One of our long-time Game and Fish Department employees, Ron Christofferson, took his new pontoon boat out to Lake Pleasant at night to fish for stripers and found out that he is a little old fashioned – his floating light was white (just like both of mine). The other boaters were enjoying the eerie green or blue glows of fluorescent or LED lights. Apparently many of the newer lights attract plankton and  fish, not bugs. Yet those newer lights don’t ruin your night vision.

What will they think of next?

My good friends Margie and John Anderson fished Pleasant for a couple of days and not only caught stripers and whites, but “LOTS” of largemouth bass on steep rocky banks in Humbug using Texas rigs – they wouldn’t touch a split-shot rig) with 4-inch Aaron’s Magic Robo Worms dragged down the banks. “Lots of fun!” Margie said.

Lake Mead has also been producing some good striped bass fishing at night under the lights.

Want a secret place for big trout? Franko Geiger reports catching lots of big rainbow trout at Canyon Lake,  yes you read correctly, Canyon Lake for big trout up to 22 inches long while fishing all the way up-lake near the inflows from in Apache Lake. He has been using night crawlers under a bobber. Since Canyon Lake will be lowered this winter for work on the dam, it might be a good idea for anglers to avail themselves of these big ‘bows.

Don’t neglect the night fishing opportunities in the high country for trout. You can even use a floating flashlight on a rope or string to attract insects and trout. Sometimes, BIG trout. If there are no monsoon storms, the stars in the night sky of the mountains seem so close that you can touch them.

While out night fishing, keep a close watch on the night sky for meteors, especially this weekend. The height of the Perseids meteor shower is Sunday, Aug. 12. According to NASA Space Weather, the best time will be from 2 a.m. to sunrise. You might be able to see a 100 or so shooting stars.

The source of this remarkable meteor shower is the comet Swift-Tuttle. What we will be seeing is bits of comet dust hitting the earth’s atmosphere. Dust or not, it’s a sight to behold. Seeing shooting stars while sitting in a boat or along a shoreline at night, sometimes with them reflected on the water, is eye candy of the highest order (or calorie?). It may not be fishing, but it’s a pretty darn good sideshow.

At Lake Powell right now, this might be the slow time, but there is some fast-paced action available to those in the know. My friend Wayne Gustaveson with the Utah Division of Wildlife said that the fatter, smaller fish will often be on top of the school in warmer water but will hit bait when they are chummed into a frenzy.

“The trick is to get one fish to hit and then swim to the surface. Stripers can't stand to see one of their buddies with food in its mouth, without trying to get in on the act. They follow along hoping for fallout or a new free-swimming independent morsel. Toss a bait behind the hooked fish to get the next one in line. It is very fast fishing - even for a slow period,”  Wayne said.

By the way, Wayne’s techniques for Powell translate effectively for stripers at Pleasant, Mead, Mohave and Havasu as well during summer. We really have some of the best striper fishing in the nation available to us. If the anglers in the rest of the nation only knew, they would be coming here in hordes. Don’t miss out.

Alamo is a hot ticket for great but lonesome bass fishing. There are not a lot of anglers, but the bite is on for largemouth bass in the mornings and late afternoons. Plus, the lake has risen a couple of feet from recent runoff.

For all you trout anglers, the 20,000 bonus trout we stocked in the Mogollon Rim and White Mountain lakes are generating lots of smiles. Go catch a smile yourself. Good luck. Maybe I’ll see you out there.

CENTRAL ARIZONA
URBAN LAKES – Ray Pulver took his son fishing at Cortez Lake and the boy caught a 15-inch channel using a meal worm under a bobber, adding, “Thanks for the Urban Fishing Program. It makes taking my children fishing so much more convenient.”

The last catfish stocking of the spring-summer season was the week of June 25-30. With the high temperatures of summer here, it becomes impractical to continue to haul live fish into Arizona’s urban lakes. No fish stockings will be scheduled during July, August and the first half of September. Mark your calendars: fall catfish stockings will resume the week of Sept. 17-22.  Anglers can still fish for catfish, bass and bluegill at urban waters throughout the summer, but the action is generally slower. 

TEMPE TOWN LAKE – Bass fishing is fair for largemouth bass, catfish, bluegills and yellow bass. Plastics and crankbaits worked around the ledges and docks are working especially well during the early morning and right before dark. Channel catfish averaging 1 to 2 pounds will bite stink baits, hot dogs and shrimp. Carp fishing is excellent using corn and dough bait. Remember no gas motors are allowed (trolling motors are) and you must have a boating permit, which can be obtained at the Town Lake operations center. 
  
LAKE PLEASANT – This is a fishing hot spot for both striped bass and largemouth bass.

Margie and John Anderson fished Pleasant for a couple of days and although the whites and stripers were wandering as usual, they caught a few on spoons when there were boils. “We caught LOTS of largemouth on steep rocky banks in the Humbug, though. We fished Texas rigs (they wouldn't touch a split-shot rig!) with 4-inch Aaron's Magic Robo Worms and just dragged them down the banks. The storm moved them out just a bit deeper, because the first day they were right on the bank, but the second day (Monday) they were about 8-10 feet from shore and we also caught bigger ones that day. Biggest was only about 3 pounds, but we caught two dozen or more smaller ones during the morning.  Lots of fun!”

Dale White caught a 24-inch striper using a popper on the outside of boils.

Don Padilla caught 40 fish in three hours including largemouth bass, white bass and striped bass using 1/8-ounce KastMasters in the morning.

Another angler reports using anchovies to catch 30 3- to 4-pound stripers, one 10 pounder, and a few 3- to 4-pound channel catfish in the Castle Creek area of the lake.

Scott Webster used KastMasters cast past the boils to catch white bass and striped bass, adding that there were boils in pretty shallow water. He also caught a couple of nice largemouth bass using Carolina rigs. He measured the surface water temperature at 84 degrees.

James and Rebecca Silva “ripped up the stripers” using frozen anchovies while fishing from shore near the marina. They landed 25 fish averaging 2 pounds and the largest was 5 pounds. The bite stated mid morning and last several hours.

An angler named Bev used a Lucky Craft Sammy to catch a 7-pound, 14-ounce largemouth bass at 5:30 a.m., adding, “He did not explode onto the lure, just sucked it down. I thought I was hung up for a moment. Then he pulled straight down.”

Bruce Chandler said a 4.2-pound largemouth bass using a drop-shot rig in 8 to 10 feet of water with a dark red Power Worm.

Striper fishing is great at night near the marina tires, the intakes, or in the northern coves at night under lights. If you can, catch live shad and use for bait. Frozen anchovies, minnows and ¼-ounce jigs with a 2-inch pearl white curly tail grub will also work.

There is a good topwater bite at first light for stripers, whites and largemouths, but sometimes the best bite occurs in the late morning. The bite at first light is often inside the coves. The late-morning bite is typically along the major points, islands and reefs of the main lake.

Channel catfishing should be good as well, day or night using stink baits.

ROOSEVELT LAKE – With the dark of the moon this weekend, this is an good time to fish at light using submersible lights. There are few reports from crappie anglers, but bass anglers have been doing well, including for some lunkers.

Larry Mills caught 10 largemouth bass with five keepers, with one at 3.5 pounds caught by Pam Mills, while trolling a Rapala d16 crankbait in 20 to 30 feet of water, adding that his 11-year-old Justin Williford caught two short keepers and two slots, which he let go.

