Arizona Bass Fishing Report 1 of 2
Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:23 pm
November Fishing Report - AZ
Found at: Arizona Bass Fishing Report
Report editors:
Report editor: Rory Aikens, (602) 789-3214
Pinetop Region - Richard Dreyer, (928) 367-4281
Flagstaff Region - Chuck Benedict, (928) 774-5045
Kingman Region - Andy Clark, (928) 692-7700
Yuma Region - Brad Jacobsen, (928) 342-4051
Tucson Region - Don Mitchell, (520) 388-4451
Mesa Region - Diana Rogers, (480) 324-3544
Been Fishing?
Tell us about it. Your comments may be added to the weekly fishing report.
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers
Aquatic nuisance species can hitch a ride on our clothing, boats, and items used in the water. When we go to another lake or stream, the nuisance species can be released. Learn more.
Nov 6, 2007
Rory’s tips:
Looks like more mild weather for Veteran’s Day weekend. A great way to celebrate is by fishing Steele Indian School Park. There is a memorial there with an inspiring reflection pond where old Glory is reflected on calm days. This Urban Program Lake is stocked with catfish.
By the way, trout stockings at the Urban Program lakes start on Nov. 15. The first installment of 100,000 winter rainbows will be heading our way. If you don’t have an urban fishing license for 2007, you can get one for half price.
Speaking of trout, this is the week when we will stock around 20,000 rainbows in various waters across the state as part of the winter trout fishing program. It is definitely time to get out for winter trout.
My top choice is Apache Lake. It’s tough to beat the scenery, plus there are lots of yellow bass to catch and you might even haul in my favorite – a walleye. The rainbows are being stocked at the main marina and at near the Burnt Corral Campground.
The Lower Salt River is being stocked with 1,575 rainbows. Dead Horse Ranch State Park is being stocked this week – these picturesque fishing ponds have great wheelchair access by the way. The Verde River between Camp Verde and Cottonwood is being stocked this week for the first time this season.
In the Prescott area, Fain Lake and Lynx Lake are being stocked this week and Goldwater Lake is being stocked next week.
Further south, Patagonia, Parker Canyon and Pena Blanca are all being stocked this week. This is a great area to get to know this year – southern Arizona will be providing some of our best quail hunting, especially once Mearns’ quail season opens on Nov. 23. (the Friday after Thanksgiving).
But with this mild weather, a trip to the high country is still in order. Woods Canyon, Willow Springs, Bear Canyon, Knoll Lake, Chevelon Canyon, Blue Ridge – just take your pick.
Even though we haven’t stocked the creeks along the Mogollon Rim since early September, there are still plenty of trout to catch at Christopher Creek, Tonto Creek, Haigler Creek and the East Verde.
Big Lake should be absolutely stupendous right now – the brookies should be staging for the spawn. Big also has rainbows, cutthroats and golden-colored Apache trout.
If you want another fun place for Apache trout, try Silver Creek and maybe visit our Silver Creek Hatchery (go past Show Low toward Springerville and look for the turnoff just past the airport).
Who knows, this weekend may be the last hurrah for a number of fisheries, such as Lake Powell. You might just have Powell and all its great fishing to yourself. Or at least it will seem that way. This is way past the prime boating season. However, the fishing should be spectacular. This is THE month for getting great photographs at Powell.
You might also find a lonely but productive experience at Lees Ferry. Once again, this is the off season for visitors but a good time to catch wild trout. And the tamarisk colors along the river bank are stunning, especially at Horseshoe Bend (might be worth a photograph from above as well).
Good luck. Maybe I’ll see you out there.
CENTRAL ARIZONA
URBAN LAKES – There will be no stocking this week at urban lakes but the weather is getting cooler and that means trout in the Phoenix and Tucson Urban Lakes. They are scheduled to be stocked on Nov. 15. The trout will range from 10 to 12 inches and will be stocked at rates of 80-100 fish per lake surface acre for urban lakes and at lower rates for urban ponds. Trout stockings will continue at two-week intervals throughout the winter. Over 100,000 trout from Colorado have been ordered for delivery to the Urban Fishing Program lakes during the four month stocking season. With the colder temperatures at Payson’s Green Valley Lakes, trout stocking already started on Oct. 17 and will continue every other week for the next seven months.
The best bait for trout include Power Bait, salmon eggs, worms and small spinners. A light weight pole with 4- to 6-pound test line is optimum. The lighter the line the better the sensitivity and they won’t see the line as easily. Another FYI for trout fishing in general, the more flexible rod you have the least likely you are to rip the lip of the trout. This is a function of the low test line and the rod “giving” as opposed to the trout’s lip ripping. Setting the hook real hard isn’t a real good idea with trout; you end up loosing your fish.
Don’t forget the 2007 Class U Urban fishing licenses will be available at half price for $9.25 from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. License dealers may be unfamiliar with this so bring your fishing regulations if they need verification.
TEMPE TOWN LAKE – Mark you calendar for the Welcome Back the Trout celebration the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in the afternoon (after school lets out).
Wanted Tempe Town Lake fishing reports. Any fishermen out there who like to fish Tempe Town Lake, shoot me an e-mail and let me know how the fishing is.
LAKE PLEASANT – Water elevation is 1,647 ft which is 45-percent full.
