are scheduled to receive trout every week. Fish with big terrestrials such as hoppers although the smaller terrestrials will work too. To increase your odds throw a dry dropper nymph on it. The East Verde River also has increased flow levels this year, so it is also worth a try. It has been stocked.
LAKE POWELL- Courtesy Wayneswords.com, July 7, 2010. Lake Elevation: 3,638. Water Temp: 79- 84 F. The next step in boil progression will be at Hite. The water is now clearing rapidly as runoff has subsided to normal summer flow patterns. With increased visibility shad will migrate into the channels as they have done down lake and stripers will find them. There are more shad in the productive inflow areas. Expect boils to be bigger and stronger each day in the Hite area. That will be the place to be from mid July to the end of the month. Walleye fishing remains strong from Bullfrog to Hite. Record numbers of walleye were found in northern lake sampling last year. Those fish are hungry and willing to hit live worms, plastic baits and trolled crankbaits. Morning, evening and night are the best times to fish for these light sensitive fish. They can be caught mid day and afternoon in areas where wind or wave action has created a mudline which provides shade for these ambush feeders. Muddy coves along the main channel are great walleye producing spots. Bass continue to hit plastic baits, live worms, and spinnerbaits. Largemouth will be right inside dense brushy shelter. Weedless rigged baits that can be worked through and retrieved from brush are the most effective. Four-pound largemouth are still being caught each week. Smallmouth bass are on rock structure and seemed to be found more often in the backs of canyons and coves than in open bays. Trailing a single tail plastic grub rigged Carolina style or fishing drop-shot rigged plastic baits directly under the boat at 25 feet seems to the best method for successfully taking bass right now. Catfishing is awesome on sandy beaches near camp in the evenings and just after dark. It's the dog days of summer but Lake Powell fish don't care. They are still being caught in good numbers and in exciting fashion.
LEES FERRY – From Lees Ferry Anglers - June 26th, 2010 LAKE MEAD – The current water level is around 1,089 feet above msl. The lake has been going down about a foot a week. If you want to find the stripers, look for shad. If you can locate the shad, the stripers are not far behind. Trolling usually works best in the early morning and evening. The night time bite has begun to pick up. Submersible lights fished during the new moon is an effective way to catch stripers. Cut anchovies usually work the best. The next new moon will be 7/11/10. Launching conditions at South Cove will remain fair. The concrete ramp the National Park Service completed last year is two lanes with cones marking the edges. Use caution not to go off the sides of the metal extensions at either side. National Park Service is working to keep the ramp open. Temple Bar Launch Ramp is two 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 www.azgfd.gov or visithttp://100thmeridian.org/. LAKE MOHAVE – The lake level is around 643 feet above msl. The bass bite has been fair. One angler reported catching many bass including a 5lb largemouth and a 3 lb smallmouth. 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. The night time bite has begun to pick up. Submersible lights fished during the new moon is an effective way to catch stripers. Cut anchovies usually work the best. The next new moon will be 7/11/10. 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 and Shoshone. 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 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 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 visithttp://100thmeridian.org/. WILLOW BEACH – Trout fishing has begun to pick up. Trout are stocked every Friday with 3,000 13” rainbow trout. Fishing is best immediately following the stocking. Most anglers are having success with power bait, salmon peach was the one most effective. While access has been more difficult than normal during the ongoing construction, parking around the fishing pier has remained good. 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
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
so I can share your successes with others. TOPOCK MARSH – No new reports: Largemouth bass are still active. Catfish should be doing well also. No new reports. Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Topock the first week in February. Bass, crappie and catfish populations continue to do well. 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 visithttp://100thmeridian.org/. COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM –With water temperature in the in the low 70’s, the Topock Gorge is producing plenty of striper and smallmouth bass action. Stripers remain moderately abundant with sizes ranging between 2- and 5-pounds. They’re in 10 to 12 feet of water and are taking their favorite food, the little anchovy. As predicted, the smallmouth bass have resumed biting and can be taken on curly-tails worm rigged on a 4/0 hook with a split shot about a foot above it and on the other ever present and worthwhile bait, the night crawler. Work the structures and change your retrieve. Rainbow trout are stocked by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service monthly during the winter. The last scheduled stocking was March 16th. Stocking will resume in October. The fish are stocked in two locations; Davis Camp and near The Riverside. Trout fishing at the stocking sites is great immediately following the stockings, then the fish move out and you need to find them. 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. SOUTHWEST COLORADO RIVER Recent Reports from Fishermen/Wildlife Managers: AZGFD completed flathead catfish surveys on the Colorado River from the Palo Verde diversion dam, north of I-10, all the way down to Morelos Dam in May. The flathead catfish population is doing very well throughout the river. Fish larger than 40 pounds are a little far and few between, but there are lots in the 5-20 pound range. An update on the Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) situation: Last May and June we saw a huge carp die-off at Lake Havasu and the Parker Strip. This past fall the virus had made its way down to the Yuma area, and we saw some die-off in backwaters and canals, but not to the degree that we had seen earlier at Lake Havasu. We were fully expecting to see a more major outbreak this spring and early summer, but so far the only significant detection was at Mittry Lake. Even there, the die-off wasn’t particularly heavy. The minor outbreak last fall may have helped to thin out and immunize the carp population, with the result that we saw only minor effects this spring as the water temperature warmed to the range in which KHV is active. KHV is now in the system, and we expect to see minor effects into the future, but we are cautiously optimistic that future outbreaks may be relatively minor. Again, KHV only affects common carp and the ornamental Koi carp.
