Rory’s Tip: This is a great time to hit the high country lakes for . . . bet you thought I was going to say trout; wrong. It’s a great time to take the youngsters and try for crayfish in our mountain lakes. Kids love catching crayfish. Kind of fun for us adults too.
Crayfish are simple. All you needs is a stick, some string, and some meat, such as bacon fat, hot dog or whatever. In fact, string soaked in bacon grease will do nicely. Bring a bucket to hold your crayfish. In fact, a good rule of thumb is one bucket for every two children.
Crayfish are also easy to fix. Bring the water to a rolling boil, take the water off the heat, put in the crayfish (leave them off the heat). When the crayfish turn bright red, they are done. If you want to get fancy, get a packet of crab boil to put in the boiling water. Then eat the crayfish tails, just like you would lobster tails. It’s easy, simple and fun camping fare.
By the way, crayfish are not native to Arizona. In fact, in the high country, crayfish can devastate our trout streams. So please, help the environment by catching and eating all the crayfish you can.
An often overlooked but fun place to take the family is Kinnikinick Lake east of Flagstaff (take Lake Mary Road and watch for the turnoff). This small lake is just loaded with hordes of crayfish and the catfishing has been pretty good. Trout fishing is okay at first and last light.
Other places to get delectable crayfish include Willow Springs Lake, Woods Canyon Lake and Bear Canyon Lake along the Mogollon Rim just off Highway 260. By the way, they all do have trout as well.
For those who do want to catch trout, get up early. The best trout bites are at first light and last light. Like I tell my family, fish first, eat breakfast later. At some lakes, the trout bite could be over by the time most campers roll out of their sleeping bags. If you aren’t getting up before first light, you just might miss the bite. Hey, that rhymes. Monsoon rain squalls can change that equation. There is often a good bite right before and after the afternoon rain showers.
A dramatic place to fish during the summer is Lees Ferry in northern Arizona. Right now, there is a summer cicada bite again. The morning temperatures are in the 70s but climb into the triple digits in the late morning. I have stood with my legs freezing in the cold water while my upper body sweats while catching lots of trout. Arizona is the land of extremes, and this might be called extreme fishing of the best kind.
For all you night fishermen, this week we have a waning moon with the last quarter on July 18 and the new moon on July 24. This is important because the darker the night, the more effective floating or submerged crappie lights can be.
By the way, I used Ed Phillip’s Arizona Almanac to research these dates. Ed has an Arizona Game and Fish Department segment on his radio show every week at http://www.azalmanac.com/.
The moon phase is also important for another reason this time of year: what many of us call shooting stars. Around July 28 is one of the best times (waxing crescent moon) to view the delta Aquarids meteor shower when about 25 meteors per hour can be visible in the night sky. Meteors streaking across our dry desert sky can be pretty dramatic by themselves, but seeing the brighter meteors also reflected on a lake’s surface can be awesome.
Mark you calendar for Aug. 12 when the Perseids meteor showers are lighting up the night sky to the tune of 100 or so meteors per hour. I like the huge desert lakes like Powell, Mead, and Mohave during these times, but Roosevelt, Pleasant, Bartlett and the others are good bets as well. Seeing these annual meteor showers while at some of the high country lakes can also be spectacular. Personally, my favorite mountain lake to watch meteors is Big Lake. It’s pretty cool to watch meteors streaking across the sky and lighting up Arizona’s second tallest peak, Mt. Baldy.
So go catch some memories (or try catching a falling star). Maybe I’ll see you out there.
Fishing News
Fish Arizona! campaign receives Governor’s tourism award
The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Fish Arizona! campaign during 2005, which reversed a decade-long decline in fishing license sales, received the Innovative Promotions Award during the Arizona Governor’s Conference on Tourism on July 11.
The Innovative Promotions Award is presented to the organization that best demonstrates outstanding quality and creativity in planning and carrying out a promotion campaign.
“Getting this award is very gratifying. To us, the reward really highlights something we know well – wildlife-related activities from fishing to wildlife watching generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually to help fuel the economic engine of this state,” says Dana Yost, the Information and Education Division assistant director for the Game and Fish Department.
The purpose of the Fish Arizona! campaign was to generate interest in fishing as a fun outdoor recreational activity among Arizona residents and visitors to the state, while also reversing the long-term decline in fishing license sales. It worked: fishing license sales from June to November in 2005 were 27-percent higher than the previous year.
“It really helps that we have a great product – this state’s excellent year-round fishing. What else can you say except that fishing is great right now, so grab your fishing poles and go fish Arizona!” Yost says.
CENTRAL ARIZONA
URBAN LAKES – Catfish won’t be stocked again until the water temperatures cool down again in September. Adrian Aguayo says he used a bluegill minnow to catch two catfish and one largemouth bass at Papago Ponds No. 2. Joel Woods says he caught a 26-inch long 10-pound catfish using liver at Canal Park. Micheal Culbertson caught lots of bluegills and a 10-pound catfish at the Water Ranch in Gilbert using worms and a bobber. There is still decent fishing for catfish. The best baits continue to include worms, stink baits and hotdogs. Fishing for largemouth bass is fair during the post-spawn period. Fishing for bluegill is good at most lakes. Most bluegills are active in the shallows during their spawning activities. Use small worms or mealworms on small hooks and use 6 pound or lighter line.
TEMPE TOWN LAKE – An angler reports catching sunfish, bluegills, catfish and carp bouncing mealworms off the bottom in the shade of the Highway 202 Bridge, adding, “It was a feeding frenzy.”
Bass fishing is slow during the day. Fish can be caught before 8 a.m. and after 6 p.m. at times. Try crankbaits and plastic worms around the ledges and docks. Minnows under a slip bobber will work as well. A good mixed bag of yellows, catfish and sunfish can also be caught this way. A good place to try is under the Loop 202 underpass in the northeast side of the lake. Yellow bass and bluegill are plentiful in the 5- to 7-inch range and will bite mealworms or night crawlers. Channel catfish averaging 1 to 2 pounds will bite stink baits, hotdogs and shrimp. Carp fishing is excellent.