The bite was off this last weekend. That is typical with cooler weather and changing water temperatures. Keep trying; it will pick up again as soon as they adjust. Keep an eye on the weather, high pressure is usually when they bite. . as long as the water temps are stable.
ROOSEVELT LAKE – Lake Elevation is 2099 ft (45-percent full)
Again I heard the bite was off last week and this weekend. I blame the changing weather, certainly not the experienced fishermen that post to the fishing websites and partake in the local tournaments. They know what they are doing. . . although it’s tough to glean info from them as they are protecting their secret spots and techniques.... hint. . hint. . Throw me a few crumbs. . please.
APACHE – Lake elevation is 1,909 feet which is 95-percent full.
The smallmouth bass stocking went well last week. Quite a few fishermen helped us. . thank you. It went real smoothly and I think everybody had a good time. The fish were vibrant, healthy and lively. While the smallies are growing, I’m going to keep pushing the yellow bass fishery up there. There are some trophy size yellow bass in that lake. . . they like to hang near the drop offs at the points. Try KastMasters and spoons. Have a yellow bass fish fry. . they are scrumptious and prolific.
A report just in – 21,000 rainbows will be stocked this week (Tuesday and Wednesday) at Apache. Half will be stocked at Burnt Coral and the other half at the main boat launch. The fish are extras in need of a home and are in the 6-inch range, but they will grow fast… they might get the bass and walleye excited. It might be a good idea to throw some “trout looking lures” to catch some big bass or walleye. I was there this weekend and the lake and campgrounds aren’t seeing a whole lot of activity so there is plenty of room, peace and quiet.
CANYON – Closed to boaters. Lake elevation is 1,604 which is 29-percent full. Drawdown started Sept. 29 and will last until Jan. 26, 2008.
SAGUARO – Lake elevation 1,525 feet at 94-percent full. According to the web sites fishermen are still catching the small largemouth although nobody mentioned what they were using. I imagine it’s the same as before a variety of spinner baits, worms . . . I suggest you go after the yellow bass by using KastMasters and spoons around Butcher Jones. Cast toward shore and lead it into the deeper water. They like to hang out at the drop offs and grab the lure as it goes into the depths. They are a little spiny but sure are tasty.
BARTLETT – Lake elevation is 1,750 feet, which is 42-percent full. Fishing reports from Bartlett were not the greatest.
HORSESHOE LAKE – Water elevation is 1954 ft, (no pool). No reports from anglers. Not even sure if this area will produce any decent duck hunting this year.
VERDE RIVER – No reports. Verde River flow at Tangle is 168 cubic feet per second (CFS) and it’s 53 CFS at Camp Verde.
LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – Scheduled to be stocked this week with rainbow trout at Phon D. Sutton and the Granite Reef areas. Let us know how you do.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE, PAYSON – This is an urban program lake has been stocked with rainbow trout. This is a great lake for the kids – give it a try.
HORSETHIEF BASIN LAKE – Mike Parks said the only thing he caught was a sunburn, but the weather was so perfect it was worth it. “Saw several largemouths. Lake is real low, lots of deer and javelina in the area.”
This tiny 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.
CREEKS – Haigler, Canyon, Tonto, East Verde and Workman are not currently being stocked, but they have plenty of fish and are still worth visiting. Browns should be staging for the spawn and there are plenty of rainbows to catch. Try Pheasant tail nymphs, copper Johns, big wooly buggers and semi-seal leaches. Spin anglers should try night crawlers or salmon eggs.
COLORADO RIVER NORTHWEST
LAKE POWELL – Winter weather has been postponed by warm afternoons, calm days, and beautiful sunsets. If you like to take pictures, the subtle sun exposures make everyone a professional this time of year. Oh yes, fishing is not bad either.
It is very easy to get skunked fishing right now because fish are bunched up in certain areas. We are spoiled by summer fishing when hungry fish are eating often and widely spread. In these conditions, you can catch fish in every canyon with the right combination of patience and knowledge. Now knowledge and patience are important but opportunity is the key. Fish feed in two-hour bursts. That's the opportunity. It takes a little luck and keen observation to recognize when feeding begins.
To reduce the patience factor and increase opportunity, head to the inflow areas. The upper San Juan and Colorado inflow upstream from Good Hope Bay are good for all species. Look for the temperature break between the cold inflowing river and the warm lake water. Great fishing will be on the warm side of the cold water. If I had to choose the best spot right now, it would be in the San Juan Arm from Alcove Canyon to Spencer's Camp. Use shad colored plastic baits to catch bass, stripers, walleye and crappie. The shoreline has some nondescript structure that harbors bass. The big flat expanse of open water has plenty of stripers. Just troll the plastics in open water while moving between bass fishing spots to find stripers. All are keying on shad on the warm side of the bay. It's as good as it gets right now.
There is a nice school of stripers near the Dome Rock in upper Bullfrog Bay (Red X). Use fluorocarbon leader for best success!
For those that can't run to the headwaters, a cooperative school of stripers has moved into the back of Wahweap between Lone Rock and Lone Rock Canyon. The school is right in the middle of the bay where bottom depth is 50-55 feet. It takes some graphing to get on the school, but once located fishing is great as long as the anchovy chum keeps falling. When the moon was full, afternoon fishing was best. But now the moon is waning, fish can be caught any time day or night. But here is where the patience factor comes in. The exact time that they want to feed must be discovered. A good plan is to check for the school every two hours. If they are not there in the morning then try again later until they light up. Coolers fill in a hurry when the bite is on.