Jim Smith caught 10 largemouth bass, three channel catfish, and one 20-inch carp. He caught the bass on Shad Raps and Countdown Rapalas in 15 to 20 feet of water and the catfish on hot dogs and the fat from leftover steak fished in three feet of water at night from shore.

Storms ripping through have made night fishing a little challenging at times, but the daytime bite has picked up with the more moderate daytime temperatures. Some anglers report catching bigger bass off points, ledges and Islands around 15 feet to 30 feet. Best time is three hours before dark or at first light using watermelon or pumpkin colored jigs. There is also a morning topwater bite.

There is a quarter moon this weekend, which means floating and submersible lights should be effective. We have no reports from night crappie anglers here lately. One strategy might go out during the daylight to locate spots holding crappie, and then visit those spots at night.

Catfishing is great right now, night or day for channels and at night for the huge flatheads. Try shrimp or hot dogs in the mouths of coves for the channels and live bluegills or small carp for the flatheads.

Common carp are biting corn and dough baits along any shoreline and in coves right now.  Note: anglers are reminded of the slot bass size limit that remains in effect at Roosevelt.

Bass between 13 to 16 inches must be released immediately. Also those bass below 13 inches and above 16 inches that are kept can only be gutted with the head and tail attached so the legal length can be determined. All other fish such as crappie, catfish and bluegill harvested from the lake must have a piece of skin attached to the fillets so species can be determined.  ADEQ discovered and captured three gizzard shad in the lake in January. This is the first positive confirmation of this species in the lake.
 
APACHE - No recent angler reports. Surveys show that channel catfish and yellow bass are plentiful and there is an okay population of largemouth bass as well.
 
CANYON – Franko Geiger has been consistently catching trout in the high teens, with one 23 incher, while fishing night crawlers in  the upper end of Canyon near the inflows from Apache.

Jason Self said that after reading the fishing report last week, he and a buddy went to Canyon and caught several strong-fighting bass averaging around 2.5 pounds on 10-inch black Power Worms, adding that the bite started around 9:30.

An angler who gave his name as BC said “everything was crazy” while fishing from shore using night crawlers, adding that with every cast, he had a bite within 5 minutes and caught 14 channel catfish, one flathead and one yellow bass, adding, “If I had used trebles, I probably could have tripled my catch, but who wants to fuss with removing three hooks from a small fish?”
 
Bill Amos submitted several reports on good fishing at Canyon. On one trip, he fished with Steve Morgan and they boated 13 largemouth bass, one channel catfish and eight bluegills using jerk baits and plastic worms. On a trip with his wife, they used worms and Senkos to catch largemouth bass, channel catfish and bluegill.

Tyler Labrum used blood bait dipped in old brie cheese and caught 12 catfish, adding, “The fishing was awesome today at the Boulder Campground off the fishing dock.” The cats starting biting at 5 a.m. and the action lasted until 10 a.m. One of the larger cats was full of crayfish.

Another angler names Tyler used store-bought stink bait and the bite in the morning was awesome. “They would not even let my life hit bottom,” adding that the best time to fish is in the early morning.

Kevin Kennedy got a surprise – he saw a mountain lion come down to drink in the early morning near the Boulder Recreation Area and suggested that people should leave their pets at home. Kennedy caught “a ton of fish” on the flats before the cliffs at first light.

Jason Rabatine caught yellow bass and catfish using live shad on a slip bobber or jig on two different days.

Fishing should be good for channel catfish and sunfish. This lake is renowned for its lunker bass, but fishing has been slow lately.

SAGUARO - There have been good reports lately from catfish anglers fishing at night using stink bait or corn.

BARTLETT – This is a fishing hot spot, with anglers routinely catching-and-release 20 to 30 bass in the 1- to 3-pound range, with some lunkers ranging up to 6 pounds or so.

There is a decent topwater bite along the points, islands, reefs and rock stringers at first light. Bass are also being caught along the shores in about 25 feet of water drop shots or Texas rigs. Crappie fishing has been slow at night, but some are still being caught. Catfishing at night has been good.

During a late spring survey, department biologists found quite a few flathead catfish in the 10-20 pound range up lake where the Verde comes in. They will take live sunfish, carp or water dogs.  Remember the live bait most come from the lake itself (excluding minnows, water dogs or worms) not transported from another body of water! 

VERDE RIVER – This morning flow was 627 cfs at Tangle Creek station above Horseshoe Lake. No reports.
 
LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – Jody Poldolak used night crawlers just floating downstream to catch rainbow trout measuring from 12 to 17 inches, adding the fish “gave a good fight.”

Fishing has slowed down for bass, catfish and a few trout are still being caught. Look for the trout in deep holes and under cut banks with over hanging trees. Use in-line spinners such as Rooster Tails, Panther Martins, or flies such as hoppers and caddis during the evenings or early mornings. Live bait should also work, such as hoppers, mealworms, night crawlers. Power Bait or salmon eggs can work at times.

CREEKS- Haigler Creek. Cody R. Amis fly-fished a stretch of Haigler south of the Young Road and found zug bugs to the be most productive, but caught trout on a semi-seal leach pattern as the morning got warmer, and a few took a prince nymph, although he didn’t even good looks using dries. “I was surprised at how many nice rainbows  I caught. In all, I released between 20 and 30,” adding that he came across some bait fishermen who commented, “There aren’t any fish here,” and just a few minutes later, Cody caught a 12 incher. ”I’ve been fishing small streams since I was a little guy and I’m still amazed at where you an find them in these little creeks.”

Darrel Snider and his daughter caught their limit of trout (mostly rainbows with some browns) using corn, mealworms and wigglers along Haigler creek. Two weeks ago he caught a 16-inch rainbow, adding that his young daughter loves it, “She is starting to bait her own hook.”

Bill West reports that he caught trophy trout from Haigler Creek using white Rooster Tails on 6-pound test line. He caught six nice 12- to 14-inch fish and one giant around 24 inches long.

Canyon Creek has been stocked recently rainbow trout and is a good bet for rainbows and browns.  Below the hatchery, anglers have been catching small rainbows. Above OW Bridge, larger rainbows and browns are being caught. Black bears are in the raspberries, so be bear aware. Also watch out for poison ivy in that area

Christopher, Tonto, Haigler, East Verde and Workman creeks also have been stocked with rainbow trout.  Use in-line spinners such as Rooster Tails, Panther Martins, or flies such as hoppers, caddis during the evenings or early mornings. Live bait such as hoppers, mealworms, or night crawlers should work. Power Bait or salmon eggs can be effective.

HORSETHIEF BASIN LAKE - This lake can be found up in the Bradshaw Mountains near Crown King. The lake sits in the pines and is good for a canoe or car topper. There are also improved campsites near the lake. During a recent survey, lots of largemouth bass averaging a pound and red ear sunfish nice pan size were observed. Redears love mealworms and night crawlers. No recent angler reports.

COLORADO RIVER NORTHWEST

LAKE POWELL – By Wayne Gustaveson. Lake elevation: 3,607. Water temp: 81-89 F.  With a new moon this weekend, this is a good time for catching stripers under lights at night using frozen anchovies. Watch for the shooting stars in the night sky.