LAKE PLEASANT - Water level is at 1,678 feet (78-percent full). Mark Miconi and Scott Webster wrote that they caught one 5-pound largemouth bass, two over 3 pounds and one small 2 pounder using Carolina-rigged 6-inch watermelon Zoom lizards in 25-35 feet of water fishing from a float tube. “Bass were holding deep on barely perceptible bottom structure on main lake points. Hits were aggressive to very subtle. The biggest bass only made the bait feel heavy. All were caught within sight of the north launch ramp. Together Scott Webster and I caught 11 largemouths in three hours for a total weight over 23 pounds. Fish have been in this pattern for a month. My son, Chris, actually had one bass leap out of the water into his tube and land on his casting apron; one bass and no casts!”
Fishing is good for striped bass, white bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and channel catfish. Good action for white bass and stripers can be had by the towers down by the dam, especially at first and last light. Try using a 1-inch white curly-tail grub on a 1/16-ounce jig. Let the jig sink about 20 seconds before retrieving. Anglers have also been doing okay at night for stripers, even during the full moon. With the waning moon, floating or submersible lights can be even more effective. Try the northern coves, near the dam (just outside the buoys for the intake towers), or along the tire line at the marina. Frozen anchovies have been working extremely well, but live shad and minnows are good options as well. Crappie fishing is good time in the northern coves; try jigs or live minnows in 12 to18 feet of water around brush. The crappies are averaging about a pound with some going a pound and a half. Largemouth bass can typically be found off points and deeper mouths of coves. Quite often you can find a mixture of largemouth, whites and stripers chasing shad at the surface at first light in the major coves. Bass fishing is good. Early morning topwater can be good, but generally fish have switched to the summer mode where drop shotting at night can be very productive. Drop-shotting is the technique of choice, tight lines. Power Worms, jigs, Carolina-rigs and Westy Worms are proven producers. Catfish are biting well at night on hot dogs and shrimp.
ROOSEVELT LAKE - The lake is 60-percent full at elevation 2,115 feet. The Salt River was flowing at 88 cfs Monday morning and Tonto Creek was flowing at 2 cfs. Dave Nelson wrote that the best fishing was 30 minutes at sunrise and 30 minutes at sunset and there was good action for lots of small bass on the Tonto Creek end, adding, “David Jr. and I had a blast. He out fished me, again! It’s all about the kids; pass it on.”
Anglers are currently catching large numbers of bass, with lots of overs lately. Topwater action is good when and where shad are boiling. Fishing off points in 10-25 feet of water has been effective as well as in areas of stick ups and brush. Live shad or minnows are also good baits either with bobbers or free-lined. Crappie fishing has slowed some during the day, but should is good at night under submersible lights. Try the Windy Hill area and also the shore south of Cholla ramp. Minnows under slip bobbers and jigs 1/32-ounce cast into the brush will be the trick. Catfishing is great for both flatheads and channels. Fishing for smallmouth bass can be good; especially on windy days. Try areas where waves are stirring up the rocky shoreline. Use in-line spinners and crayfish imitations especially off rocky points and cliff walls and live night crawlers. Remember the slot is in place for smallmouth as well. Bluegills are spawning: this is a great time to take the kids out. Try the backs of coves, especially around structure. Nice bluegills have been caught recently around Windy Hill and Salome. 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.
APACHE - Lake is 94-percent full at 1,909 feet. Fishing is been good for yellow bass near Dinosaur Island. Yellow bass are hitting jigs and spoons; fish for them around balls of shad in 20-60 feet of water. Cut bait also works well for them. Largemouth bass fishing is slow. There is a certified scale at the marina boathouse.
CANYON - Lake is 95-percent full at 1,659 feet. Bass fishing has transitioned to dawn/dusk and then good at night. For bass, drop shotting (fish slow, letting the worm rest on the bottom for a few seconds at a time) is still the method of choice. Senkos and Westy Worms have also been catching fish. Night fishing for bass is also good at this time. This is also a great lake for yellow bass; jig spoons in and around balls of shad. A few walleye are being caught trolling along cliffs. Shad imitation Rat-L-Traps can be effective for walleye here.
SAGUARO - Lake level is 1,524 feet (95-percent full). Fishing is slow for largemouth bass. Some are being caught with drop-shot rigs as well as Texas and Carolina rigged worms. Yellow bass can be caught jigging spoons (quarter-ounce KastMaster) or cut bait. Recent reports of yellows are being caught in the Butcher Jones Cove area. Another good area for yellows is near Ship Rock and the no wake buoys in the channel. Try to locate shad in 40-60 feet of water and jig through them. Catfishing is improving. Try stink baits, hotdogs or shrimp. There is a certified scale at the marina to get an official weight and still release your catch. Two witnesses are needed for the weight to be official.
BARTLETT – Lake level is at 1,777 feet (70-percent full). Bass fishing is good to great. Again early and late with night fishing be the most productive right now. Crawdad imitations and worming rigs (drop shots and Texas-rigs) are producing. Some anglers are picking up crappies in the 2-pound range near the buoy line upriver using Kalin 1/16-ounce black/blue/chartreuse jigs. This is a good time to switch to night fishing for crappies: they are mostly in the post-spawn mode. This is an excellent time to target flathead and channel catfish. Bluegills are on the beds and big flatheads can often be found raiding those nests in the backs of coves or along rocky ledges. Use live bait such as bluegill or small carp for the flatheads and shrimp, hotdogs or stink bait for the channels. Remember the live bait most come from the lake itself (excluding minnows, waterdogs or worms) not transported from another body of water! This is a good time to take the kids bluegill fishing. Mealworms and a small bobber in the backs of rocky coves can be the ticket.