ALAMO LAKE – Fishing report courtesy Mark Knapp, Alamo Lake State Park. Well folks, it's that time of year that there bouncing me all over the state like a ping-pong ball, so I'm trying to keep you updated the best I can. Bass fishing is pretty good. A couple of friends of mine went out last week in the early morning and did really well throwing chug bugs (top water). The bite lasted till around 7ish and was done. They caught 20 plus bass between the two of them. All I could get out of them was "upper end of the lake and in the brush." Anglers are also doing good dropshotting with red worms. Cat fishing is excellent. One angler reported that his crew caught over 40 nice sized cats. The bite started around 4 a.m. and again, lasted till around 7ish in the morning. Minnows are the choice bait for them. I have not heard any good reports on crappie fishing. A few anglers have stated that they have caught 5 to 6 a day in the upper end of the lake trolling with minnows. I'm very happy to say that it finally hit 110 out here. I came out of my cave, stretched, felt my lower back pop back into place, saw my Shadow, and declared an extra 8 weeks of summer. With that in mind you want to bring lots of sun block with you. Drink lots of water. The biting flies, and a few bugs that I'm not sure of, are out in force so bug spray is becoming a way of life out here for the next few months. Last week the lake level was at 1126ish with releases of 50cfs. Both ramps are in operation at this time. SUMMER OUTLOOK: Alamo Lake: The lake elevation is pretty optimal, presently at about 1125 feet. Largemouth bass surveys conducted by AGFD in April indicate that bass are very abundant, although a large proportion of the population remains in the protected slot. Fish are still not in real good condition, but we expect forage fish (primarily shad) numbers to improve as a result of the good inflows to the lake this winter, which should have provided a lot of nutrients to the system. Fishing is expected to be good throughout the summer, especially in the early mornings and evenings. The channel catfish bite should be good to excellent throughout the summer. Alamo Lake is loaded with small channel catfish, especially at the upper end of the lake, but larger fish are present. During the spring surveys, AGFD encountered far more channel catfish than usual, the majority in the 2-6 lb range, and they were in very good condition. The channel catfish appear to really be capitalizing on crayfish, as we could feel, or even see, that many of their stomachs were stuffed with crayfish. A hoop-netting survey specifically targeting channel catfish was conducted in early June last year, with abundant catfish captured, up to 7 pounds. Based on the sampling, the most productive area appears to be on the western side of the lake, especially the middle third of the lake shoreline. There are other fish present such as bluegill, redear sunfish and carp that are a lot of fun to catch. Our April survey apparently coincided with the sunfish spawn, and we noted large numbers of nice-sized redears and bluegills on beds. Large tilapia in the 5-6 pound range are abundant, and are an unexploited resource. As the weather warms, shift from slowly working plastics in deeper water to crank baits, spinner baits, and top-water lures for bass. For channel catfish, any of the prepared catfish baits, as well as chicken livers and shrimp will work. Occasionally channel catfish are even caught on bass lures. Both of the boat ramps are useable at this time. The store at the lake is now open, although fuel is not available. The certified scale that was previously located at the Park office is now located in the store. At the store you can get ice, snacks, fishing tackle and bait, as well as information on the fishing bring everything with you. If you run short of supplies, you might be able to pick it up at the Wayside Inn in Wayside, or in Wenden. Lake Havasu & Topock Gorge: Fishing for largemouth bass, as well as smallmouth bass, is expected to remain good through the summer. The size will range from 13 inches and up (remember, there is a 13-inch minimum size limit on the lower Colorado River), with an occasional fish greater than 5 pounds. Striped bass fishing continues to be somewhat