But day or night, adult stripers resting under the thermocline are always ready to eat. The prime spots continue to produce hungry adults and frisky juvenile striped bass. The fatter smaller fish will often be on top of the school in warmer water but will hit bait when chummed into a frenzy. The trick is to get one fish to hit and then swim to the surface. Stripers can't stand to see one of their buddies with food in its mouth, without trying to get in on the act. They follow along hoping for fallout or a new free-swimming independent morsel. Toss a bait behind the hooked fish to get the next one in line. It is very fast fishing - even for a slow period.

Surface feeding action or 'boiling' is random and short lived during full moon. The best time may be morning or evening twilight when ambient light conditions favor the predator. More likely the boil will be anywhere, anytime or not at all. Fish using your favorite technique and if a boil pops up, pick up the extra rod and cast quickly. Often the boiling fish will hit whatever lure happens to be on your rod at the time. A few boils have been seen at all points along the lake. But shad numbers are not strong and boils are not consistently found. That will change as the moon darkens.

Bass fishing is tough as nails outside the twilight periods.
Catfish and bluegill fishing is as good as it gets. Use live worms and small hooks for bluegill and any flavorful table scrape for cats. They really like hotdogs.

LEES FERRY –  Report courtesy Lees Ferry Anglers, by Ted Welling.

Today’s Fly Fishing: The fishing was good today reports have it fishing well no matter how you wanted to go about it. Early morning wading picked up fish, drifting a nymphing rig worked well too. And now the cicada fishing was really fun today, the sun was in and out today and the temps. Rather pleasant with a mid day shower. All that said, it was an enjoyable day to spend fishing at the ferry. Some of the monsoons we get here are awesome to say the least.

Walk In: No new reports received today. As of late nymphing is still the most productive approach at this section. Not much picked up with a dry-dropper but San Juan worms, zebra midges, and scuds were working. The lower section, Paria Beach, is done for a while…MUDDY! Everything above the confluence is OK but below will most likely be muddy and dirty for a couple of weeks.

Spin Fishing: Egg patterns are still producing down deep when drifting. Make sure that you have the proper weight on so that the flies are bouncing the bottom and not dragging bottom. Consider a scud dropped below the glo bug about a foot and a half. KastMasters and Rapalas are also productive while back trolling.

Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn: The fishing this past month can be summed up in one word…CICADA! The hatch began two weeks earlier than normal, around the first of July the fish started keying in on the prolific bug. It began with a bang and as any of the people that experienced this action would tell you…it was nonstop. It is still happening this week but the “wide open” bite has slowed considerably. We are getting most of our action in the deeper runs where the fish are coming off the bottom, in water that is 5 to 20 feet deep, to eat the fly.  Long casts are necessary and the best strikes have been while fishing the large dry fly directly downstream of the boat. One technique that we have employed to get the fly away from the boat is to keep the bow pointed upstream and cast downstream then put the boat in gear while throwing slack line on the water, which allows the fly to move downstream.  I’m not sure how much longer the topwater action is going to continue, but the cicadas are still singing and I have seen the action continue well in to August in years past.

The drift fishing with heavy nymphs has been hit-or-miss most days. We have not been spending a great deal of time with this technique since the dry fly fishing has been so productive.

Sept. 1 is when we will experience a flow change to lower water. Most years, this is the very best fishing of the entire year so if you are waiting for cooler temps and want to experience some great wade-sight fishing, this is the time to be at the Ferry.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department recently detected whirling disease in a small percentage of Lees Ferry trout that were collected for a random sampling. This is not good news nor is it necessarily terrible news. Whirling disease has infected many of the Western state’s fabled trout streams with greater and lesser affects. The Madison comes to mind as one river that was severely impacted while the San Juan suffered little notable impact from whirling disease. Lees Ferry has more in common with the San Juan than the Madison…both Lees Ferry and the San Juan are tail-water rivers with clear, cold water that is a consistent temperature year-around. Consistent cold water temperatures are believed by most experts on the disease to keep the spread and severity of the disease in check. I’ll be sure to keep you informed as more data becomes available. In the mean time when you do come to Lees Ferry be sure to clean your wading gear thoroughly before you leave to prevent the spread of whirling disease. For more information visit: http://www.whirling-disease.org/     

The summer drift fishing is often the best and most productive fishing of the year and this has certainly been the case recently. The high summer flows are great for the trout by providing more drifting food. I can’t wait to see what our fish look like this fall; my bet is that they are going to grow all summer and be fat and sassy this fall.

The trout spawn is over. We saw the best spawn that the river has experienced in years. Most all the spawn is occurred in deep water which bodes well for fry survival and future recruitment of juvenile trout.

Projected River Flows: summer releases from Glen Canyon Dam will average 13,100 cubic feet per second (cfs) with a total of 804,000 acre-feet scheduled to be released for the month. On Mondays through Fridays in July, daily release fluctuations due to load following will likely vary between a low of 9,000 cfs (during late evening and early morning off-peak hours) to a high of 17,000 cfs (during daylight and early evening on-peak hours). On Saturdays, release fluctuations will likely vary between a low of 9,000 cfs to a high of 16,000 cfs. On Sundays, release fluctuations will likely vary between a low of 9,000 cfs to a high of 15,000 cfs.  Releases from Glen Canyon Dam in August 2007 will be similar to July. A total of 804,000 acre- feet are scheduled to be released August 2007, which is an average flow of 13,100 cfs. Releases are scheduled to be decreased in September. The current schedule shows 603,000 acre- feet of release in September 2007.

Whirling disease has been detected in the rainbow trout population here. Please take the following steps.

* Never transport live fish from one water body to another (this is illegal in Arizona).
* Dispose of fish entrails and skeletal parts properly. Never discard fish parts in or near streams or rivers. Do not discard fish parts in a kitchen disposal. Whirling disease spores can survive most wastewater treatment systems. Instead, discard in dry waste that would go to a landfill.
* Rinse all mud and debris from equipment and wading gear, and drain water from boats before leaving an infected drainage. This is good practice for preventing transfer of other aquatic hitchhikers as well.

Although the above precautions will remove most spores from your gear, you may want to consider the following if fishing in heavily infected waters:

1) Rinse, and then thoroughly dry your boots, waders and other fishing equipment. This is generally sufficient to kill the TAM stage of the parasite.
2) Chlorine (regular household bleach) is a very effective disinfectant, and one of the few that can kill all stages of the parasite if used at the proper concentration. However, chlorine is a very strong chemical and can harm your equipment with prolonged exposure, so make sure you rinse the chlorine off your waders and other equipment after you disinfect, and dry in the shade. 
3) To kill the TAM stage, use 1 part chlorine to 32 parts water. It must stay in contact for about 10 minutes to assure disinfection.  
4) To kill the mature spores that may be found in the mud from an infected stream is much more difficult and hard on equipment, such as 50% solution (1 part chlorine to 1 part water) - dip waders into a solution of the bleach or wipe or spray it on or 10% solution (1 part chlorine to 9 parts water) and soak your equipment for 10 minutes.
5) Quaternary ammonium compounds are also effective in killing both parasite stages. These disinfectants are commercially available for disinfecting fishing equipment (Bright Water TM) or for the pet/veterinary trade (Roccal-D TM, Parvosol TM).

Equally effective is water heated to nearly boiling (200°F) poured over your gear and allowed to cool.