HORSESHOE - Lake is empty. William Lydick says he fished the backside of Horseshoe Dam to catch catfish and carp, adding that the best bite is at night and early morning.
VERDE RIVER – Fishing is poor for largemouth, smallmouth and catfish. Remember that no baitfish can be transported into this part of the river (above Horseshoe). For further information concerning regulations, call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (480) 324-3544. This morning flow was 125 cfs at Tangle Creek station above Horseshoe Lake.
LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – Micheal Culbertson caught an 18-inch-long 4.5-pound rainbow trout using a worm on July 16. Craig (no last name provided) wrote that rainbow trout at 5:30 a.m. using wooly buggers and hoppers, adding, “Wade waist high, cast up stream 45 degrees and dead-drift flies.” Eugene Ienuso says he used night crawlers to catch rainbow trout, adding, “What a fun morning!. Everybody around, whether using flies, spinners or night crawlers, were catching fish up until the tubers started to show up, then it stopped.”
Rainbow trout will be stocked this week at Blue Point Bridge and Water Users Park. Stockings will continue until water temperatures are to warm to stock. Try inline spinners, Power Bait or drifting night crawlers. Fly-fishing can be good with nymphs, Painted ladies and Wooly Buggers. We have mixed angler reports: some aren’t catching many fish, others are catching limits. Some bass can be found in the portion above the Verde confluence.
COLORADO RIVER NORTHWEST
LAKE POWELL – By Wayne Gustaveson. Lake elevation: 3,609. Water temp: 77-84 F. Shad are steadily moving from the backs of canyons to open bays to feed on abundant plankton in the open water. Shad are still tiny in most bays, so the only attention comes from the smaller game fish. Yearling stripers are schooled and ready to feed on top. But shad numbers are not strong enough to allow unlimited feeding. The result is quick surface bursts usually lasting less than a minute. With such short duration, it is difficult to get to the feeding fish before they go down. Luckily they come back up numerous times. With patience and good guessing on where to position the boat, a good number of the 12- to 15-inch fish can be caught. The most consistent spot is buoy 113 in the main channel near Seven Mile Canyon. The San Juan is good one day and off the next.
Stripers are feeding on small shad so small lures are required to get a strike. Most lures cast into the small boil will get hit the first time the fish see it. The second cast may be ignored entirely. It is more productive to seek new schools of fish often than to chase one school as long as possible. A better approach is to work a broad section of lake casting to many different schools. Return to the first school after half an hour and retrace the path finding each school once more.
Good lure choices are clear top water baits with a feather on the rear hook. Sammies, Jumpin’ Minnows, Super Spook Juniors, or small poppers. Shallow runners like X-raps and Bevy Shad are excellent choices since fish are usually going down as the boat gets in casting range. KastMasters and small Wallylure spoons are also effective. It is wise to have three rods rigged with these baits in case a striper school stays up for more than a minute. Put the first fish in the boat and cast another rod before unhooking the first fish to efficiently work the boil.
On July 12, boils were scattered in Wahweap Bay from the south marina breakwater to Lone Rock. Best time of day was 7-9 a.m. and 6-8 p.m. This same pattern will hold lake wide. Under full moon, early morning fishing is not as good as evening. Fish get more active as the day progresses and continue to feed in the moonlight. Night fishing is good under fish attracting lights.
Stripers are still being caught on anchovies on the steep canyon walls lake wide. Fish at 30 feet or deeper for best success. Moki Wall near Bullfrog is producing some good catches of stripers. Glen Canyon dam and the mouth of Warm Creek are still good in the southern lake.
Bass are found in pockets of brush that contain shad or sunfish. Topwater baits work great when one of these hot pockets is discovered. Look for shad in the brush up lake and sunfish in the brush downlake to find a bass honey hole. Bass tend to be in brushy pockets close to the main channel rather than in the back of the canyon on the shallow floodplain. The brushy floodplains look better but fishing is better in the isolated pockets.
Catfishing is excellent at dusk near your camp.
Powell striped bass hot spot update
* Dam – Fish the ledge on west side which coincides with barricade 3-4 and 5. If those spots are taken, go up lake.
* Corner as lake turns left (north) at Buoy 3. Fish the shade line in the morning.
* Power Plant Intake – (Construction boom on rim) Fish early before boat traffic starts.
* Buoy 9 – Gently sloping outcropping near shore is the best place.
* Small canyon just upstream from Buoy 9 before the lake turns left heading for Navajo.
* Mouth of Navajo on the main channel side. Either side of the entrance along main channel.
* First corner of Navajo Canyon – Fish shade line in the morning. Look for a yellow rope on the right side to tie up to a good spot.
* Double islands in Navajo Canyon – Go beyond islands and fish the first and second points on the left hand side of the channel.
* Mouth of Warm Creek and main channel.
* Padre Butte between Buoy 21A and 22B – Fish the channel beyond Padre Butte to the south.
* Jacks Arch – mouth of San Juan.
* San Juan - Too muddy, stay in main channel.
* Buoy 65 -East channel wall 200-500 yards down lake of Cottonwood Canyon.
* Buoy 74 - Mouth of Bowns and Long Canyons, 50-100 yards from main channel inside of Bowns Canyon’s NE wall.
* Buoy 92/93 - West wall of main channel 50-150 yards down lake from mouth of Lost Eden Canyon.
* Halls Ramp – Cliff wall downstream from ramp.
* Buoy 99 A at Hansen Creek.
LEES FERRY — Report courtesy of Lees Ferry Anglers. The morning temperatures are in the upper 70s but reach into triple digits by 10 a.m. The average river releases are 12,335 cfs. Flows in the morning are around 9,000 cfs and increase to a peak flow of 15,000 cfs by 6 p.m., then slowly decrease by midnight. When the water comes up fast, it provides some great fishing either surface or subsurface. Fish have been caught on dries in the main riffles upriver. A dry dropper both on the surface and at the seam lines can produce plenty of strikes. A No. 10 black body foam cicada will be the best fly to have along, with zebra midges and San Juans. Otherwise, carry black stimulators, para-hoppers, and elk-hair caddis for indicator flies. For spin anglers, try silver KastMasters.