Bass are as moody as the stripers. Mornings were not good fishing last week but now that the nights are not as bright bass catching will improve. Flat calm periods are not as good as those where a little breeze breaks up the surface and allows bass better feeding visibility. There will be a two hour feeding period that is awesome followed by a slow period until bass decide to feed again. I expect morning and evening to be best this week. Plastics fished on the bottom are generally working better than crankbaits.
Bonus crappies are in their fall feeding period. Again the inflow areas are best but search the brush and rocks just like spring time fishing. Schools are tightly bunched so they are easy to miss, but once discovered schools are large and tightly bunched. Remember the 10 fish limit on these fun pan fish.
LEES FERRY – Weather: Today was a sunny clear day with temperatures ranging from 45 to 72 degrees. At twilight the temperatures do fall, as evenings and morning with continue to do as we approach December. Overall the weather is really exceptional for this time of the year. It really has been one of the best fall seasons that I can remember, as the tamarisk trees are in the bright yellow and orange fazes, along the red sumac vines around Horseshoe Bend. Really stunning to look at this time of the year!
Today’s Fly Fishing: The fishing was reportedly really good during the morning hours as the water levels were on the rise. They are apparently ramping the river. For example, the river peaked around noon and then decreased rapidly. On the decrease the fishing really slowed down. Towards late afternoon is when the second rise occurred and the fishing picked up. All the usual stuff: scuds, San Juans, midges. Also it was reported that the fish are moving back into the riffles.
Spin Fishing Tips: No new reports. This report is from the last received. Anglers fished a plastic worm bouncing off the bottom and did well. Back-trolling is still working well too. Don’t get many spin fishing reports so, if you are a spin fisherman and have a report to pass on PLEASE stop in and give us your report and we will pass it on.
Walk In: (Ted’s report) I have to tell you this area is still fishing very well. Move around a bit to find where the fish are. Reports I have had in the past few days were very positive, fishing is good in this section. You must have your fly right on the bottom if not you won’t catch fish so you may have to adjust your weight some to find the perfect rig. And that in itself can be ever changing as the water rises and the flow increases. Tight lines!!!
Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn. Our recent fall weather has been almost perfect, with the exception of a couple windy days. The ramp rates in October have been more favorable than those we saw in September. The water has been slowly rising in the morning and peaking at a lower rate than last month. The trout have slowly been moving into the riffles to feed on the small (size 28) midges that are hatching most days. Most of the guides are having their best fishing
by drifting out of the boats in the deeper water (3 to 8-ft deep). Bead head zebra midges are producing best in sizes of #18 to #20. When fishing these small midges it is critical to go down to 7X tippet, anything larger will not produce fish. I recently saw a rare sight for Lees Ferry, a fairly prolific hatch of mayflies! The water flows are near perfect for wading most of the popular spots on the river as well as the walk-in section. There will be a slight flow increase in November, but will not be a large enough increase to impact the wading angler. The fish continue to look good, are strong, and in great physical shape. The weather is finally cooling off. We are seeing a tremendous number of fingerling trout in the river. This is a result from the terrific spawn that we saw this past spring, which bodes well for the future. The downside is that these fish will not be of catchable size until after next summer.
Note from Arizona Game and Fish: 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 whirling 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 – The striper fishing at Lake Mead has slowed a little, but is still pretty good. Trolling crankbaits along steep shorelines in Greggs Basin was yielding stripers. 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 and night on anchovies and liver, some reports of multiple fish being caught in the 10-plus-pound range. Night fishing for stripers under submerged lights turns on around 9 p.m. The ramp is open at South Cove, but it is a gravel ramp. Be careful when launching here. The lake elevation remains fairly steady around 1,111 feet. State and Federal Biologists sampled fish populations in Lake Mead during the month of October. During this sampling gizzard shad were found for the first time in Lake Mead. This is not a surprise since they have been found in Powell since 2000.
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 –The striper bite has been good in spots. I have received multiple reports of fat stripers full of shad and schools of shad being chased by striped bass. If the shad are making a come back, we may see more mid size stripers in the basin. If you can find schools of shad throw a small crankbait.
Fishing for striped bass at night with crappie lights can be very effective. Anchovies are the most popular bait for stripers, but if you want to try something different, use shrimp or squid. For the lights to be most effective, try fishing around the 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 [email protected] 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 fishing for trout has been good from shore immediately following the stocking. As the water temperature falls in the basin, some of the stripers will return to the open water, but many of the big stripers remain in the vicinity of Willow beach year round. The water level has begun to drop for the winter. Look for the surface elevation to drop to around 12’ below full.
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 [email protected] 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 – On Oct 13, 45 kids participated in a fishing clinic at Five Mile landing that produced carp, bass, channel catfish, and 1 green sunfish. One little girl caught a 10-pound carp her first time fishing.
Catfish have been exce
llent. Try using mackerel, anchovies, worms or shrimp in the early morning or night. Bass fishing has been fair in the early morning and evening.