LAKE MEAD - Fishing has been good. This is a good time to find largemouth bass and bluegill in the backs of coves, especially at first light. Catfish have been biting all day on anchovies. The striper bite is real good also. Try slow-trolling a small crankbait during the day. The fishing at night has been real good. Try to time your night fishing trips around a new moon (Aug. 12), so your submersible lights will be more effective at drawing in the shad. The ramp is open at South Cove, but it is a gravel ramp. The lake elevation is now 1,112, and continues to drop at nearly one foot per week.  

Important notice: With the recent 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 – No new reports. The striper bite has been slow. Anchovies are the most popular bait for stripers, but if you want to try something different, use shrimp or squid. Fishing for striped bass at night with crappie lights can be very effective. For the lights to be most effective try to time your trips around a new moon. Davis Dam has plenty of shoreline for numerous anglers to enjoy the fishing. Cabinsite and Telephone Cove also provide plenty of shoreline fishing access. Arizona Game and Fish biologists surveyed Lake Mohave recently and observed the largemouth bass to average about 2.5 pounds. Channel catfish and striped bass were also plentiful. Also, 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 recent 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/.

WILLOW BEACH - Trout are stocked every Friday. The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut and it is possible to see them along the shoreline. The fishing for trout has been good from shore immediately following the stocking. With the water temperature up in the basin, the stripers move toward cooler water, so the big stripers should be in the vicinity of Willow Beach.

Important notice: With the recent 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 azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.

TOPOCK MARSH – Catfish have been excellent. Try using mackerel, anchovies, worms or shrimp in the early morning or night. Bass fishing has been fair in the early morning and evening. The bass are starting to move out of the cattails and into the wood. There is a bit of a topwater bite in the evening.  Water temperature is around 81ºF.  Game and Fish biologists sampled lots of largemouth bass the middle of January throughout the marsh. The bass numbers were great and the crappie and catfish populations looked really good as well. You can access the marsh by boat at 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 recent 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/.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM – Fishing has been good below Davis Dam. One angler reported catching a 25-pound striped bass near Harrah’s Casino.  I’ve also received reports of some nice smallmouth being caught at Davis Camp and smallmouth, largemouth and stripers being caught at Topock Gorge.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on March 28 and 29 last stocked rainbow trout. Stocking will resume in the fall. The fish were stocked in two locations: Davis Camp and near The Riverside. 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.

Important notice: With the recent 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/.

SOUTHWESTERN ARIZONA

LAKE HAVASU – Striper action good for numbers of fish in the 1- to 2-pound category. Best baits now are small green tailed shad assassins and 3- to 5-inch topwater Rovers and Sammys fished early and late around sunrise and sunset. Trolling Rat-L-Traps is pretty good throughout the morning and midday hours; chrome/blue and chrome/black are best colors now.

Evening channel catfish fishing (6 to 10 p.m.) is excellent now on cut mackerel or squid. If flathead catfish is what you are interested in try using live bluegills.

Largemouth bass excellent around floating weed mats in coves or along shorelines using Horny Toads or R2S Bully wa frogs. Senkos and R2S Quivers are also effective during midday hours around the shaded edges of these weed mats.

Important notice:  Quagga mussels have been found in Lake Havasu so proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please move to the parking lot, DRAIN your live-wells and bilge where the water does not return to the lake. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, INSPECT your watercraft 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.

Courtesy Mrs. Karen Coats, Sandpoint Bait & Tackle Shop: On July 19, Mark, Pamela and Elliot Foster were fishing for catfish in Three Dunes from shore using cut mackerel. Mark got a bite and was surprised to see he got a turtle; it was a Texas soft shell turtle about 16 inches across.

July 20 was a good day with Tim Barela of Huntington Beach, CA., catching a 6-pound largemouth using bluegill in Blue Gill Cove. Jeremy Weiland of Long Beach, CA., got a 5-pound cat using anchovies at B Dock. Brent Earnest of Huntington Beach, CA., got a 6-pound largemouth using an Excalibur on the far end past the swim beach.

July 24 and 25, Hank Myers and family here form Vista, CA., caught all kinds of bluegills in the marina. The children had a blast. T.J. got a 3-pound cat using mackerel off the jetty and uncle Pat Monzingo of Tonapah, AZ., caught some small stripers using mackerel.

July 25, Jacob Estrada of Ontario, CA., caught 7 stripers 7- to 8-inches long off the jetty using Storm Wild Eye Jigging Swim shad. His dad said he had a lot of fun catching the little guys...

PARKER STRIP – The local bait shop in Parker, June’s Unique, is under new management, and they have recently received a large 60-plus pound scale from the Game and Fish Department.  They plan to put it to good use this summer and are holding a “big cat contest” July 1- Aug 31. Grab some bluegill or goldfish start chasing the big flatheads that hang out along the lower river. According to Dusty Wooddall at the bait shop, a 42-pound flathead was caught recently. Dusty said the Alan Clouse and family brought in two hundred plus pounds of flathead from their weekend trip in Parker. The largest of the catch of nine weighed in at 41 pounds. Hint...live bluegill, or goldfish. Brown and purple jigs, and plastics are the ticket on the strip. The Topwater bite has also been productive in the morning, and evening hours. I've been told in the tribal preserve, Pop R's, and frogs have been producing fish during all hours.
A good thing to remember is that bass are much like people during the heat of the day in that they search for shade. So pitching toward tules, and overhanging vegetation will help you locate finicky bass during the day.

COLORADO RIVER (Palo & Cibola Divisions) – One angler fishing near the desalinization plant caught flathead catfish and blue catfish using chicken livers with a single hook and a slip weight for the blues and live carp minnows for the flatheads, adding there was a fairly good bit from 6 p.m. to midnight, then the bite tapered off to nothing by 1 a.m. He also fished the Mohawk Valley canals and caught channel cats from 5 to 10 a.m. and the bite tapered off by noon.

The fishing has been slow, but the anglers that are having some success for bass in the main river channel during the mid-afternoon with plastics. Cast the plastic tight against the bank and retrieve slowly letting it drift with the current slightly.

Important notice:  Quagga mussels have been found in Lake Havasu so proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please move to the parking lot, DRAIN your live-wells and bilge where the water does not return to the lake. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, INSPECT your watercraft 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.

ALAMO – Well folks, it puts a smile on my face to say the lake came up about two feet with the recent rains. Not only did this give the fish a much needed blast of oxygen, but also bought us a couple of months on the boat ramps.  Bass fishing is great.  From day light till around noon, there is good boil action up around the dam.  It's no problem to catch 20 to 30 bass using training wheels like Rooster Tails, chrome colored Rat-L-Traps, and Zara Spooks. Most of the fish are going 1 1/2 to 2 pounds.  Around noon, everything dies off until around 4 p.m.  After that, you are in for some of the best bass fishing in the state right now.  The last couple of nights I've been hitting the lake right around 4:30 armed with a chartreuse Rooster Tail on one pole and a red flaked brush hog on the other.  I start on the north side of the lake and chase the boils around.  The bass are chasing the shad into coves so you don't have to go far to stay on fish.   Once the boils stop, I pick up the brush hog and start working brushy points. I been averaging about 25 fish a night.  Clyde and Dorothy Jones stated they caught 35 bass throwing anything green last night. And, as an extra bonus, you literally have the lake to yourself.  Cat fishing is good.  Anglers are catching limits using shrimp.  The upper end of the lake is the hot spot for cats. No reports on crappie right now.  No reports on shore fishing.  The lake level is at 1,113 with releases of 40 cfs.  Both ramps are operational but bigger boats are encouraged to use Cholla Ramp.  Were in the process of replacing the fish cleaning stations at the main campground so plan on using the one at Cholla until further notice. The bugs and flies are out in force so bug spay is a must right now.  No one bid on the store so we don't have a clue as to what happens next. . 