LAKE MEAD – Todd Matorian wrote that he used Zara Spooks and “hammered fish from dawn until about 10 a.m. on topwater.” The bluegill have been biting well off mealworms, other than that, the fishing has been slow during the day.
Don Martin says 10 anglers in two boats used anchovies fished under floating lights to catch more than 200 stripers in the 1- to 2-pound range and a dozen channel catfish after weathering a nighttime thunderstorm.
Night fishing under lights using anchovies and squid is still effective for both stripers and catfish. Try fishing in 30-plus feet of water. Largemouth bass are also being caught using drop-shot rigs and Power Worms. There are some decent-sized largemouth being caught this year. Catfish are being caught in good numbers on anchovies, dip-baits, and squid from both boat and shore. Some reports of large catfish being caught at night from shore. Water levels are at 1,127 feet and should stay fairly stable throughout the week.
LAKE MOHAVE –. Anchovies continue to be the most popular bait for stripers, but if you want to try something different, use shrimp or squid. Try dropping anchor in 30-plus feet at night with crappie lights. If you don’t get fish in 1.5 hours, move to a different spot. Nevada Telephone Cove and the power lines have been good for stripers and largemouth bass. Also, there is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine’s Landing.
WILLOW BEACH – Fishing for trout at Willow Beach was fair at the Jumbo Wash area following the stocking on July 14, two anglers caught their limit and another caught nine. Most anglers had trout on their stringer. Anglers at the picnic area did not have much success. Jakes and KastMaster lures were the lures of choice. Orange, yellow, rainbow and Salmon peach Power Bait were also being used successfully. One striped bass was caught by a boat angler that weighed 32 pounds on an AC Plug. Several anglers were catching smaller striped bass, less than 2 pounds from shore with cut anchovy.
TOPOCK MARSH – Catfish are still biting at night; it is not uncommon to catch catfish over 10 pounds. Chicken livers or anchovies are easy to find and both work well as bait. They can be used alone or in combination with various forms of stink bait. 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.
COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM – No new reports. Most anglers are having limited success for stripers using anchovies everywhere. Some anglers are limiting just south of Rotary Park. Remember the limit of stripers on the Colorado River is 10. The cooler temperatures and lower river flow in the mornings and evenings are still a good time to get out and fish for stripers along the shore. Also, the striper fishing has really been picking up in the Topock area. The water level has been higher during the day, making it easier to get a boat on the water. If you are fishing by boat, plan accordingly. You can also check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html/ before you go.
SOUTHWESTERN ARIZONA
HAVASU — No report.
PARKER STRIP — No report.
MARTINEZ LAKE/COLORADO RIVER — No report.
MITTRY LAKE — No report.
YUMA AREA RIVERS/CANALS – No report.
FORTUNA POND — No report.
REDONDO POND — No report.
YUMA WEST WETLANDS POND — No report.
EHRENBERG — No report.
ALAMO LAKE — Report courtesy Mark Knapp, Alamo Lake State Park. Well folks, picture this: It's late afternoon and the temp is 117 degrees. Armed with sun block, gator aid, and a wide brimmed hat, you’re off to the dam. No sooner do you drop the trolling motor, pick up a pole, and the fish start boiling all around you. Your smile is a natural as you make 10 casts and boat 10 bass. That's what's happening here every day. Let's take a minute and talk about the fine art of boil fishing For the most part it's find the boils, throw something into the boils, set hook, and boat fish. Here's some tips I learned that may help you. First thing, make sure trolling motor batteries are charged. The heat will drain batteries quickly, so check water levels in batteries or replace if needed. I'm here to tell yah it's a real bummer to have boils going just out of casting distance and you can get out and swim quicker than you can move the boat with the trolling motor. With that in mind, get rid of any excess weight you don't need. This goes for tackle boxes, coolers, fishing partners, boat anchors, etc. If you’re not going to keep fish, then drain the live wells. You will be surprised how much extra weight you are carrying there alone. Once you find boils, try not to plow through the middle of them. I try to stay about 20 to 30 feet away and cast over the boils. I'm talking plastics here. This lets your bait fall a few feet, and work it back through the boil.. You can catch a lot of fish by throwing right in the middle and start reeling, but you’re going to catch bigger fish the deeper you can get your bait. I like to throw over the boil, give it a 5 to 10 count and set the hook. Same theory throwing training wheels. A deep-diving crankbait is going to catch bigger fish than on a shallow diver. Boils can last seconds, or several minutes, and then they are over. It can get pretty darn frustrating chasing a boil and by the time you get there, it's over. I have found that even if the boil stops, throw there anyway. Do a 10 to 20 count. You will be surprised how many fish are there. That also gives you a minute to see where the fish are going to surface again. Usually the boils will surface 100 yards away and a command decision has to be made to chase the boils or stay put. I have found that staying put saves your batteries and often the boils will come back your way. If you have a partner, one of you can fire up the big motor and idle over to boils while other fishes, then switch. Although most outboards do not use a lot of gas while running at a no wake speed, the noise scares everything and the fish quit biting. If you’re like me and spend 98-percent of the time fishing by yourself, it's you and the trolling motor. For this reason I like fishing up by the dam for boils. You have three sides of you boxed in and there no place for the boils to go except back out into the main lake. Most of the time, the bass keep the bait fish schooled there for hours. I do have the home-court advantage and get to fish this lake daily. I have thrown training wheels, spinnerbaits, topwater, and about anything else I can find at boils. Although they all catch fish a Texas-rigged 4-inch dark green colored lizard with 3/16 weight is the hot ticket for me. Once the sun goes down the boils stop for the most part, and I go focus on points and work Pop Rs, and lizards through the brush. I've been averaging 20 to 30 bass daily, most going 1 to 2 pounds. Other anglers reported an excellent crankbait bite right before dark. They stated that throwing training wheels in 5 to 10 feet of water works well. Crappie fishing in a word; bad. Not sure what's up there. The moon might have them messed up. Catfishing is decent. Minnows, liver, and night crawlers work well. Catfish are being caught all over the lake, but 7 to 10 pounders are being caught up by the dam. Shore fishing is kinda’ slow during the day but turns on right before dark. Try throwing a bobber and 1/2 of a night crawler out over a brush pile and hold your pole. Monsoons are back so come prepared with extra food, water, and rain gear. No word on the store. No boat rentals at this time. The lake level is at 1,122 with releases of 50 cfs. There is a fish advisory at Alamo Lake. The advisory recommends that people limit consumption as follows for bass and crappie. Children under age six: no consumption; women of childbearing age one 8-ounce fish meal per month; all other adult women - three 8-ounce fish meals per month; adult men - four 8-ounce fish meals per month. For catfish is the same for children and women of childbearing age, but for all other adult women - five 8-ounce fish meals per month and adult men - six 8-ounce fish meals per month.
NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS
WILLIAMS LAKES:
KAIBAB LAKE — An angler says he caught five good-sized rainbows and had many more bites in about three hours using night crawlers near the dock on the west end of the lake. Fishing fair to good for trout and catfish. Scheduled to be stocked this week.
CATARACT LAKE — Fishing has slowed down due to higher temperatures.
CITY RESERVOIR — Closed.
DOGTOWN LAKE — An angler named Clyde caught rainbows and crawfish fishing the extreme north end of the lake, adding that he caught eight rainbows with the largest about 14 inches. He said there was good action in the morning but leveled off to nothing by lunch time. Fishing has slowed down with higher temperatures. Water was too warm to stock this week.
JD DAM — Lake level is dropping. Some nice fish are being caught.
SANTA FE — Lake is full. Some catfish are being caught
WHITEHORSE LAKE — Fishing has slowed down with higher temperatures.
FLAGSTAFF LAKES:
LOWER LAKE MARY — No Report.
UPPER LAKE MARY — No Report.
ASHURST LAKE — One angler reports catching a 4.3-pound trout using a drop-shot rig with Power Bait fished 20 feet off the boat ramp and casting about 30 feet out. Scheduled to be stocked this week
FRANCIS SHORT POND – No Report
KINNIKINICK LAKE — Catfishing was fair over the weekend, a 14-pound catfish was caught. Lots of crayfish were also being caught. Scheduled to be stocked this week
MARSHALL LAKE — No Report
OAK CREEK — Open above Slide Rock. Stocked above Slide Rock.
LONG LAKE — No Report.
SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX — No Report
BEAVER CREEK — Closed due to fire restrictions.
WEST CLEAR CREEK — Closed due to fire restrictions.
STONEMAN LAKE — NO FISH.
MINGUS LAKE – Mingus was last stocked on June 26. The water levels are down so the fish should be easy to find. The Forest Service gate is now open. Try bright-colored Power Bait, salmon eggs, or various spinners. This is the last stocking at Mingus until September because of water quality and quantity. If you fish Mingus and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
DEAD HORSE STATE PARK – This is a great place to take young kids fishing. Hand-sized bluegills are plentiful. Try using a No. 10 hook, with only enough worm to cover the hook. Catfish were last stocked on June 8. Department biologists observed several catfish in the shallow areas at night. This may be a good spot to fish for them early in the morning. Try anchovies or chicken livers. There were 4,500 bluegill stocked into the lower lagoon during February, including a few fish over a pound. Look for the bass to be biting I the early morning and as the sun is setting. One angler reported catching a “surprise” 4-pound bass recently.
VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) – No new reports. Trout were last stocked March 13. That was the last trout stocking for the season.
LYNX LAKE — No new reports. The fishing has been slow. While some anglers continue to catch trout, most are having limited success. Some catfish are being caught early in the morning and some small largemouth bass were observed in the backs of coves. Trout were stocked June 19. Lynx won’t get another stocking of trout until September due to poor water oxygen.
FAIN LAKE — No new reports. Trout were stocked on June 26. Fishing has been good following stockings. Although it was slow over the weekend. Some anglers were catching bullhead catfish on worms and a couple people did catch a few trout. Try using spinners in the morning and switching to Power Bait as it warms up. Some people have been catching catfish as well. Fain won’t get another stocking of trout until water temperatures come down.
GOLDWATER LAKE— Trout were stocked the week of July 10. One angler reported catching his limit in less than two hours following the last stocking. He suggests getting there early. The next stocking is scheduled for the week of July 24 if the water quality permits. Fishing should be good following the stockings, both early in the morning and in the evening. Try using spinners in the early morning and evening and Power Bait during the day. Goldwater is also a great lake for catching crayfish. If you have never eaten them you should give it a try. Large bluegills were stocked June 7. They should be biting well on mealworms. Game and Fish biologists sampled a 7.3-pound bass and a 9.8-pound catfish during a population survey. Both were released back into the lake. All of the bass sampled looked very healthy. 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
CHEVELON CANYON LAKE — Fishing is fair. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Try lures such as spinners (Mepps, Rooster tail, and Panther Martin), Z-rays, and Rapalas. Try flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, and brown or black semi-seal leeches. This is a hike-in fishery. There are two steep trails to the lake so a small boat or float tube is recommended. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors. Chevelon Canyon Lake is open to artificial lures and flies only. Trout between 10-14 inches may not be kept.
BEAR CANYON LAKE — Jeff Peters caught three rainbow trout, two on a bee imitation and one on a prince nymph, adding, “I got about 1 to 2 hits per hour with the best fishing about 6:30 a.m. in the morning. Fishing is fair to good. Seth Mason said the trout seemed to prefer black and brown flies and Rooster Tails. He said the action slowed by 8 a.m. when the sun hit the water, adding that the lake is absolutely full of crayfish, and they even tried to eat his stringer of fish. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures (Z-rays and spinners-Mepps, Rooster tail, and Panther Martin), and flies (wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, zug bugs, and prince nymphs). Bear Canyon Lake is a hike-in fishery. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only.