Kenne Probst caught 25 catfish, with most in the one-pound range, using frozen anchovies. He said one angler caught a 15-pound striper.
In the marsh, bass are moving out of the cattails and into the wood. There is a bit of a topwater bite in the evening. Game and fish biologist 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/ar ... 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 – Trout stocking resumed in October. Fishing has been good below Davis Dam, but look for it to be even better following immediately following the trout stockings. Fish and Wildlife service stocks once a month in this area.
The fish are stocked in two locations; Davis Camp and near The Riverside. Kenne Probst said he found fishing at little slow but did manage to catch some catfish float-fishing from Davis Camp along Casino Row. 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 [email protected] 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 – The stripers are feeding actively on live bait right now. The season for snagging of shad on Lake Havasu is allowed from Oct.1, 2007 through March 31, 2008. This technique is especially helpful when you snag and retrieve the bait then without removing it from the pre-weighted treble hook re-cast it out into the open waters. With the shad moving into the coves and docks they are easily sighted and caught during the dark hours under the lights.
The smallmouth and largemouth bass bite is slowing as the water continues to cool. They can be caught on 4- and 5-inch straight tailed soft plastic worms in the colors of Mean Green, Bold Bluegill and Witches-T, in 8-14 feet of water. The most successful time is in the early pre-dawn morning. After the sun is straight up fish your bait a little deeper as they tend to migrate to the deeper depths at this time. When the wind is present, use the R2S Trophy Minnow S-98 in Chartreuse Shad, Ghost minnow or Lucky Craft Pointer 78 in American Shad, Bleeding Tennessee Shad and Ghost minnow. Use these baits over rock or stumps in 6-12 feet of water.
FORTUNA POND – The water level at Fortuna Pond is low at the due to construction on the outlet structure and the well. Exactly how long this condition will exist is not known. As for the fishing, it has been excellent for channel catfish. If you go to Fortuna Pond there are several special regulations in effect there. The limit for trout is four trout (first stocking will be in December); the limit is two bass, minimum size 13 inches; the limit four catfish in any combination; the limit is 10 sunfish.
ALAMO LAKE – Our normal report provide, Mark Knapp, is recovering from neck surgery (get well soon). The trickle of reports from anglers still indicates that his is one of the better places for fall action on bass and crappie. Let us know how you do. Fishing should be great due to this mild weather. This can be a good location for waterfowl hunting as well.
Parker Strip (Colorado River): Water releases from Parker dam have dropped off along with the daytime temperatures and boat traffic. Fishing has picked up over the past month as local species start bulking up for the colder winter months. The smallmouth bite has been good. Local anglers report that crank baits with shad colors (black and white) are working well. Smallmouth can be found throughout the Parker strip and down river but prefer the rockier shorelines.
Look for largemouth to be actively feeding in the morning hours.
Catfish have slowed down with the cooler weather, but the bite may be coming earlier in the evening or right around first light. Night crawlers and goldfish are always good bets, but sunfish make good live bait too.
You will find sunfish near shore in the weedy habitat. As aquatic vegetation thins out this fall, anglers should look for redears or bluegills around brush piles or docks. Dinner plate size redear-hybrids are not that uncommon on the Parker Strip. Small earthworms work well as do live crickets are good bait.
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.
Fall Outlook (2007)
Alamo Lake:
The lake elevation has dropped to 1,111.67 msl. Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing is expected to be excellent this fall. Crappie fishing is expected to be fair to good throughout the fall and winter. Channel catfish continue to look good and fishing should be good also. There are other fish present such as bluegill, redear sunfish and carp that are a lot of fun to catch this fall. All types of bait should work right now and as the weather cools off a shift to slowly working plastics in deeper water for bass could improve your catch. For channel catfish any of the prepared catfish baits as well as chicken livers and anything else you can think of should work.
In addition to the good to excellent fishing, both of the boat ramps are useable at this lake elevation.
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 and redear sunfish will be fair to good. Flathead catfish fishing should be fair at the lower end of the lake (Bill Williams River Arm) through the fall. Sizes of flathead catfish can reach as high as 40 pounds. When fishing for them, select the interior points in the coves and the areas where artificial structure has been placed.
The cooler weather causes the bite to slow down so it is important to work your lures slower and in deeper water. Put away your topwater lures and switch to plastics, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs.
Colorado River (Parker Strip Area):
Smallmouth bass with fish over two pounds are expected to be good this fall. In addition, redear sunfish should also be good in the pound-plus sizes. Channel and flathead catfish are always fair in this section of the Colorado River. Below the dam, striper fishing should also be fair using anchovies this fall.
Colorado River (between Palo Verde Diversion Dam and Walter's Camp):
This area should be fair for both smallmouth bass (in the channel) 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 flathead catfish will be in the 2- to 5-pound size range with an occasional fish over 30 pounds. The time for fishing for both species of catfish is in the evening to midnight.
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 fair to good for flathead catfish with sizes over 40 pounds. The best time for fishing for both species of catfish will be in the evening to midnight. Largemouth bass and bluegill are also present in the various backwaters and slack water areas. Other species available in the main river are smallmouth bass, and striped bass.
Colorado River (between Picacho State Park and Imperial Dam):
This area is expected to be fair to good 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 fair 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 [censored] to Moreles Dam).
