April 10th, 2013
APACHE LAKE - Lake elevation is 1,907 feet (92 percent full). There have been reports of some great sized bass that have been sitting on ledges with access to deep water, such a one that goes immediately from 10 to 100 feet of depth. The reports indicate the fish are spread out from the marina to the dam. Try dropshots with ox blood Roboworms.
BARTLETT LAKE - Fishing for crappie is reportedly slow; Roosevelt is a better bet of your targeting these panfish.
Gary Senft, a Bass Pro at the BassPro Shops in Mesa, reported fishing the lake on Saturday. He reported getting reaction strikes from largemouth bass the first two hours in the morning, fishing a small crankbait in a shad pattern close to the banks.
There were no clouds, and so the quickly-heating water seemed to slow the bite. So Senft reported switching to a Shaky head jig with a red crawler, ox blood or watermelon red worms.
He also reported fishing in 15-20 feet of water, mixing in Carolina-rigged watermelon flake and green pumpkin worms, fishing off points successfully.
Hoffman also reported that crappie fishing in the river portion of the lake has been good, but more hit or miss than Alamo Lake. Try trolling with 2-inch grubs tipped with live minnows.
CANYON LAKE - Lake elevation is 1,658 feet (97 percent full). An angler reported a great bass bite on Sunday morning around 9 a.m. on bass to 8.3 pounds. Another anglers report indicated visible, shoreline bass to 4 pounds finally bit around 4:30 p.m
LAKE PLEASANT - Stripers reportedly are hard to find. However, Jeremy Hoffman, fishing manager at the north Phoenix Sportsmans Warehouse, reported that channel cats are becoming more active and many people night fishing are having excellent success. Chicken livers, anchovies and cut bait is getting the job done.
ROOSEVELT LAKE - Lake elevation is 2,107 feet, 52 percent full). Crappie are scattered, but bass fishing is quality. Bass pro Gary Senft, of Bass Pro Shops, fished both ends of the lake on Sunday and Monday. He reported that fishing for largemouth bass on Monday was good using weightless Gary Yamamoto Senkos in watermelon with black fleck as well as white. He fished 1-5 feet of water. Other effective methods were small crankbaits in a shad pattern, a drop shot using ox blood or morning dawn-colored worms, or a Texas rig with red crawler Roboworms.
He said fishing at the Salt River end of the lake was a little slower as the water was dirtier.
Finally, he reported watching some anglers catching crappie in the back of Sally Mae cove, and that the anglers said one crappie weighed two pounds and a John Deer-colored crappie jig had done the trick.
James Goughnour, owner of Rim Country Custom Rods in Payson, reported that bass fishing was called excellent this past week. The spawn is in full swing, he said, and bass are being caught on many different types of bait. Roboworms and Senko baits were reported very successful. But spinner baits, Alabama rig, crank baits, lizards and jigs also produced large numbers of bass.
The lake rose another 1 percent this past week. This equates to the water level rising another foot and currently stands at 53-percent full and has risen 7.5 feet since the beginning of March. The Salt River flow has slowed to 50 percent of its normal flow for this time of year and the Tonto Creek continues to flow at 110 percent of its normal flows. The Salt end of the lake is reported more stained than the Tonto end but the water entering the lake at both ends is clear so those are hot spots on the lake right now. The water temperature is in the mid 60s and can reach 70 degrees in the afternoons. Most bass are being caught in 20 feet water or less.
He added that the Crappie fishing reports improved dramatically over the past couple of weeks. Experienced crappie anglers reported 20-plus crappie being caught. Several boats were also seen trolling on the Tonto or Salt ends and those black males can be seen on spawning beds to an experienced angler. A 1/32 or 1/16-ounce jig hook with a 1-inch John Deere or pumpkin/chartreuse color grub tail were reported successful.
SAGUARO LAKE - Lake elevation is 1,526 feet (95 percent full): Phoenix-based professional bass angler Josh Bertrand reported that large bass are chasing whacky-wormed Gary Yamamoto Senkos. For more information on whacky-worming a Senko, visit: www.insideline.net/1999/xiques-0910-99.html. Swim baits also have been catching the big basss curiosity, whether the bass want to eat it or not.