SUMMER OUTLOOK:

Alamo Lake:

Alamo Lake has had a couple years of good reproduction the fishing should be excellent for largemouth bass and crappie. There is currently a good number of bass over the slot and a couple of strong year classes of smaller bass that just ready to enter the protected slot.  In fact the condition of the bass indicates that we need to harvest more of the smaller bass.  Channel catfish are also expected to excellent this year. In addition to excellent fishing, all of the boat ramps will be useable.

The store at the lake has closed so you need to bring everything with you. If you run short of anything you might be able to pick it up at the Wayside Inn or in Wenden. The certified scale that was located at the store is now located at the Alamo State Park Office and the park office also has live bait for the crappie fishermen.

Lake Havasu & Topock Gorge:

Largemouth bass, as well as smallmouth bass are expected to be good to excellent. The size will range from 13 inches and up with an occasional fish greater than 4 pounds. Striped bass will continue to be excellent for small fish (12-18 inches) with occasional fish over 8 pounds. Channel catfish as well as bluegill & redear sunfish will be fair to good. If your interest is in flathead catfish it should be fair at the lower end of the lake (Bill Williams River Arm) late in June and on through the summer. Sizes of flathead catfish can reach as high as 40 pounds.

Colorado River (Parker Strip Area):

It is expected to be good to excellent for smallmouth bass with fish over two pounds in size this summer. In addition, Redear sunfish should also be good to excellent in the pound plus sizes. Channel and flathead catfish are always fair to good in this section of the Colorado River.

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 20 pounds. The time for fishing for both species of catfish will be summer and on into the fall months. Generally speaking, when fishing for catfish the hotter the weather the better the fishing.

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 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 & redear). Other species available in the main river are smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and striped bass.

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. Bluegills are also present in the various backwaters and an occasional striped bass will be caught in the main river channel.

Colorado River (between Laguna and Morelos dams):

This area will be good for largemouth bass and flathead catfish. Bass in excess of 5 pounds is common and flathead catfish over 20 pounds is a good bet. In this area accessibility to the river is dependent on the amount of water being released. Usually shallow draft boats work the best. The lower end has had some dredging work done and the larger boat will be able to get on the river in that area.

With the increase in border issues and illegal activity on the lower end of this area I would away from that area (Pilot Knob to Moreles Dam).

If I were to pick a hot spot for summer in the region it would have to go with the Colorado Rive below Palo Verde Diversion Dam (near Blythe) all the way down to Imperial Dam (near Yuma) for flathead catfish.  A second spot would be Alamo Lake. It should be good to excellent for largemouth bass, crappie and channel catfish with the bluegill fishery also picking up.

If you need any additional information or additional areas covered don't hesitate to contact the Yuma Regional office at (928) 342-0091 and we will be happy to accommodate you.

NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS

Note:  A lot of rain has fallen in the past week, especially in the area immediately around Williams.  Many of the lakes water levels rose significantly.

Channel Catfish were stocked into Stone Dam, Santa Fe, City and Kaibab Lakes.  Remember that the catfish limit on Stone Dam, Santa Fe and City Lakes is four catfish per day.  The trout limit on City Reservoir is also four trout. Trout fishing is improving as the weather cools.
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WILLIAMS LAKES:  
KAIBAB LAKE — Campground area is open. Main parking lot and boat launch open. Fishing was fair to good.  Water level is rising thanks to all the recent rain.

CATARACT LAKE — Campground is open. Fishing is good on yellow or white Power Bait or lures. The water level has increased to near the spillway. 

CITY RESERVOIR —  Open.  Water level is rising.

DOGTOWN LAKE — Water level is rising.  Campground area is open. Fishing is good on yellow or white Power Bait or lures. Some Browns are being caught on lures. 

JD DAM — Anglers are catching brown trout fly-fishing.

RUSSEL TANK - Stocked

SANTA FE — Water level is rising.  Fishing is good on yellow or white Power Bait or lures.

WHITEHORSE LAKE — No report from anglers.  Campground is open.  Because of low water levels the lake will not be stocked again this year.

FLAGSTAFF LAKES:

LOWER LAKE MARY —The Lake is extremely low.  No fish, the lake suffered a winter kill due to low lake levels. At current conditions, lake will not be stocked this year.

UPPER LAKE MARY — Anthony Richards used spinnerbaits and topwater buzz baits to catch three pike ranging from 4 to 6 pounds and lost two others that cut the line.

The lake is 17-percent full. Anglers report catching pike, including some huge ones, along with walleye and catfish.

ASHURST LAKE —  Fishing was good on worms fished about 3 feet below a bobber.  A trout angler caught a 31.5 lb Northern Pike on a worm.  Scheduled to be stocked this week.

FRANCIS SHORT POND – Open, trout were being caught on green or yellow Power Bait fished on the bottom. Catfish were also being caught on night crawlers and hot dogs.  Stocked last week.

KINNIKINICK LAKE — Lake is open. Fishing was good for channel catfish on water dogs and chicken Livers. Water Level is coming up. Scheduled to be stocked this week.

MARSHALL LAKE — Water level is too low for stocking.

OAK CREEK — Fishing is slow. A few small rainbow trout are being caught on flies. However, one angler reported doing well fly fishing for browns and rainbows.

LONG LAKE — Lake is open.

SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX — Lake is open. No report.

BEAVER CREEK — No report. 

WEST CLEAR CREEK — One angler reports catching three smallmouth bass and one rainbow trout while fly fishing.

STONEMAN LAKE — NO FISH.

MINGUS LAKE – No new reports. This lake was stocked last the week of April 30. As a result of the very low water levels trout stocking has been suspended. The Forest Service gate is open. The water levels are down very low and the water is turbid. Try bright-colored Power Bait, salmon eggs, or various spinners. 

DEAD HORSE STATE PARK – Mike Hermen caught a 6-pound largemouth bass using a Texas-rigged Senko.

The Game and Fish Department stocked catfish the week of June 4, so look for the catfish fishing to be good. Several largemouth bass up to two pounds have been caught on in-line spinners, plastic grubs, and small crankbaits. The bluegill fishing has been good using a salmon egg or small worm on a small bait hook below a bobber. The bluegills are plentiful in both the middle and lower lagoons, so try your luck with the bluegill.

Dead Horse State Park employees and Game and Fish biologists placed 40-plus Christmas trees in the lower lagoon as fish habitat on Jan. 16.  Fish should begin to congregate near these trees within days.

VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) – An angler reports catching two bass and three catfish using worms and liver.

This is the time to fish for smallmouth bass and catfish, especially flatheads. Keep an eye on the weather – this is also flash flood season.

Trout were last stocked at all five sites (March 19). That was the last trout stocking for the season and the river won’t be stocked again until this coming fall. For largemouth and smallmouth bass, try plastic grubs and small spinnerbaits. Catfishing should be biting as well.

LYNX LAKE — The fishing has been slow, but some of the catfish stocked in June are still out there.

One angler reported that the lake level is low and the launch ramp is out of the water, and he caught “zip, nada, zilch.”