BLACK CANYON LAKE — Fishing is poor to fair. The lake and boat ramp are low. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Z-Rays, small spoons, and small Rapalas, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms or wooly buggers, prince nymphs, and zug bugs. Try trolling small lures or flies with worms behind cowbells. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only.
BLUE RIDGE — Mike Gardner used worms and a bobber plus trolling Z-rays to catch many stockers and one 24-inch lunker, adding, “They’re all still there.”
KNOLL LAKE — Fishing was good last week on Power Bait. Rob Cunningham said his group of three caught (and mostly released) 120 trout in one day trolling with Crick Hoppers and Rooster Tails on July 16. Ryan Miller used red Power Bait and a hellow Panther Martin to catch-and-release 11 trout on July 14.
WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE — Steve Nemecek wrote that weather makes all the difference. “Carrie Alexander and I tried our luck at Willow Springs three weeks ago and only caught a couple over two days. We returned to the same spot and each caught our limit within four hours. The difference this time: cooler temperatures and mostly cloudy skies and intermittent showers. The fishing was fantastic.”
The boat ramp is accessible. The lake will be stocked with catchable size rainbow trout this week and weekly through September. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is fair to good. Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures (Z-rays and spinners), flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, peacock ladies, brown or black semi-seal leeches, zug bugs, and prince nymphs. Try trolling worms on spinners or flies behind cowbells. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors.
WOODS CANYON LAKE — Lee Guillen said the fishing report was right on the money about the first and last light bite, adding, “My 8-year-old son and I caught our limits very quickly.” Lee recommends having a variety of lures and baits to use because “you never know what the fish will want.”
Michael Massimo and his nephew used spinners to catch 19 rainbows (released 17), adding, “Had a great time fishing with my nephew and it was nice to see it rain.”
Julie Chapman caught trout using worms on the top around 5 a.m. when the sun was rising, then switched to fishing on the bottom from 7-9 a.m., adding that salmon eggs worked in the early evening, on-and-off luck with white Power Bait and trout didn’t seem to want rainbow or orange Power Bait.
The boat ramp is accessible. The lake will be stocked with catchable rainbow trout this week and weekly through September. Fish early and late in the day. Fishing is fair to good. Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures (Z-rays and spinners), and flies (wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, zug bugs, and prince nymphs). Try trolling worms on spinners or flies behind cowbells. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only. The store is open and boat rentals are available.
NORTHEASTERN ARIZONA (White Mountains)
BECKER LAKE — The boat ramp is accessible. From May 25 through Sept. 30, bait may be used. Fish early in the morning and late in the evening. Fishing is fair to good. Try lures such as Z-rays, Super Dupers, and spinners (Panther Martin, Mepps, and Rooster tails), and flies such as peacock ladies, black or brown wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, brown Montana stone nymphs, zug bugs, prince nymphs and damsel fly and dragon fly nymph patterns. Bait fishers may want to try Power Bait, salmon eggs, and worms. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors.
BIG LAKE — The boat ramps are accessible but low. Mike Rothman fished here on July 12 and reports that he and a friend caught 25 trout trolling with Trout Killers on the end of cow bells fished deep.The Railroad Cove boat ramp is very low and small boats or float tubes are recommended. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is fair. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures (Z-rays, spinners, and Rapalas), and flies (wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, zug bugs, prince nymphs, and brown or black semi-seal leeches). Try trolling worms on spinners or flies behind cowbells. Some anglers are catching 12-inch trout. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors. The store is open and boat rentals are available.
CARNERO LAKE — Chris Vaupell says fishing is very good from a tube using a pheasant tail, adding, “My dad caught-and-released a four pounder! Three or our two pounders were caught along with a lot of 12-13 inchers.”
Fishing is fair. The lake is very weedy. Anglers are catching some larger trout, but the action is a little slow. Try flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, zug bugs, prince nymphs and small black, brown, or green nymphs. The lake is open to artificial lure and flies only with barbless hooks only and a two-trout bag and possession limit. There are no boat ramps so small boats or float tubes are recommended. Access into the water is difficult due to the weeds. There is a spot, about 100-200 yards to the left of the fence where you can launch a float tube or pontoon boat. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only.
CONCHO LAKE — The boat ramp is accessible. Fishing is poor to fair. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Try worms, salmon eggs and Power Bait, lures (Z-rays and spinners), and flies (brown or black wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and peacock ladies. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors.
CRESCENT LAKE — The boat ramps are accessible but low and the west side and south side ramps are the best. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is fair. Try worms, Power Bait, lures (Z-rays, spinners, and Rapalas), flies (peacock ladies, wooly worms or wooly buggers, zug bugs, prince nymphs, halfback nymphs, and brown Montana stone nymphs). The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors. The store and boat rentals are closed at this time.
FOOL HOLLOW LAKE — The boat ramps are accessible. Fishing is fair for rainbow trout (some anglers are catching trout on worms), fair to good for sunfish, and poor to fair for bass, catfish, walleyes and crappies. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures, and flies near structure such as rocks, tree stumps, weed beds, and fishing piers. Fool Hollow has trout, walleye, channel catfish, largemouth and smallmouth bass, sunfish, and black crappie. There are some trophy-sized walleyes, northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass in the lake. The Fool Hollow Lake Recreation Area is managed by Arizona State Parks and excellent camping facilities are available. Anglers wishing to fish the lake only for the day must use the west side boat ramp and parking area. A fee is charged for use of the other facilities, including the east side boat ramp. To create new fish habitat, juniper trees (12) were placed in clusters in deep water in the southern part of the lake. The trees are marked by fish habitat buoys. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors.