problematic, with catch rates far below what has been experienced two or three years ago. Shad numbers appear to have rebounded somewhat, which may help improve the fishery. Striped bass tend to concentrate mainly on shad. Remember, shad schools move around, and populations tend to fluctuate, so spots that have been “hot” in the past may no longer be so if the shad have moved elsewhere, or are in lower numbers. The majority of striped bass in Lake Havasu tend to be smaller fish of 1 to 2 pounds, but the occasional 20-30 pound fish is caught. Channel catfish as well as bluegill and redear sunfish will be good to excellent. Lake Havasu is well known for large (2-3 pound) redear sunfish, and with the proliferation of the quagga mussel in the lake, we may see larger numbers of large redears. In fact, a 4 pound 6 ounce redear was caught by a bass fisherman several months ago. Redear sunfish are also known as “shellcrackers,” due to their preference for eating clams and mussels, so they may actually benefit from the presence of the invasive quagga mussel. There have also been reports of crappie fishing picking up, a species that used to be sought after in the lake, but has declined in recent years. Flathead catfish fishing should be fair at the lower end of the lake (Bill Williams River Arm) through the spring, although recent surveys indicate that they are taking up residence farther north in the lake than in the past. Flathead catfish can reach as high as 40 pounds or better in Lake Havasu. When fishing for them, select the interior points in the coves and the areas where artificial structure has been placed. Carp fishing should be excellent, if that is your thing. We expected to see a decrease in carp numbers as a result of the Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) outbreak Lake Havasu experienced early last summer. However, our surveys did not detect a significant decrease in carp numbers. Undoubtedly, there are fewer carp at the moment, but the remaining ones have apparently capitalized on reduced competition with other carp, and are in incredible shape. On average, they are the fattest carp we’ve ever encountered. So far, there does not seem to be a repeat of the virus outbreak this year (Lake Havasu City is probably breathing a huge sigh of relief), so the population may now have been somewhat immunized. KHV is certainly still present in the system, but may only effect limited numbers of carp in the future. 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 waters by accident. This invasive species certainly has profound effects on water delivery and control structures, boat engines, and likely on fish populations. Quaggas are abundant and widely distributed in Lake Havasu, but are absent from many of our interior lakes. Help keep those lakes quagga-free. Make sure your boat and trailer are free of the mussels, drain all bilge and livewells before leaving the area, and most importantly, let your boat bake in the sun for 3-5 days in the sun before you launch it at another lake. Extra precautions should be taken for boats that have been moored on the lake for 5 days or more. For new regulations aimed to reduce the spread of the quagga mussel, and steps you need to take to ensure your boat and equipment are not responsible for spreading this noxious invader, go tohttp://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/zebra_mussels.shtml for the latest information. Colorado River (Parker Strip Area, between Parker Dam and Headgate Rock): Fishing is expected to be good to excellent for smallmouth bass, with fish over two pounds in size common. The best smallmouth bass fishing can be found in the upper half of the Parker Strip, while largemouth bass are more numerous in the lower half, in very respectable numbers. In addition, redear sunfish should also be good to excellent in the pound-plus sizes. AZGFD’s most recent surveys turned up good numbers of redear sunfish in the two-pound range. That is dinner-plate sized, folks! Channel and flathead catfish are always fair to good in this section of the Colorado River. 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 waters by accident. See more information on the quagga athttp://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/zebra_mussels.shtml.