Found at: Arizona Bass Fishing Report
Report editors:
Report editor: Rory Aikens, (602) 789-3214
Pinetop Region - Richard Dreyer, (928) 367-4281
Flagstaff Region - Chuck Benedict, (928) 774-5045
Kingman Region - Andy Clark, (928) 692-7700
Yuma Region - Brad Jacobsen, (928) 342-4051
Tucson Region - Don Mitchell, (520) 388-4451
Mesa Region - Diana Rogers, (480) 324-3544
Been Fishing?
Tell us about it. Your comments may be added to the weekly fishing report.
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers
Aquatic nuisance species can hitch a ride on our clothing, boats, and items used in the water. When we go to another lake or stream, the nuisance species can be released. Learn more.
Nov 6, 2007
Rory’s tips:
Looks like more mild weather for Veteran’s Day weekend. A great way to celebrate is by fishing Steele Indian School Park. There is a memorial there with an inspiring reflection pond where old Glory is reflected on calm days. This Urban Program Lake is stocked with catfish.
By the way, trout stockings at the Urban Program lakes start on Nov. 15. The first installment of 100,000 winter rainbows will be heading our way. If you don’t have an urban fishing license for 2007, you can get one for half price.
Speaking of trout, this is the week when we will stock around 20,000 rainbows in various waters across the state as part of the winter trout fishing program. It is definitely time to get out for winter trout.
My top choice is Apache Lake. It’s tough to beat the scenery, plus there are lots of yellow bass to catch and you might even haul in my favorite – a walleye. The rainbows are being stocked at the main marina and at near the Burnt Corral Campground.
The Lower Salt River is being stocked with 1,575 rainbows. Dead Horse Ranch State Park is being stocked this week – these picturesque fishing ponds have great wheelchair access by the way. The Verde River between Camp Verde and Cottonwood is being stocked this week for the first time this season.
In the Prescott area, Fain Lake and Lynx Lake are being stocked this week and Goldwater Lake is being stocked next week.
Further south, Patagonia, Parker Canyon and Pena Blanca are all being stocked this week. This is a great area to get to know this year – southern Arizona will be providing some of our best quail hunting, especially once Mearns’ quail season opens on Nov. 23. (the Friday after Thanksgiving).
But with this mild weather, a trip to the high country is still in order. Woods Canyon, Willow Springs, Bear Canyon, Knoll Lake, Chevelon Canyon, Blue Ridge – just take your pick.
Even though we haven’t stocked the creeks along the Mogollon Rim since early September, there are still plenty of trout to catch at Christopher Creek, Tonto Creek, Haigler Creek and the East Verde.
Big Lake should be absolutely stupendous right now – the brookies should be staging for the spawn. Big also has rainbows, cutthroats and golden-colored Apache trout.
If you want another fun place for Apache trout, try Silver Creek and maybe visit our Silver Creek Hatchery (go past Show Low toward Springerville and look for the turnoff just past the airport).
Who knows, this weekend may be the last hurrah for a number of fisheries, such as Lake Powell. You might just have Powell and all its great fishing to yourself. Or at least it will seem that way. This is way past the prime boating season. However, the fishing should be spectacular. This is THE month for getting great photographs at Powell.
You might also find a lonely but productive experience at Lees Ferry. Once again, this is the off season for visitors but a good time to catch wild trout. And the tamarisk colors along the river bank are stunning, especially at Horseshoe Bend (might be worth a photograph from above as well).
Good luck. Maybe I’ll see you out there.
CENTRAL ARIZONA
URBAN LAKES – There will be no stocking this week at urban lakes but the weather is getting cooler and that means trout in the Phoenix and Tucson Urban Lakes. They are scheduled to be stocked on Nov. 15. The trout will range from 10 to 12 inches and will be stocked at rates of 80-100 fish per lake surface acre for urban lakes and at lower rates for urban ponds. Trout stockings will continue at two-week intervals throughout the winter. Over 100,000 trout from Colorado have been ordered for delivery to the Urban Fishing Program lakes during the four month stocking season. With the colder temperatures at Payson’s Green Valley Lakes, trout stocking already started on Oct. 17 and will continue every other week for the next seven months.
The best bait for trout include Power Bait, salmon eggs, worms and small spinners. A light weight pole with 4- to 6-pound test line is optimum. The lighter the line the better the sensitivity and they won’t see the line as easily. Another FYI for trout fishing in general, the more flexible rod you have the least likely you are to rip the lip of the trout. This is a function of the low test line and the rod “giving” as opposed to the trout’s lip ripping. Setting the hook real hard isn’t a real good idea with trout; you end up loosing your fish.
Don’t forget the 2007 Class U Urban fishing licenses will be available at half price for $9.25 from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. License dealers may be unfamiliar with this so bring your fishing regulations if they need verification.
TEMPE TOWN LAKE – Mark you calendar for the Welcome Back the Trout celebration the Tuesday before Thanksgiving in the afternoon (after school lets out).
Wanted Tempe Town Lake fishing reports. Any fishermen out there who like to fish Tempe Town Lake, shoot me an e-mail and let me know how the fishing is.
LAKE PLEASANT – Water elevation is 1,647 ft which is 45-percent full.