GREER LAKES — All reservoirs are low. All the reservoir’s boat ramps are out of the water and very low. Small boats, canoes, and float tubes are recommended. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is poor to fair. Try worms, Power Bait, lures such as Z-rays and spinners and flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, KP buggers, zug bugs, and prince nymphs. Bunch and Tunnel Reservoirs are open to electric trolling motors only. River Reservoir is open to 10 hp gas motors.
HULSEY LAKE — The lake may still have a strong algae bloom and very likely will be weedy. Fish early in the morning and late in the evening. Fishing is poor. Fish near the surface with bait or small spinners. Try worms, Power Bait, lures such as small spinners and Z-rays, and flies such as wooly worms, wooly buggers, peacock ladies, zug bugs, prince nymphs, and hares ear nymphs. Hulsey Lake is a short hike-in fishery.
LEE VALLEY RESERVOIR — The lake and boat ramp are low. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. There is an algae bloom present in the lake. Fishing is poor. Try small lures such as spinners and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, halfback nymph, pheasant tail nymph, zug bugs, prince nymph, and hares ear nymphs. The lake is open to artificial lure and fly only, trout minimum size 12 inches, and a two-trout bag and possession limit. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only. The lake was stocked in the spring with small Arctic grayling (3-6 inches).
LUNA LAKE — The boat ramp is accessible. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is fair. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures such as Z-rays and spinners, and flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, zug bugs, and prince nymphs. Trolling lures and flies has been productive. Also try trolling worms on lures behind cowbells. There is a store with boat rentals available at the lake. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors.
LYMAN LAKE — Boat ramps are accessible. Fishing is fair. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Try fishing for bass, walleyes, and sunfish along rocky areas or weedy areas of the lake. Try worms, Power Bait, catfish prepared baits, and lures (Z-rays, spinners, jigs, and Rapalas). Anglers are catching channel catfish on worms and 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. There are no boat motor restrictions on Lyman Lake.
NELSON RESERVOIR — The main boat ramp at the dam is the best ramp to use. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is fair. Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures (Z-rays and spinners), and flies (wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and peacock ladies). Try trolling worms on spinners or flies behind cowbells. The lake is open to 10 hp motors.
RAINBOW LAKE — The lake is a little low and the boat ramp is accessible. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. The lake is very weedy with some open water areas near the dam and south to the first island. Fishing is fair. Anglers have been catching trout and bass on worms. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures (Z-rays, spinners, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and Rapalas) and flies, such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, brown Montana stone fly nymphs and peacock ladies. The lake is open to 10 hp gas motors.
SCOTT'S RESERVOIR — The lake is a little low. The boat ramp is accessible. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is fair. Try worms, Power Bait, lures (Z-rays, spinners, crankbaits, and Rapalas, and flies (wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, KP buggers, and brown Montana stone nymphs). The lake is open to electric trolling motors only.
SHOW LOW LAKE — Ryan Oakley, his wife and two friends used night crawlers and Power Bait to catch 14 rainbows between 12 to 15 inches long along the center of the lake and along the dam, adding, “They seem to be hanging in deeper waters.”
Sean Bailey said he and his daughter used lemon-lime, yellow or pink Power Bait casting approximately 40 feet from shore using a two-foot leader and a slip sinker on the sound end of the lake to catch their limits of trout, with a couple in the 1 to 1.5-pound range. “Baby Shannon of course was the first to catch a fish and also the first to limit. Baby Shannon was using pink Power Bait; what little girl would use any other color?” Bailey added that “I did not have very good expectations, but was pleasantly surprised with our success.”
The lake is down and the boat ramp is accessible. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. The fishing is fair. The lake will be stocked with catchable size rainbow trout this week. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait for trout. Boat anglers should try trolling lures such as Z-rays, spinners (Rooster Tails, Mepps, or Panther Martins), jigs (chartreuse and brown), and Rapalas near rocky shorelines for walleye and bass. Boat anglers may want to try trolling lures or flies with bait behind cowbells. Fly fishers should try wooly worms or wooly buggers, KP buggers, brown, black, or purple semi-seal leeches. The lake is open to 10 hp motors. There is a store with boat rentals.
WOODLAND LAKE — The lake is a little low. The boat ramp is accessible. Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is poor to fair for trout. Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait. Try lures such as spinners and flies such as wooly worms or wooly buggers, peacock ladies, zug bugs, and prince nymphs, and brown, black, or green nymphs. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only. Woodland Lake has restrooms, picnic tables, verandas, children’s playgrounds, tennis courts, softball fields, and hiking trails.
CLEAR CREEK RESERVOIR — Fish early in the morning and late in the day. Fishing is fair. Anglers are catching bluegills, catfish, and bullheads on worms. Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures, and flies. Both boat ramps are accessible but there is a sand bar near the first boat ramp so use caution. There are no motor restrictions on the lake.
SILVER CREEK — Fishing is fair to good. From April 1 through Sept. 30, Silver Creek on the Arizona Game and Fish Department property is open to bait fishing. The upper section (big marked fence) is closed. Apache trout are stocked weekly. Use worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, small lures such as Mepps, Rooster Tail, and Panther Martin spinners. Fish upstream or down stream. Fly-fishing anglers may want to try peacock ladies, beadhead black wooly buggers, prince nymphs, 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, twitching it occasionally. Try small dry flies such as Adams, parachute Adams, midge imitations, and caddis fly patterns in sizes #16 or #18 or # 20.
STREAMS
EAST FORK OF BLACK RIVER – Stream flows are low. Buffalo Crossing to Diamond Rock has been stocked with catchable size Apache trout this week and weekly as long as water temperatures and forest conditions are good. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures such as small spinners, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, zug bugs, prince nymphs, hares ear nymphs, and black or brown nymphs.