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 smaller ones, in the 2 to 5 pound size range, with an occasional fish over 20 pounds. Annual fisheries surveys this spring turned up several fish in the 40 to 50 pound range, so trophy flatheads are always a possibility. Look for large deep pools formed at eddies for the larger fish. The best time for fishing for both species of catfish will be all summer and on into the fall months. Generally, the hotter the weather is, the better the cat-fishing. Nighttime is the best time to go after both species of catfish. 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. The last thing that we want to have happen is the movement of invasive species to other waters. Check out the following link for more information on new regulations and decontamination procedures for preventing the spread of this noxious invader.http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/zebra_mussels.shtml 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 reaching over 40 pounds. The best time will be summer and on into the fall months. The hotter the temperature the better the fishing is. The various backwaters will be good for largemouth bass and other sunfish (bluegill and redear). Other species available in the main river are smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and striped bass. 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. The last thing that we want to have happen is the movement of invasive species to other waters. 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 will be found primarily in the backwaters and at the mouths of backwaters. There are channels on both sides of the river connecting numerous backwaters, and an aerial map of the area is not a bad idea if you are unfamiliar with the network of backwaters. Bass and channel catfish in excess of 5 pounds are relatively numerous, along with flathead catfish as large as 50-60 pounds. There are undoubtedly state record flatheads inhabiting this stretch of the river (a couple of years ago AZGFD contacted an 89-pounder during a survey). Bluegill are also present in the various backwaters. Occasional striped bass will be caught in the main river channel, especially near Imperial Dam. Colorado River (between Laguna and Morelos dams): This area will be decent for largemouth bass and flathead catfish. Accessing the water can be a problem, as river flows are much lower than historically, and launching a boat can be a challenge. Accessibility to the river is dependent on the amount of water being released upstream, which has diminished in recent years. A small shallow-draft boat or float tube should get you into some good fishing. Be especially careful in the two or three miles below Laguna Dam, as there are numerous hazards in the shallow water that can seriously compromise your boat. Bass in excess of 5 pounds occur, but really good habitat for bass is not plentiful. Flathead catfish over 20 pounds are also a good bet in the deeper pools, especially in the area from Morelos Dam to the rock weir, and just above the rock weir. The lower end has had some dredging work done, and larger boats should be able to get on the river at the dredge launch (at the Mode extension near the USBR office) above the rock weir. Because of the increase in border issues and illegal activity on the lower end of this stretch of the river, we recommend using extreme caution while fishing the area from Pilot Knob to Morelos Dam. Mittry Lake: - No new reports Regional Hot Spots: Alamo Lake will continue to be the hot spot for largemouth bass and channel catfish. Next choice would be Lake Havasu for large and smallmouth bass and redears; the bass there are in the best condition of any in our Region, and because of the clear water of Lake Havasu are quite strikingly colored. The Parker Strip should continue to be very good for smallmouth bass and redear sunfish, and the Colorado River below Walter’s Camp is the place to go for larger bass, and for flathead catfish. Our surveys in May revealed 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. 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. For a very good source of local fishing information in the Yuma area check out: www.yumabassman.com/bulletinboard. Information in this web-based forum is not limited to bass, but includes catfish, sunfish and a variety of other species and topics.
Note: Remember Fossil Creek is now closed to fishing until Oct.2. CATARACT LAKE — Stocked with catfish CITY RESERVOIR — Stocked with catfish DOGTOWN LAKE — Stocked last week. Fishing was fair to good on marshmallows. A few large brown trout have been reported by lure anglers. Stocked last week. JD DAM — Road is open. RUSSELL TANK - Road is open but the lake is to shallow to stock. SANTA FE — Lake is full. Stocked with catfish.
FLAGSTAFF LAKES: UPPER LAKE MARY — Some Crappie were being caught on the upper part of the lake near the weeds on small rubber jigs. Boat anglers were catching pike and yellow bass trolling spoons and Shad Raps. Perch were being caught on worms. This is a good time to target walleye in the evening.