Try floating a night crawler just off the bottom. Chicken livers or anchovies should work as well, but avoid fishing in water over 20 feet deep. Oxygen levels below 20 feet are very low, so fish won’t be there. The bass stockings from the last two years as well as the four fish habitat sites should begin to pay off this year. Plastic worms should be the ticket for the bass. Trout were stocked last week (June 11). This is the last scheduled stocking until September due to water temperature. Some of the brook trout stocked last September and October are continuing to be caught, but they are on the small side. Game and Fish stocked catfish the week of June 4. There were 200 pounds of bluegill were stocked on March 29. These fish were hand-sized and should be easily caught. Try using worms or mealworms on a bobber. Small spinners may work as well. Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Lynx in May and found that the brook trout stocked last year were still present.

FAIN LAKE — The lake is full again, but fishing remains slow. Some of the catfish Game and Fish stocked the week of June 4 will still be around as well as bullhead, sunfish, and bass. As the fishing pressure has decreased, the regular angler’s should have some success. Anchovies, chicken livers, or night crawlers should all work.  

Rainbow trout were stocked the week of June 11. This was the last trout stocking until September. Catfish were stocked on June 4. There were 150 pounds of bluegill stocked on March 29. These fish were hand-sized and should be easily caught. Try using worms or mealworms on a bobber. Small spinners may work as well.

GOLDWATER LAKE — Trout were stocked the each of the past two weeks. As the water cools, look for the fishing to pick up.  You will want to get there early in the morning; the bite may be done as early as 9 a.m.  You may try using spinners, jigs, worms and rainbow Power Bait on the bottom in the early morning. Avoid fishing in water over 30 feet deep.  Even if you don’t catch fish, this is still a great lake to visit.

Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Goldwater during the middle of May and found the trout and sunfish plentiful. While the number of catfish and bass was low, the quality was exceptional. One 16-pound catfish was sampled and released. The bass averaged about 3.5 pounds. On March 29, 400 pounds of bluegill were stocked. These fish were hand-sized and should be easily caught. Try using worms or mealworms on a bobber. Small spinners may work as well. If you fish Goldwater and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

MOGOLLON RIM

Note:  Monsoon rains can cause flooding so use caution when fishing area streams.

Fire restrictions have been lifted from the entire Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.  For more information about fire restrictions on public lands in Arizona call toll free at 1-877-864-6985 or visit the web site at http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/.

CHEVELON CANYON LAKE — Fishing is fair to good. Chevelon Lake is open to artificial lure and flies only, with a six-trout bag and possession limit. Trout between 10 and 14 inches may not be possessed and any trout kept outside this slot must be killed immediately and retained as part of the bag limit. Try lures such as spinners, Z-rays, Super Dupers, and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms or buggers, semi-seal leeches, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, and zug bugs. Some fly-fishermen are catching trout on dry flies. Try dry flies such as Adams, parachute Adams, humpies, and royal wulff. Chevelon Lake is a remote hike in lake with difficult access.  The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors.   

BEAR CANYON LAKE — Jeff Matthiesen said he used Berkley Gulp or a small gold spoon and it “took all of an hour to get a limit,” and he saw deer, elk and turkeys.

Fishing is fair to good. Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Z-rays, Super Dupers, and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms or buggers, semi-seal leeches, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, and zug bugs. If trout are taking insects on the surface try dry flies such as Adams, Parachute Adams, and midge patterns. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only. Bear Canyon Lake is a steep hike in lake with moderate (north side and south side trail) to difficult (west side trail) access.  

BLACK CANYON LAKE — Kritter Spitler reports catching 20 bass and four trout using red plastic worms and red-colored flies, adding that the lake level is low.

The boat ramp is low, so use caution when launching a boat. Fishing is fair. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, Z-rays, KastMasters, crankbaits, and Rapalas, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms or wooly buggers, prince nymphs and zug bugs. The lake is open to electric motors only. Try fishing with worms off rocky areas for bass and sunfish.

BLUE RIDGE — Debby Root caught 4-to-12 inch rainbow trout trolling a yellow Rooster Tail, adding, “What a relaxing lake to fish on.”

Scott A. Webster used a silver KastMaster on light spinning gear and a green bead head wooly bugger to catch a limit of trout from a bloat tube, adding there was lots of action but the best results came while using the wooly bugger. He caught several holdovers, including two 15 inchers and one 16 incher. “Great piece of water!”

Fishing is best from a boat. There is limited shoreline access. Expect the trout action to pick up as clouds start to build and the barometer drops. J. Douglas caught a limit of trout in less than two hours in early July using earthworms on No. 8 hooks with no weights or bobbers fished from a boat, adding that he had no luck with spinners, lures or trolling.

KNOLL LAKE — Marty Nelson, Geoff Callarman and Jacori Jacobs caught-and-released more than 50 trout while fishing from 5 a.m. to noon using Power Bait and spinners.

WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE — Kritter Spitler caught 10 bass and five trout using blue or red plastic worms.

This lake received bonus stockings of trout recently, including some incentive-sized fish. The boat ramp is accessible. A 9-pound and a 6-pound rainbow trout were caught during the weekend. Fishing is pretty good at first and last light, and just before the monsoon storms hit. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, Z-rays, KastMasters, and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, black or brown semi-seal leeches, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, and zug bugs. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors. This lake also has largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and crappie.      

WOODS CANYON LAKE — Fishing is fair to good. A 7-pound brown trout was caught last week and a five-pound rainbow trout was caught on Monday night. This lake has recent bonus stockings of rainbow trout, including an extra 3,500 rainbows on Tuesday. Fishing is very good. Anglers said green Power Bait has been working best since the Monsoon storms started in earnest.

Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, Z-Rays, and Rapalas, and flies such as peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, wooly worms or wooly buggers. Try trolling cowbells, lures, or flies with worms. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only. The store is open and boat rentals are available.    
 
NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA (White Mountains)

Note: Monsoon rains can cause flooding so use caution when fishing area rivers or streams. Don’t get caught on a lake during an electrical storm.

Fire restrictions are no longer in effect for the entire Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. For more information about fire restrictions on public lands in Arizona call toll free 1-877-864-6985 or visit the web site at http://gacc.nifc.gov/swcc/.

Access: State Highway 261 is open to Big Lake and Crescent Lake, as well as most interior forest roads. State Highway 273 on the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest is undergoing reconstruction and realignment and the following closures are in effect. State Highway 273 from the Forest and Fort Apache Indian Reservation boundary to the junction of Forest Road 554 (Winn Campground Road) is closed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and will remain closed until the project is complete.  The southern part of State Highway 273 from Forest Road 554 junction to Crescent Lake will be closed each week beginning Mondays at 6 a.m. through Thursdays at 6 p.m. Access to Lee Valley Reservoir, Gabaldon Campground, and East Baldy Trailhead will only be open on Labor Day Holiday, and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. 

BECKER LAKE — The boat ramp is accessible. Fishing is fair to good. Try lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, and Z-rays, flies such as woolly worms and woolly buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, dragonfly imitations, midge imitations, and brown Montana stone nymphs. The lake is open to artificial lure and fly with barbless hooks only, with a two trout bag and possession limit.  No bait fishing is allowed. The lake is open to 10 hp. motors.

BIG LAKE — Fishing is fair to good, but fishing from a boat is best right now, or at night using lights. Monsoon rains are underway and fishing should improve. Try worms, meal worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, Z-rays, KastMasters, Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and brown Montana stone nymphs. Boat anglers may want to try trolling worms on lures, flies or behind cowbells. The lake is open to 10 hp motors. Try fishing off deep rocky points.  