The bite was off this last weekend. That is typical with cooler weather and changing water temperatures. Keep trying; it will pick up again as soon as they adjust. Keep an eye on the weather, high pressure is usually when they bite. . as long as the water temps are stable.
ROOSEVELT LAKE – Lake Elevation is 2099 ft (45-percent full)
Again I heard the bite was off last week and this weekend. I blame the changing weather, certainly not the experienced fishermen that post to the fishing websites and partake in the local tournaments. They know what they are doing. . . although it’s tough to glean info from them as they are protecting their secret spots and techniques.... hint. . hint. . Throw me a few crumbs. . please.
APACHE – Lake elevation is 1,909 feet which is 95-percent full.
The smallmouth bass stocking went well last week. Quite a few fishermen helped us. . thank you. It went real smoothly and I think everybody had a good time. The fish were vibrant, healthy and lively. While the smallies are growing, I’m going to keep pushing the yellow bass fishery up there. There are some trophy size yellow bass in that lake. . . they like to hang near the drop offs at the points. Try KastMasters and spoons. Have a yellow bass fish fry. . they are scrumptious and prolific.
A report just in – 21,000 rainbows will be stocked this week (Tuesday and Wednesday) at Apache. Half will be stocked at Burnt Coral and the other half at the main boat launch. The fish are extras in need of a home and are in the 6-inch range, but they will grow fast… they might get the bass and walleye excited. It might be a good idea to throw some “trout looking lures” to catch some big bass or walleye. I was there this weekend and the lake and campgrounds aren’t seeing a whole lot of activity so there is plenty of room, peace and quiet.
CANYON – Closed to boaters. Lake elevation is 1,604 which is 29-percent full. Drawdown started Sept. 29 and will last until Jan. 26, 2008.
SAGUARO – Lake elevation 1,525 feet at 94-percent full. According to the web sites fishermen are still catching the small largemouth although nobody mentioned what they were using. I imagine it’s the same as before a variety of spinner baits, worms . . . I suggest you go after the yellow bass by using KastMasters and spoons around Butcher Jones. Cast toward shore and lead it into the deeper water. They like to hang out at the drop offs and grab the lure as it goes into the depths. They are a little spiny but sure are tasty.
BARTLETT – Lake elevation is 1,750 feet, which is 42-percent full. Fishing reports from Bartlett were not the greatest.
HORSESHOE LAKE – Water elevation is 1954 ft, (no pool). No reports from anglers. Not even sure if this area will produce any decent duck hunting this year.
VERDE RIVER – No reports. Verde River flow at Tangle is 168 cubic feet per second (CFS) and it’s 53 CFS at Camp Verde.
LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – Scheduled to be stocked this week with rainbow trout at Phon D. Sutton and the Granite Reef areas. Let us know how you do.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE, PAYSON – This is an urban program lake has been stocked with rainbow trout. This is a great lake for the kids – give it a try.
HORSETHIEF BASIN LAKE – Mike Parks said the only thing he caught was a sunburn, but the weather was so perfect it was worth it. “Saw several largemouths. Lake is real low, lots of deer and javelina in the area.”
This tiny 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.
CREEKS – Haigler, Canyon, Tonto, East Verde and Workman are not currently being stocked, but they have plenty of fish and are still worth visiting. Browns should be staging for the spawn and there are plenty of rainbows to catch. Try Pheasant tail nymphs, copper Johns, big wooly buggers and semi-seal leaches. Spin anglers should try night crawlers or salmon eggs.
COLORADO RIVER NORTHWEST
LAKE POWELL – Winter weather has been postponed by warm afternoons, calm days, and beautiful sunsets. If you like to take pictures, the subtle sun exposures make everyone a professional this time of year. Oh yes, fishing is not bad either.
It is very easy to get skunked fishing right now because fish are bunched up in certain areas. We are spoiled by summer fishing when hungry fish are eating often and widely spread. In these conditions, you can catch fish in every canyon with the right combination of patience and knowledge. Now knowledge and patience are important but opportunity is the key. Fish feed in two-hour bursts. That's the opportunity. It takes a little luck and keen observation to recognize when feeding begins.
To reduce the patience factor and increase opportunity, head to the inflow areas. The upper San Juan and Colorado inflow upstream from Good Hope Bay are good for all species. Look for the temperature break between the cold inflowing river and the warm lake water. Great fishing will be on the warm side of the cold water. If I had to choose the best spot right now, it would be in the San Juan Arm from Alcove Canyon to Spencer's Camp. Use shad colored plastic baits to catch bass, stripers, walleye and crappie. The shoreline has some nondescript structure that harbors bass. The big flat expanse of open water has plenty of stripers. Just troll the plastics in open water while moving between bass fishing spots to find stripers. All are keying on shad on the warm side of the bay. It's as good as it gets right now.
There is a nice school of stripers near the Dome Rock in upper Bullfrog Bay (Red X). Use fluorocarbon leader for best success!
For those that can't run to the headwaters, a cooperative school of stripers has moved into the back of Wahweap between Lone Rock and Lone Rock Canyon. The school is right in the middle of the bay where bottom depth is 50-55 feet. It takes some graphing to get on the school, but once located fishing is great as long as the anchovy chum keeps falling. When the moon was full, afternoon fishing was best. But now the moon is waning, fish can be caught any time day or night. But here is where the patience factor comes in. The exact time that they want to feed must be discovered. A good plan is to check for the school every two hours. If they are not there in the morning then try again later until they light up. Coolers fill in a hurry when the bite is on.