When bed fishing, use jigs or soft plastics in lighter colors so you can see your bait. But consider releasing the spawning bass to preserve their populations. back...
BARTLETT LAKE - Fishing for crappie is reportedly slow; Roosevelt is a better bet of your targeting these panfish.
Gary Senft, a Bass Pro at the BassPro Shops in Mesa, reported fishing the lake on Saturday. He reported getting reaction strikes from largemouth bass the first two hours in the morning, fishing a small crankbait in a shad pattern close to the banks.
There were no clouds, and so the quickly-heating water seemed to slow the bite. So Senft reported switching to a Shaky head jig with a red crawler, ox blood or watermelon red worms.
He also reported fishing in 15-20 feet of water, mixing in Carolina-rigged watermelon flake and green pumpkin worms, fishing off points successfully.
Hoffman also reported that crappie fishing in the river portion of the lake has been good, but more hit or miss than Alamo Lake. Try trolling with 2-inch grubs tipped with live minnows.
CANYON LAKE - Lake elevation is 1,658 feet (97 percent full). An angler reported a great bass bite on Sunday morning around 9 a.m. on bass to 8.3 pounds. Another anglers report indicated visible, shoreline bass to 4 pounds finally bit around 4:30 p.m
LAKE PLEASANT - Stripers reportedly are hard to find. However, Jeremy Hoffman, fishing manager at the north Phoenix Sportsmans Warehouse, reported that channel cats are becoming more active and many people night fishing are having excellent success. Chicken livers, anchovies and cut bait is getting the job done.
ROOSEVELT LAKE - Lake elevation is 2,107 feet, 52 percent full). Crappie are scattered, but bass fishing is quality. Bass pro Gary Senft, of Bass Pro Shops, fished both ends of the lake on Sunday and Monday. He reported that fishing for largemouth bass on Monday was good using weightless Gary Yamamoto Senkos in watermelon with black fleck as well as white. He fished 1-5 feet of water. Other effective methods were small crankbaits in a shad pattern, a drop shot using ox blood or morning dawn-colored worms, or a Texas rig with red crawler Roboworms.
He said fishing at the Salt River end of the lake was a little slower as the water was dirtier.
Finally, he reported watching some anglers catching crappie in the back of Sally Mae cove, and that the anglers said one crappie weighed two pounds and a John Deer-colored crappie jig had done the trick.
James Goughnour, owner of Rim Country Custom Rods in Payson, reported that bass fishing was called excellent this past week. The spawn is in full swing, he said, and bass are being caught on many different types of bait. Roboworms and Senko baits were reported very successful. But spinner baits, Alabama rig, crank baits, lizards and jigs also produced large numbers of bass.
The lake rose another 1 percent this past week. This equates to the water level rising another foot and currently stands at 53-percent full and has risen 7.5 feet since the beginning of March. The Salt River flow has slowed to 50 percent of its normal flow for this time of year and the Tonto Creek continues to flow at 110 percent of its normal flows. The Salt end of the lake is reported more stained than the Tonto end but the water entering the lake at both ends is clear so those are hot spots on the lake right now. The water temperature is in the mid 60s and can reach 70 degrees in the afternoons. Most bass are being caught in 20 feet water or less.
He added that the Crappie fishing reports improved dramatically over the past couple of weeks. Experienced crappie anglers reported 20-plus crappie being caught. Several boats were also seen trolling on the Tonto or Salt ends and those black males can be seen on spawning beds to an experienced angler. A 1/32 or 1/16-ounce jig hook with a 1-inch John Deere or pumpkin/chartreuse color grub tail were reported successful.
SAGUARO LAKE - Lake elevation is 1,526 feet (95 percent full): Phoenix-based professional bass angler Josh Bertrand reported that large bass are chasing whacky-wormed Gary Yamamoto Senkos. For more information on whacky-worming a Senko, visit: www.insideline.net/1999/xiques-0910-99.html. Swim baits also have been catching the big basss curiosity, whether the bass want to eat it or not.
When bed fishing, use jigs or soft plastics in lighter colors so you can see your bait. But consider releasing the spawning bass to preserve their populations. back...