(I know we used this photo last week from Ashurt Lake, but look at that monster pike! I never get tired of looking at this picture.) FRANCIS SHORT POND – Fishing has been excellent. Catfishing was good on hotdogs, chicken and corn/hotdog combo. Trout were being caught on corn near the inflow area and on the dam. Scheduled to be stocked KINNIKINICK LAKE — Road is open. Stocked last week. MARSHALL LAKE — No report OAK CREEK — Fishing was good for brown trout and rainbow trout. Use flies for browns and bait for rainbows. Scheduled to be stocked LONG LAKE — Road is open. This lake can be great one day, and poor the next for trout and pike. SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX — Road is open BEAVER CREEK/WEST CLEAR CREEK — No report STONEMAN LAKE — NO FISH. BLUE RIDGE — Road is open. This long and narrow steep-sided lake provides little shore angling opportunity, it is best fished from a boat, canoe, kayak or float tube. KNOLL LAKE — Road is open. Stocked last week. Scheduled to be stocked again this week. Fishing should be pretty good. There is a small campground and dispersed camping nearby. Verde Valley DEAD HORSE STATE PARK – Catfish were stocked the week of April 19th and June 12th. Frozen anchovies or night crawlers should work best for them. Bass and bluegill are also active. If you would like your child to catch their first fish, Bluegill can be easily caught with a number 10 hook with a small pieces of worm under a bobber. These will not be large bluegill, but they can be a lot of fun for little ones to catch. Trout stocking will resume in the fall. OAK CREEK — Stocked weekly through the end of summer. Fishing was good for brown trout and rainbow trout. Use flies for browns and bait for rainbows. VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) – I have not heard much for the area, but catfish should be biting. Try to locate eddy areas or large deep pools. Cut anchovies work well. Live bait can also be very effective, but make sure you are down stream of Tuzigoot bridge, are using legal baitfish collected from the fishing location. Always check your regulations before fishing. Prescott Area GOLDWATER LAKE — Trout were stocked last week, the week of the week of June 21st. Fishing success should improve following the stocking, but in general, fishing has not been as good this year as it was the last few years. Trout have been schooled up. If you can find the school, your success will be high, if not you may struggle. Spinners, flies, and jigs have been working well. The sunfish and bass should be actively biting. One angler reported catching two bass after fishing hard all day, but they were 2 – 6 lbs. 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 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so I can share your successes with others. GRANITE BASIN –The bass and bluegill are starting to bite, but it is still slow. If you fish Granite Basin and are having luck, please e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so I can share your successes with others. LYNX LAKE — Brook trout were stocked last week, the week of June 21st. Rainbow Trout were last stocked, the week of June 14th. This is the last scheduled trout stocking until the fall. Catfish and Bluegill were stocked on June 12th. Fishing should really pick up following the stocking. Trout can be caught on power bait, corn, or spinners. The brookies tend to feed near the bottom. 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. Fingerling brook trout were stocked September 17th. 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. Illegal stockings cost YOU money! WATSON – No new reports- The fishing should be picking up by now, but I have not heard of many anglers fishing Watson. Both Bass and catfish should be active by now. Large numbers of small crappie are in Watson, but I have not heard about people catching them. 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 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so I can share your successes with others. WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR – The fishing has picked up. Anglers continue to have success catching bass. Plastics seem to be working the best for now. If you fish Willow and are having luck, please e-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it so I can share your successes with others. White Mountains and Rim Lakes Recommended Waters to Fish: TROUT STOCKINGS
Scheduled for July 6-9
MOGOLLON RIM Note: All lakes are accessible and full. Boat ramps are all accessible, except at Bear Canyon and Chevelon Canyon lakes where there are no traditional boat ramps. For more information, call the Pinetop Office of Arizona Game and Fish at (928) 367-4281. BEAR CANYON LAKE — Fishing is fair to good for stocked trout. Catchable-size rainbow trout will be stocked this week. Anglers are catching fish on Power Bait and night crawlers. BLACK CANYON LAKE — Fishing is fair for stocked trout. Anglers are catching trout on Power Bait and night crawlers. This lake also contains largemouth bass and green sunfish – please catch and keep all you can of these illegally-stocked warm-water species, there is no limit on them. BLUE RIDGE RESERVOIR -- Has slowed down considerably. Fishing is best from a boat, canoe, kayak or flat tube. There is deep canyon lake has very little accessible shoreline for an angler on foot. CHEVELON LAKE -- Fishing is fair to good at this hike-in lake. The lake is open to artificial lures and flies only and trout between 10 and 14 inches may not be possessed. The daily bag and possession limit is 6 trout. It is illegal to use bait here.
Stream Fishing: Stream fishing success is starting to tail off as the weather warms, but can still be viable at first and last light or on those cooler days when there is cloud cover. Try night crawlers, small spinners, Power Bait, Crickhoppers and 1/8-ounce KastMasters.