Bass are as moody as the stripers. Mornings were not good fishing last week but now that the nights are not as bright bass catching will improve. Flat calm periods are not as good as those where a little breeze breaks up the surface and allows bass better feeding visibility. There will be a two hour feeding period that is awesome followed by a slow period until bass decide to feed again. I expect morning and evening to be best this week. Plastics fished on the bottom are generally working better than crankbaits.
Bonus crappies are in their fall feeding period. Again the inflow areas are best but search the brush and rocks just like spring time fishing. Schools are tightly bunched so they are easy to miss, but once discovered schools are large and tightly bunched. Remember the 10 fish limit on these fun pan fish.
LEES FERRY – Weather: Today was a sunny clear day with temperatures ranging from 45 to 72 degrees. At twilight the temperatures do fall, as evenings and morning with continue to do as we approach December. Overall the weather is really exceptional for this time of the year. It really has been one of the best fall seasons that I can remember, as the tamarisk trees are in the bright yellow and orange fazes, along the red sumac vines around Horseshoe Bend. Really stunning to look at this time of the year!
Today’s Fly Fishing: The fishing was reportedly really good during the morning hours as the water levels were on the rise. They are apparently ramping the river. For example, the river peaked around noon and then decreased rapidly. On the decrease the fishing really slowed down. Towards late afternoon is when the second rise occurred and the fishing picked up. All the usual stuff: scuds, San Juans, midges. Also it was reported that the fish are moving back into the riffles.
Spin Fishing Tips: No new reports. This report is from the last received. Anglers fished a plastic worm bouncing off the bottom and did well. Back-trolling is still working well too. Don’t get many spin fishing reports so, if you are a spin fisherman and have a report to pass on PLEASE stop in and give us your report and we will pass it on.
Walk In: (Ted’s report) I have to tell you this area is still fishing very well. Move around a bit to find where the fish are. Reports I have had in the past few days were very positive, fishing is good in this section. You must have your fly right on the bottom if not you won’t catch fish so you may have to adjust your weight some to find the perfect rig. And that in itself can be ever changing as the water rises and the flow increases. Tight lines!!!
Fishing Synopsis and Forecast by Terry Gunn. Our recent fall weather has been almost perfect, with the exception of a couple windy days. The ramp rates in October have been more favorable than those we saw in September. The water has been slowly rising in the morning and peaking at a lower rate than last month. The trout have slowly been moving into the riffles to feed on the small (size 28) midges that are hatching most days. Most of the guides are having their best fishing
by drifting out of the boats in the deeper water (3 to 8-ft deep). Bead head zebra midges are producing best in sizes of #18 to #20. When fishing these small midges it is critical to go down to 7X tippet, anything larger will not produce fish. I recently saw a rare sight for Lees Ferry, a fairly prolific hatch of mayflies! The water flows are near perfect for wading most of the popular spots on the river as well as the walk-in section. There will be a slight flow increase in November, but will not be a large enough increase to impact the wading angler. The fish continue to look good, are strong, and in great physical shape. The weather is finally cooling off. We are seeing a tremendous number of fingerling trout in the river. This is a result from the terrific spawn that we saw this past spring, which bodes well for the future. The downside is that these fish will not be of catchable size until after next summer.
Note from Arizona Game and Fish: 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 whirling 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 – The striper fishing at Lake Mead has slowed a little, but is still pretty good. Trolling crankbaits along steep shorelines in Greggs Basin was yielding stripers. 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 and night on anchovies and liver, some reports of multiple fish being caught in the 10-plus-pound range. Night fishing for stripers under submerged lights turns on around 9 p.m. The ramp is open at South Cove, but it is a gravel ramp. Be careful when launching here. The lake elevation remains fairly steady around 1,111 feet. State and Federal Biologists sampled fish populations in Lake Mead during the month of October. During this sampling gizzard shad were found for the first time in Lake Mead. This is not a surprise since they have been found in Powell since 2000.
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 –The striper bite has been good in spots. I have received multiple reports of fat stripers full of shad and schools of shad being chased by striped bass. If the shad are making a come back, we may see more mid size stripers in the basin. If you can find schools of shad throw a small crankbait.
Fishing for striped bass at night with crappie lights can be very effective. Anchovies are the most popular bait for stripers, but if you want to try something different, use shrimp or squid. For the lights to be most effective, try fishing around the 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 [email protected] 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 fishing for trout has been good from shore immediately following the stocking. As the water temperature falls in the basin, some of the stripers will return to the open water, but many of the big stripers remain in the vicinity of Willow beach year round. The water level has begun to drop for the winter. Look for the surface elevation to drop to around 12’ below full.
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 [email protected] 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 – On Oct 13, 45 kids participated in a fishing clinic at Five Mile landing that produced carp, bass, channel catfish, and 1 green sunfish. One little girl caught a 10-pound carp her first time fishing.
Catfish have been exce
llent. Try using mackerel, anchovies, worms or shrimp in the early morning or night. Bass fishing has been fair in the early morning and evening.