ACCESS: State Highway 261 is open from Eager. State Highway 273 will be closed throughout the year for road construction. State Highway 273 from Crescent Lake to Winn Campground will be closed each week from Mondays at 6 a.m. through Thursdays at 6 p.m. Access to Lee Valley Lake, Gabaldon Campground, and East Baldy Trailhead will only be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and Holidays. Winn Campground will only be open on Labor Day Holiday, and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The boat ramps are low, but still usable. 

CARNERO LAKE — Fishing is fair. Try small spinners, jigs and spoons, and flies such as wooly worms, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and small brown, black or green nymphs. Carnero is open to artificial lure and fly only with barbless hooks and a two-trout limit. No bait fishing is allowed. This lake doesn’t have a boat ramp, so most float tubers launch at the fence line. The weeds along the shoreline have begun to grow back.  As summer progresses weeds will become a problem. The lake is open to electric motors only. 

CLEAR CREEK RESERVOIR — Fishing is fair. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures (spinners, Z-rays, and spoons, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rapalas), and flies (wooly worms or wooly buggers, zug bugs, prince nymphs, and peacock ladies). The northeast boat ramps are usable but the middle boat ramp is steep and has soft sand. There is also an old concrete dam structure across from the middle boat ramp so use caution when motoring on the lake. There are no motor restrictions on the lake when using larger watercraft. Clear Creek Reservoir has largemouth bass, sunfish, black bullheads, and channel catfish.  

CONCHO LAKE— The lake is low and weedy. The boat ramp is accessible but low. Fishing is poor to fair. Try worms, meal worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, and lures such as spinners, spoons, Super Dupers, Z-rays, and flies such as wooly worms and wooly buggers, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and hares ear nymphs. The lake is open to 10 hp. motors.    

CRESCENT LAKE — Fishing is fair to good.  The lake is approximately 4 feet low.  The boat ramps are low but accessible except the north boat ramp, which is very low and muddy. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, Z-rays, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms and wooly buggers, prince nymphs, zug bugs, brown Montana stone nymphs.

ACCESS: Highway 261 is open from Eager. Highway 273 will be closed for the year for road construction.  State Highway 273 from Crescent Lake to Winn Campground is closed from 6 a.m. Mondays through 6 p.m. Thursdays, but will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and Holidays. Winn Campground will only be open on Labor Day Holiday, and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The lake is open to 10 hp motors.  The store is closed. 
  
FOOL HOLLOW LAKE — The lake is full. Asil Ingram used spinners, jigs and flies but the fish were not biting. An angler who did not provide his name caught largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and a walleye using 3-inch curly tail jigs.

All boat ramps are accessible. Fishing has been fair to good.  Anglers have been catching trout, bass, sunfish, walleyes, and channel catfish. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, Mister Twister worms (chartreuse green, brown or gray with silver specks) on ¼-ounce lead head jigs, crankbaits, and Rapalas, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms and wooly buggers and semi-seal leeches. Boat anglers may want to try trolling lures or flies with an attached worm. Fish near structure such as rocks, trees, weed beds, and fishing piers.  Fool Hollow State Park has excellent camping facilities. Anglers wishing to fish the lake for free must use the southwest side boat ramp and parking area. A fee is charged for use of the other facilities including the east side boat ramp. The lake is open to 10 hp. Motors.

GREER LAKES — All reservoirs are very low. Bunch and River Reservoir boat ramps are not usable. Tunnel Reservoir’s boat ramp is usable but very low. Please use caution when launching a boat. Canoes or float tubes are recommended. Fishing is fair. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners and spoons, and flies such as wooly worms and wooly buggers, peacock ladies, and small nymphs. Bunch and Tunnel Reservoirs are open to electric trolling motors only. River Reservoir is open to 10 hp. motors. 

HULSEY LAKE — Suzanne Taylor said the fishing was great and even her 8-month-old grandson helped do a little fishing. “I don’t know if they just stocked the lake, but we kept pulling them out. We came down from Big Lake where we couldn’t even get a bite from shore.”

Fishing is fair. Anglers have been catching trout on night crawlers. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as small spinners and spoons, and flies such as woolly worms, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, and zug bugs. During the summertime, weed growth is present along the shoreline areas. The lake is a short hike (moderately steep) in fishery.

LEE VALLEY RESERVOIR — Lee Valley Reservoir is low, so use caution when launching a boat. The lake was stocked with catchable size Apache trout during May and early June. A few small grayling still remain in the lake, but it doesn’t look like they grew much from last year. The lake is open to artificial lure and fly only, with a minimum size limit of 12 inches, and a limit of two trout. Try lures such as small spinners and spoons, and flies such as wooly worms, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, hares ear nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs and other small black, brown or green colored nymphs. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only.       

Access: State Highway 273 from Sunrise Lake to Winn Campground is closed for the year for road construction. State Highway 273 from Crescent Lake to Winn Campground is open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. Mondays through 6 p.m. Thursdays, but will be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and Holidays. Winn Campground will only be open on Labor Day Holiday, and Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This section of the road is in poor condition (many parts of the road have potholes) and is experiencing use by heavy equipment. Drive with caution.

LUNA LAKE — Fishing is fair. The boat ramp is accessible. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, small spoons, Z-rays, or flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and other small nymphs in brown, green or black.  The lake is open to 10 hp motors.

LYMAN LAKE —The left boat ramp is accessible. Fishing is fair to good. Anglers have been catching channel catfish on worms and prepared baits, and walleyes and bass on lures near rocky shoreline areas. Try worms, meal worms, and catfish prepared baits. The Lyman Lake Recreation Area is managed by Lyman Lake State Park and camping is available. There are also some new cabins for rent. There is a fish consumption advisory here. Consult the fishing regulations or contact the Arizona Game and Fish Regional office in Pinetop for more information. The lake has no motor restrictions.

NELSON RESERVOIR — Don Hall said he took several people out in the boat and caught rainbows by the dozens on Power Bait fished about 18 inches off the bottom. “We all would limit out every day. Didn’t matter what time. All of us and all the kids caught every day. I never caught a fish, too busy baiting and removing fish from everyone else’s poles.”

The daily bag and possession limit is six trout. The lake is about 2.5-3.0 feet low. The boat ramp at the dam is recommended, as the ramp at the upper end is still too shallow. Fishing is fair.  Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners and Z-rays, flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and other small brown, green, or black nymphs. The lake is open to 10 hp motors.
                
RAINBOW LAKE — The lake is down 3 to 4 feet. Fishing is fair. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Z-rays, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, semi-seal leeches, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and brown Montana stone nymphs. Northern pike are being caught on spinnerbaits, Rapalas, and big spinners. Anglers have been catching largemouth bass on Rapalas and crankbaits. Bass, bullheads, and channel catfish have been caught on worms off the fishing pier. We are encouraging anglers to keep all northern pike that are caught. Northern pike are not desirable in Rainbow Lake because they eat stocked rainbow trout and small bass and we want them removed. The lake is open to 10 hp. motors.          