WHITE MOUNTAINS Note: All lakes are accessible and most are full. Hwy 273 (Big Lake road) is paved and open. However, paving on a short section between Sunrise and Sheeps Crossing is in progress and traffic through this area may be slow. Flagmen and pilot cars are being used to maintain vehicle access while construction is occurring. Expect some delays. To avoid this construction, use Hwy 261. For more information, call the Pinetop office of the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (928) 367-4281. CLEAR CREEK RESERVOIR —Fishing is fair for trout and good for warm-water species. Try night crawlers and spinners for trout, and night crawlers on the bottom for bullheads, sunfish, and bass. CONCHO LAKE — Fishing is poor. The lake level is very low and launching a boat is difficult. CRESCENT LAKE — Fishing is fair to good. The lake winter-killed but has been heavily restocked with 5,000 catchable size brook trout, and 4,949 catchable and 7,457 sub-catchable rainbow trout since mid-May. Another 1,822 brook trout will be stocked this week. Anglers are catching stocked trout on night crawlers and Power Bait. The store is currently closed. FOOL HOLLOW LAKE — Fishing is fair. A few trout in the 12-inch range are being caught on night crawlers and Power Bait. There were 1-1.5-pound channel catfish stocked on May 19. Anglers are catching catfish at night on chicken liver and night crawlers. Bluegills and black crappies are being caught on night crawlers and small jigs off the west side fishing piers. Some bass and walleyes are being caught on lures. One fishing pier on the east side is closed for repairs. This lake is managed as a State Recreation Area. GREER LAKES — Fishing is fair at all Greer lakes (Bunch, Tunnel and River). Water levels are dropping at all three reservoirs, so use caution when launching a boat. Boats cannot be launched at the boat ramp at River Reservoir due to very low water levels. Also be careful about launching a boat at Bunch Reservoir due to the concrete lip at the end of the ramp. Anglers should use Power Bait and night crawlers on the bottom and in early morning, or small lures or cowbells trolled from a boat. River Reservoir also contains illegally-stocked yellow perch, which can be caught easily by kids fishing a small piece of nightcrawler under a bobber. HULSEY LAKE — Fishing is fair. Trout are being caught on Power Bait and night crawlers. Stocked trout are rising to early morning and late evening hatches and can be caught on small dry flies. There is a short hike down to this small lake. LEE VALLEY RESERVOIR — Fishing is fair to good. The lake winter-killed, but has been restocked with 4,000 catchable-size Apache trout and 3,700 arctic grayling (7”) since mid-May. Apache trout and grayling are biting well on beadhead nymphs and zug bugs. Lee Valley Lake is open to lures and flies only with a 2-trout bag and possession limit, and a minimum size of 12-inches. It is illegal to use bait here. LUNA LAKE — Fishing is fair. It is a little slow, but some large trout are being caught on night crawlers, Power Bait, and salmon eggs fished off the bottom and in early morning. The concession store is under new management and is now open. They have fishing tackle and boat rentals available. LYMAN LAKE — Lyman Lake State Park is open for the summer. Anglers should try night crawlers and chicken liver for catfish. Largemouth bass, sunfish and some walleye are also present in the lake. The Park has many campsites and other amenities. RAINBOW LAKE — Fishing is poor to fair. An algae bloom and lots of weeds are starting to develop, driving the pH levels up, and the fishing has slowed down. A few trout, bluegills, catfish, and bullheads are being caught off the fishing pier and dam area. SCOTT RESERVOIR — Fishing is fair. The lake has been stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout. 1 to 1.5-pound channel catfish were also stocked on May 19. Anglers are catching trout and catfish on night crawlers and Power Bait on the bottom, early in the morning. WOODLAND LAKE — Fishing has been poor to fair for trout, bass, and catfish. Anglers should try night crawlers or Power Bait on the bottom and early in the morning for trout. Nightcrawlers will also work for bass and catfish. A 4.5-pound bass was recently caught by a young angler fishing with a worm for catfish. The daily bag and possession limit at Woodland Lake is 4 trout.
Note: Access roads to all streams are open. All regular stocking sites were double-stocked for the July 4 weekend and will be stocked weekly through the summer. EAST FORK BLACK RIVER – Fishing is fair to good. Apache trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week. Try drifting worms through pools. Also try spinners, Rapalas or streamers for the resident brown trout. LITTLE COLORADO RIVER-GREER – Fishing is good. Stream flows are normal. Catchable-size Apache and rainbow trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week. Wild brown trout are also present. SHEEPS CROSSING - Highway 273 is open and fishing is fair to good. However, road paving on Hwy 273 is occurring from Sunrise to Forest Road 87 (road from Greer) and delays should be expected. Traffic along Hwy 273 is being maintained with flagmen and pilot cars. Apache trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week. Anglers are catching trout on night crawlers. SILVER CREEK - Fishing is good. Silver Creek is currently open to lures, flies and bait; with a daily bag and possession limit of 6 trout from April 1 through Sept. 30. The upper section is closed to fishing at this time. Rainbow trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week. Try nightcrawlers or Power Bait, or small spinners or spoons in the deeper pools.