WEST FORK OF BLACK RIVER – Stream flows are low. The West Fork campground area is being stocked this week with catchable Apache trout and will be stocked weekly as long as water temperatures and forest conditions are good. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures such as small spinners, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, zug bugs, prince nymphs, hares ear nymphs, and black or brown nymphs. Bait can be used in the campground area to the confluence of the East Fork of the Black River only. The catch-and-release area, artificial lure and fly only, is from Hayground creek to the Fort Apache Indian Reservation boundary, approximately 10 miles. All tributary streams (Hayground, Stinky, Thompson, and Burro) are open to catch-and-release with artificial lure and fly only.
LITTLE COLORADO RIVER – GREER – Streams are low. Catchable size Apache trout are being stocked this week and weekly, as long as water temperatures and forest conditions are good. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, lures such as small spinners, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, zug bugs, prince nymphs, hares ear nymphs, and black or brown nymphs.
SHEEPS CROSSING – WEST FORK LITTLE COLORADO RIVER – Stream flows are low. Catchable size Apache trout will be stocked this week and every week as long as water temperatures and forest conditions are good. Try worms, salmon eggs, and Power Bait, small lures such as spinners, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, zug bugs, prince nymph, hares ear nymphs, and black or brown nymphs.
SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA
TUCSON URBAN — Kennedy, Silverbell, Sahuarita and Lakeside were stocked the last week of June with channel catfish. These lakes will not be stocked again until the week of Sept. 18-23. Top catfish baits are worms, stink baits and hotdogs. Catfish have been biting well throughout the day, but early mornings and evenings remain the best times. Most anglers prefer fishing their baits on the lake bottom, but anglers using baits 4-8 feet under a bobber experienced great fishing too. These lakes probably still have some rainbow trout remaining. Try Power Bait or small spinners. The lakes have also been stocked with small sub-catch able sized largemouth bass. Largemouth bass are spawning in shallows at most lakes. Please exercise catches and release (recycling) bass and remember the minimum keep able size for bass is 13 inches. And, they also have been stocked with aggressive, fast-growing, tasty hybrid sunfish. Fishing for sunfish has been good. Use mealworms and earthworms on a small hook, size 10 or smaller, under a bobber set at 3 to 5 feet. Buy a two-pole stamp and try different baits to double your odds.
RIGGS FLAT —The Lake will not be stocked with trout until the water quality improves, however, there are still trout to be caught at this lake. Currently, trout fishing is fair. For lake information call (928) 428-4150.
CLUFF RANCH —Bass fishing is fair with some crappies being caught. Anglers should focus their fishing effort to early mornings and late evenings. Recent surveys show a good number of 3-plus-pound fish in this small pond. The pond is not being stocked at this time. Pond levels have dropped and anglers should use caution when launching boats. For lake information call (928) 485-9430.
ROPER LAKE — Fishing for all warmwater species is fair. Early morning and late evenings are the most productive times. This lake is not being stocked at this time. For lake information call (928) 428-6760.
DANKWORTH POND —Not being stocked at this time and no report on the fishing success at this time. For lake information call (928) 428-6760.
KEARNY LAKES — This lake is currently not fishable.
ARIVACA — The bass fishing has been fair to good. Despite the recent monsoon rains, the water level is still extremely low. It is virtually impossible to launch any boats from a boat trailer. Only boats that can be carried or dragged to the lake are usable. If you choose to launch your boat from the shore, be aware of the soft mud. Also, be advised that it is unlawful to park your vehicle in this area. Park your vehicles in the designated parking lot. The weeds are becoming problematic, and are negatively impacting the fishing from the shore. Remember, 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.
PENA BLANCA – The bass fishing is fair. Despite the recent monsoon rains, the water levels remain extremely low. It is very difficult, if not impossible to launch boats. Only small, high drafting boats can be launched. You will probably need a four-wheel drive truck to facilitate the boat launching. The weeds are growing rapidly, and are starting to take over the lake. Unfortunately, the department cannot begin its’ weed-cutting efforts until the water levels rise, due to the low draft on the weed-cutting boat. Remember, powerboats on Pena Blanca Lake are restricted to the use of a single electric motor only. The mercury advisory for all warm water fish is in effect. Bass less than 13 inches long must be immediately released. The daily bag limit for bass is 4. Also, be advised that Pena Blanca is not an urban lake; therefore an Urban fishing license is invalid to fish at this lake.
PATAGONIA — Chris Shultz wrote that he caught-and-released 50 catfish, two nice bass (4-plus pounds) and 25 to 30 bluegills using live bait on the bottom working the mouths of small coves for cat and the weed lines for bass. “Sun and bluegills were biting like crazy, must bobber fishing with night crawlers. The lake is about four feet low and has many navigational obstructions. Be careful. One boat ramp is closed and the other is a problem for launching for some vehicles. If the summer rains come the lake should fill up to normal. The swimming area is only about 30-percent of its' normal size. Many small catfish and sunfish are being caught during the day. Fish baits on the bottom for the channels and use a bobber with the bait about 4 feet below the surface for sunfish. Some bass are being caught during the day but the best fishing is during the evening to early morning hours.
PARKER CANYON —Fishing at Parker Canyon Lake continues to be fair to good for bluegill and trout. Limits of trout are still being caught in deeper waters using worms and power bait. Bluegills are being caught at depths of 10-20 feet using night crawlers. Bass fishing is fair with 1-2 pound fish being caught along weed lines using a variety of artificial lures.
Due to a drop in water levels, weeds are affecting fishing and docking of boats along shallow shorelines. Water levels have not affected the launching of watercraft.
Monsoon activity has moved into the state so be prepared for afternoon rain showers accompanied by lightning. Also, be prepared for high water levels when crossing drainages.
PICACHO RESERVOIR — No Report.
ROSE CANYON LAKE — Rose Canyon Lake and campground are opened to vehicle traffic. Recent water temperatures at the lake are hovering at 80 degrees, about 10 degrees above what is ideal for trout stocking. Until water temperatures drop this lake will not be stocked. Fishing continues to be slow at this time.