SCOTT'S RESERVOIR — The reservoir is down about 2 feet. The water is slightly murky. Fishing is fair. Anglers are catching a few trout and channel catfish on worms. Bass are being caught on lures such as spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and spinners. One northern pike was caught during spring gill net surveys. Please report anybody that is moving fish from one location to another. It is illegal to stock any fish in public or private waters without a proper stocking permit. This illegal activity spoils angling opportunities for most other anglers. Try worms, meal worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Z-rays, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, brown Montana stone nymphs, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, and zug bugs. The lake is open to electric motors only.     

SHOW LOW LAKE — The lake is nearly full now.  Fishing is fair to good.

Mike DeMello reports seeing an angler with a 30-inch-long walleye that weighed an estimated 12.5 pounds, adding, “Not much was being caught that day, but that was something to see.”

Sean Bailey and his family caught their limits for three days in a row, mostly on red, white and blue Power Bait, adding, “This was one of the best times fishing I have had at Show Low Lake and of course baby Shannon caught the first fish when we took her out on the lake.”

Blake Miller fished in the early afternoon and got bites on Z-rays and Rooster Tails.

Try worms, salmon eggs, mealworms, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Z-rays, ¼-ounce lead head jigs (chartreuse green, and brown, or gray with silver specks), Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms and wooly buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, and semi seal leeches for trout. Anglers have been catching trout trolling cowbells and lures with worms. Shore anglers are catching a few 10-16 inch rainbow trout on green Power Bait and night crawlers. Walleyes and smallmouth bass are being caught by anglers trolling Rapalas and casting jigs along rocky shoreline areas early in the morning. The lake is open to 10 hp. motors. The store is open. Boat rentals are available.   
  
SILVER CREEK — The stream will be stocked with catchable size Apache trout this week and fishing is good. Silver Creek on the Arizona Game and Fish Department property is open to statewide angling regulations, including bait fishing and six-trout bag and possession limit (from April 1 through Sept. 30). The upper section (big fence boundary) is closed to fishing. Try small lures such as Mepps, Rooster Tail, and Panther Martin spinners. Fish upstream or downstream. Fly-fishing anglers may want to try peacock ladies, beadhead black or green wooly buggers, prince nymphs, zug bugs, bead head nymphs, mayfly and caddis fly nymph imitations, and shrimp patterns. Fish your flies upstream and dead drift them downstream or cast your fly downstream and retrieve the fly slowly upstream. Try small dry flies such as Adams, parachute Adams, midge imitations, and caddis fly patterns is sizes #16 or #18 or # 20. Night crawlers, Power Bait, and mealworms work well.

WOODLAND LAKE — The lake is down about 2.5 feet. The water is slightly murky. Weeds are present along shoreline areas. An algae bloom is present in the lake. Fishing is poor to fair. The lake is experiencing high pH levels.  Fish early in the morning when water temperatures and pH are low.  Try worms, salmon eggs, meal worms, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Z-rays, small spoons, and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms and wooly buggers, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and other small nymphs. Anglers have been catching rainbow trout off the fishing pier on night crawlers. Woodland Lake is a city park with picnic tables, Veranda’s, restrooms, volleyball and softball courts, hiking trails, boat ramp, and a fishing pier.  The lake is open to electric motors only.    

WHITE MOUNTAIN STREAMS: Monsoon rains cause flooding and muddy conditions so use caution when fishing White Mountain rivers or streams.
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WEST FORK OF BLACK RIVER – All access roads are open. Joe Padilla caught a brown trout fly fishing with light line and a green beadhead in the late afternoon, adding that the fishing was slow but “the scenery was well worth it.”

The stream will be stocked with catchable size Apache trout this week and every week through mid-September. Try worms, meal worms, and salmon eggs, lures such as small spinners and spoons, and flies such as wooly worms, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and small black, brown or green nymphs. Stream flows are low.

EAST FORK OF BLACK RIVER – All access roads are open. The stream will be stocked with catchable size apache trout this week and every week through mid-September. Try worms, meal worms, and salmon eggs, lures such as small spinners and spoons, and flies such as wooly worms, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and small black, brown or green nymphs. Stream flows are low.

SHEEPS  CROSSING – Not accessible. Highway 273 is closed for the year due to road construction.

LITTLE COLORADO RIVER – GREER – All access roads are open. The stream will be stocked with catchable size Apache trout this week and every week through mid-September. Try worms, meal worms, and salmon eggs, small lures such as spinners and spoons, and flies such as wooly worms, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and small black, brown or green nymphs. Stream flows are low.

SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA

URBAN LAKES – The last catfish stocking of the spring/summer season was the week of June 25-30. With the high temperatures of summer here, it becomes impractical to continue to haul live fish into Arizona’s urban lakes. No fish stockings will be scheduled during July, August and the first half of September. Mark your calendars: fall catfish stockings will resume the week of Sept. 17-22.  Anglers can still fish for catfish, bass and bluegill at Urban waters throughout the summer, but the action is generally slower.

RIGGS FLAT —The road to the lake is open. High pH levels have continued to hamper fish stocking efforts. Hopefully summer rains will alleviate this problem and the department can resume stocking once the pH levels come down. There are still plenty of fish in the lake however. 

CLUFF RANCH — Fishing for warmwater species is fair with a few reports of largemouth bass being caught. Recent surveys show good numbers of crappie. For lake information call (928) 485-9430.

ROPER LAKE — Fishing for all warmwater species is fair with early morning and late evening being the best opportunity.  For lake information call (928) 428-6760.

DANKWORTH POND — No reports on success. For lake information call (928) 428-6760.

FRYE MESA RESERVIOR – The fishing remains good at this small reservoir.  Anglers are reporting that limits are common. The road to Frye Mesa is in fair condition and is currently passable with a two-wheel drive vehicle. Use caution because the road is steep and narrow in places.

KEARNY LAKES — This lake remains fishless due to golden algae.
 
ARIVACA — The lake is full. There is a lot of debris floating in the lake and boaters should use caution.  Night fishing remains the best opportunity for catching largemouth bass. Powerboats on Arivaca Lake are restricted to the use of a single electric motor only, and all bass must be immediately released back to the water.  The mercury advisory for all fish is still in effect. Also, be aware of the boating regulations, specifically those pertaining to personal flotation devices.  If you are not in compliance, you are subject to receiving a citation.

PENA BLANCA – The water levels are still very low. Larger watercraft will not be able to launch. There is also a build up of sediment around the boat ramp making launching difficult.  Use caution when launching your boat.  The bass fishing has been fair to good. 

PATAGONIA — Kevin Smith caught 10 bass flipping black and blue Brush Hogs and a Kinami 5-inch skirt grub into the cattails, with most fish in the 2-pound range, along with two sixes and one four. He said the water is muddy, so fish are holding tight to cover.

David Wheeler and his son caught 15 catfish, adding that his son caught most of them and had lots of fun, adding, “We left after my son said he was tired of catching fish.”

Fishing for largemouth continues to be good for anglers working reaction baits along the cattails. Flathead catfish continue to be caught using small bluegills as bait.  The lake recently filled with rain run-off and water is going over the spillway. Boaters should be attentive to debris floating in the lake.

PARKER CANYON — The lake is full. Kevin Smith caught bass on a variety of lures, including buzzbaits, Yum Diggers and Trick Worms.

Fishing remains fair for all species. Some nice bluegills continue to be caught on night crawlers and meal worms. 

PICACHO RESERVOIR — No Report.

ROSE CANYON LAKE — Rose Canyon remains open and anglers are reporting limits of fish.  The next scheduled stocking is the week of Aug. 13 provided water temperatures are within required parameters.