Please send me your fishing reports from Southern Arizona! Fishing reports can be sent to Don Mitchell, Regional Fish Program Manager by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . These reports will then be complied and reported in our weekly fishing reports. With hot summer temperatures anglers should plan on being out early and staying late. Fish the coolest parts of the day and avoid the high mid day temperatures if you want to have success. Night crawlers and meal worms are good choices for sunfish during this time of year. Largemouth bass should be done spawning and anglers should find their feeding activity picking up. For summer trout fishing opportunities anglers can travel to Rose Canyon Lake or Riggs Flat lake. Check the Departments website for the stocking schedule at the following link: 2010 Spring and Summer Stocking Schedule. URBAN LAKES -- There were so problems with the last catfish stocking. Fishing should still be okay for channel catfish. Urban Fishing Program waters STOCKED with catfish in fair condition include: RIGGS FLAT —The road to Riggs Flat is now open and it has been stocked. No reports of success. Check the Departments website for the stocking schedule at the following link: 2010 Spring and Summer Stocking Schedule. CLUFF RANCH — No recent reports of success. 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 — Aquatic vegetation continues to be a problem for anglers and because of this the lake is not being stocked. For lake information call (928) 428-6760. FRYE MESA RESERVIOR –With high daytime temperatures anglers should fish in the early morning or late evening. Fish are going to be deeper this time of year. Try a small fly in the early mornings and late evenings. Bait anglers should try Power Bait and worms. Although this small lake is not stocked on a regular basis it does provide some pretty good trout fishing. KEARNY LAKES — This small lake remains fishless due to impacts of golden algae. PENA BLANCA – Construction of the new boat ramp and facilities continues and is expected to be completed by the end of July. Please respect all closures of the area associated with this construction. Knowledgeable anglers are still catching trout using very light line and powerbait. Because trout is the only species of fish currently in the lake anglers must have a trout stamp to fish. Currently there are no boat launching facilities available for launching boats. Small boats that can be carried to the lake shore and float tubes are possible and those wanting to use such watercraft should use caution as there is a lot of debris floating in the lake. Shoreline anglers should have no trouble finding a place to fish. PATAGONIA — Anglers are reporting success with spinner baits and flipping the cattails for bass. Anglers are also reporting that the sunfish have become active and are being caught using worms, meal worms and dry flies at the surface. PARKER CANYON — Aquatic vegetation is bad along the shoreline, which we should be cutting right about now. Fishing for sunfish remains good. Largemouth bass fishing continues to be slow. The store at the lake is open and information on the store and current conditions can be found at www.parkercanyonlake.com.
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| Last Updated on Sunday, 11 July 2010 23:02 |
If it rains this weekend as predicted, expect the high country trout fishing to really pick up and possibly the fishing at some of the desert impoundments as well.
It sounds like the fishing is really good at Lees Ferry right now. For fishing activity, this is considered the off season. For good fishing, it's a superb time. It's really a hoot to stand in leg-numbing cold water when the ambient air temps are shooting up into the 90s or so. I have actually gotten a chill on a summer's morn -- that's the stuff of summer day dreams when back in the office grind or sitting in traffic snarls when the thermometer throbs.
Who knows, you might just catch a new state record. Our biologists in Yuma tangled with a 90-plus pounder this year. It's still out there,.
URBAN LAKES 
APACHE
BARTLETT
The main channel upstream from Bullfrog has erupted with significant sustained striper boils. That is the place to be right now. Cruise the main channel from Bullfrog to Good Hope Bay early in the morning or in the evening to find cooperative striped bass chasing shad on the surface. Slurping boils are still seen every day in the main channel near Wahweap but fishing near Bullfrog and upstream is much more rewarding. 
HAVASU
ASHURST LAKE
Stocked week of June 29-July 2
WOODS CANYON LAKE —
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