Kenne Probst caught 25 catfish, with most in the one-pound range, using frozen anchovies. He said one angler caught a 15-pound striper.
In the marsh, bass are moving out of the cattails and into the wood. There is a bit of a topwater bite in the evening. Game and fish biologist 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/ar ... 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 – Trout stocking resumed in October. Fishing has been good below Davis Dam, but look for it to be even better following immediately following the trout stockings. Fish and Wildlife service stocks once a month in this area.
The fish are stocked in two locations; Davis Camp and near The Riverside. Kenne Probst said he found fishing at little slow but did manage to catch some catfish float-fishing from Davis Camp along Casino Row. 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 [email protected] 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 – The stripers are feeding actively on live bait right now. The season for snagging of shad on Lake Havasu is allowed from Oct.1, 2007 through March 31, 2008. This technique is especially helpful when you snag and retrieve the bait then without removing it from the pre-weighted treble hook re-cast it out into the open waters. With the shad moving into the coves and docks they are easily sighted and caught during the dark hours under the lights.
The smallmouth and largemouth bass bite is slowing as the water continues to cool. They can be caught on 4- and 5-inch straight tailed soft plastic worms in the colors of Mean Green, Bold Bluegill and Witches-T, in 8-14 feet of water. The most successful time is in the early pre-dawn morning. After the sun is straight up fish your bait a little deeper as they tend to migrate to the deeper depths at this time. When the wind is present, use the R2S Trophy Minnow S-98 in Chartreuse Shad, Ghost minnow or Lucky Craft Pointer 78 in American Shad, Bleeding Tennessee Shad and Ghost minnow. Use these baits over rock or stumps in 6-12 feet of water.
FORTUNA POND – The water level at Fortuna Pond is low at the due to construction on the outlet structure and the well. Exactly how long this condition will exist is not known. As for the fishing, it has been excellent for channel catfish. If you go to Fortuna Pond there are several special regulations in effect there. The limit for trout is four trout (first stocking will be in December); the limit is two bass, minimum size 13 inches; the limit four catfish in any combination; the limit is 10 sunfish.
ALAMO LAKE – Our normal report provide, Mark Knapp, is recovering from neck surgery (get well soon). The trickle of reports from anglers still indicates that his is one of the better places for fall action on bass and crappie. Let us know how you do. Fishing should be great due to this mild weather. This can be a good location for waterfowl hunting as well.
Parker Strip (Colorado River): Water releases from Parker dam have dropped off along with the daytime temperatures and boat traffic. Fishing has picked up over the past month as local species start bulking up for the colder winter months. The smallmouth bite has been good. Local anglers report that crank baits with shad colors (black and white) are working well. Smallmouth can be found throughout the Parker strip and down river but prefer the rockier shorelines.
Look for largemouth to be actively feeding in the morning hours.
Catfish have slowed down with the cooler weather, but the bite may be coming earlier in the evening or right around first light. Night crawlers and goldfish are always good bets, but sunfish make good live bait too.
You will find sunfish near shore in the weedy habitat. As aquatic vegetation thins out this fall, anglers should look for redears or bluegills around brush piles or docks. Dinner plate size redear-hybrids are not that uncommon on the Parker Strip. Small earthworms work well as do live crickets are good bait.
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.
Fall Outlook (2007)
Alamo Lake:
The lake elevation has dropped to 1,111.67 msl. Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing is expected to be excellent this fall. Crappie fishing is expected to be fair to good throughout the fall and winter. Channel catfish continue to look good and fishing should be good also. There are other fish present such as bluegill, redear sunfish and carp that are a lot of fun to catch this fall. All types of bait should work right now and as the weather cools off a shift to slowly working plastics in deeper water for bass could improve your catch. For channel catfish any of the prepared catfish baits as well as chicken livers and anything else you can think of should work.
In addition to the good to excellent fishing, both of the boat ramps are useable at this lake elevation.
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 and redear sunfish will be fair to good. Flathead catfish fishing should be fair at the lower end of the lake (Bill Williams River Arm) through the fall. Sizes of flathead catfish can reach as high as 40 pounds. When fishing for them, select the interior points in the coves and the areas where artificial structure has been placed.
The cooler weather causes the bite to slow down so it is important to work your lures slower and in deeper water. Put away your topwater lures and switch to plastics, crankbaits, spinnerbaits and jigs.
Colorado River (Parker Strip Area):
Smallmouth bass with fish over two pounds are expected to be good this fall. In addition, redear sunfish should also be good in the pound-plus sizes. Channel and flathead catfish are always fair in this section of the Colorado River. Below the dam, striper fishing should also be fair using anchovies this fall.
Colorado River (between Palo Verde Diversion Dam and Walter's Camp):
This area should be fair for both smallmouth bass (in the channel) 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 flathead catfish will be in the 2- to 5-pound size range with an occasional fish over 30 pounds. The time for fishing for both species of catfish is in the evening to midnight.
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 fair to good for flathead catfish with sizes over 40 pounds. The best time for fishing for both species of catfish will be in the evening to midnight. Largemouth bass and bluegill are also present in the various backwaters and slack water areas. Other species available in the main river are smallmouth bass, and striped bass.
Colorado River (between Picacho State Park and Imperial Dam):
This area is expected to be fair to good 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 fair 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 [censored] to Moreles Dam).