December 29th, 2019
Roosevelt Lake
Rating: Hot
Lake temperatures are in the mid 60s. Water levels should remain steady as SRP is pulling water from the Verde system. Last winter along with the last few months there has been quite a bit of precipitation and the water level is currently at 69% full. Hopefully, we continue to see plenty of winter precipitation and snowpack and the water level continues to rise for the coming year. See the current lake elevation at https://streamflow.watershedconnection.com/Dwr . Fish should have plenty of habitat with a lot of the shoreline shrubs and trees submerged, as well as, all the fish habitat improvement sites. Check out the fish habitat site locations at https://fishaz.azgfd.com/!
Fish tend to be most active during the 90-minute windows surrounding the sun and moon rise and fall. When the moon is at full or new moon stage, the effect is stronger. There are many apps that you can use that display this information for you. As fishermen know, severe weather changes have an impact on the way fish feed. If a cold front is approaching the fish tend to move deeper into the water and lay low. Barometric pressure is a good indicator. If the pressure changes quickly the fish tend to be less likely to show interest in your bait. If the pressure change is gradual the fish will respond favorably.
Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing for them is expected to be great throughout the winter. During the winter fish become less active, their response is usually slower, and they tend to move to deeper water, though you can still find fish in the shallows year round. Try drop shot and jigging with Kastmasters and spoons. When in doubt throw a live worm on the bottom and see what bites!
We anticipate the crappie fishing to continue to be good this winter. Try heading towards the Salt River arm and fishing around the submerged trees or around the newly placed habitat. Fishing for channel catfish and flathead catfish should be excellent throughout the winter. The best place to fish for trophy-size flathead is the Salt River arm up the channel.
Lake Pleasant
Fishing Rating: Good
Lake temperatures are cooling down from the 70s. Water levels should slowly rise throughout the winter as water is being pumped into the lake through the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal.
The eagle closure is Dec. 15 to June 15, to prohibit boaters from reaching the upper end of the Agua Fria River via the main lake. The area above the closure provides prime spawning grounds for striped bass. These stripers tend to congregate in the Aqua Fria River arm during the closure. The Department, in coordination with Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management, have worked to get more angler access without causing a negative effect to bald eagles. The joint effort has resulted in reopening the access road off of Table Mesa Road and constructing a primitive boat launch area that is open for a brief time period each spring allowing access to Lake Pleasant above the eagle closure. To catch striped bass, try using live shad, anchovies, silver Kastmasters, plastic swimbaits and top-water lures.
Largemouth bass numbers have been reported to be better than previous years and fishing is expected to be good throughout the winter. During the winter fish become less active, their response is usually slower, and they tend to move to deeper water, though you can still find fish in the shallows year round. Try drop shot and jigging with Kastmasters and spoons.
Try your luck at striped bass fishing top-water shad imitation lures targeting shad boils that pop up throughout the lake. Scan the surface until you find a boil then cast into and around the edges using top-water baits or swimbaits. Anglers have good success fishing anchovies under lights at night. The lights draw in schools of shad and the striped bass are drawn to those schools.
Flathead catfish are present throughout the lake but are more common in the Aqua Fria River arm or by the dam. Look for spots where the water is murkier with vegetation or rocky covering nearby. Fishing for catfish should be great this winter. Try using catfish baits like chicken livers for smaller catfish. To catch a trophy size, try using live gizzard shad, sunfish or carp collected on site.
Saguaro Lake
Fishing Rating: Good
Lake temperatures are cooling down from the 70s in November. Water levels this fall should be stable with minimal fluctuation. See the current lake elevation. Unfortunately, the Department will not be able to stock trout this winter. If you are looking to fish for rainbow trout check out the Salt River or nearby community waters.
Fish tend to be most active during the 90-minute windows surrounding the sun and moon rise and fall. When the moon is at full or new moon stage the effect is stronger. There are many apps that you can use that display this information for you. As fishermen know, severe weather changes have an impact on the way fish feed. If a cold front is approaching the fish tend to move deeper into the water and lay low. Barometric pressure is a good indicator. If pressure changes quickly the fish tend to be less likely to show interest in your bait. If the pressure change is gradual the fish will respond favorably.
Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing for them is expected to be good throughout the winter. During the winter fish become less active, their response is usually slower, and they tend to move to deeper water, though you can still find fish in the shallows year round. Try drop shot and jigging with Kastmasters and spoons.
Yellow bass are abundant throughout the lake and fishing should be great. This lake has the ability to leave that record Yellow Bass in the dust. Try using jigs, spoons, spinners, small crankbaits, minnows and worms. Schools of yellow bass look for groups of shad, so if the bite slows, don’t be too impatient to move off a good point you’ve located. Use sonar from a boat to locate shad groups more precisely — yellow bass are not far behind. They may be below or to the side of schools. Pitch your lure adjacent to or drop it through the school, allowing it to settle to the bottom. Many times bass take the lure on the way down and you won’t feel a bite until you reel in and tighten your line.
If you crave catfish, set your line near the bottom and use worms, minnows and chicken livers as bait. Try fishing for catfish where water flows into the lake from a side canyon, especially if the side canyon waters flow into a deep hole.
For shore anglers, try fishing along the docks and shore near the second ramp. You also can follow a trail beyond the docks that winds along a cliff from which you can fish. Butcher Jones Recreational Area is another shore-access fishing site that has a trail you can fish along as well as a side cove along the cliffs. back...
Rating: Hot
Lake temperatures are in the mid 60s. Water levels should remain steady as SRP is pulling water from the Verde system. Last winter along with the last few months there has been quite a bit of precipitation and the water level is currently at 69% full. Hopefully, we continue to see plenty of winter precipitation and snowpack and the water level continues to rise for the coming year. See the current lake elevation at https://streamflow.watershedconnection.com/Dwr . Fish should have plenty of habitat with a lot of the shoreline shrubs and trees submerged, as well as, all the fish habitat improvement sites. Check out the fish habitat site locations at https://fishaz.azgfd.com/!
Fish tend to be most active during the 90-minute windows surrounding the sun and moon rise and fall. When the moon is at full or new moon stage, the effect is stronger. There are many apps that you can use that display this information for you. As fishermen know, severe weather changes have an impact on the way fish feed. If a cold front is approaching the fish tend to move deeper into the water and lay low. Barometric pressure is a good indicator. If the pressure changes quickly the fish tend to be less likely to show interest in your bait. If the pressure change is gradual the fish will respond favorably.
Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing for them is expected to be great throughout the winter. During the winter fish become less active, their response is usually slower, and they tend to move to deeper water, though you can still find fish in the shallows year round. Try drop shot and jigging with Kastmasters and spoons. When in doubt throw a live worm on the bottom and see what bites!
We anticipate the crappie fishing to continue to be good this winter. Try heading towards the Salt River arm and fishing around the submerged trees or around the newly placed habitat. Fishing for channel catfish and flathead catfish should be excellent throughout the winter. The best place to fish for trophy-size flathead is the Salt River arm up the channel.
Lake Pleasant
Fishing Rating: Good
Lake temperatures are cooling down from the 70s. Water levels should slowly rise throughout the winter as water is being pumped into the lake through the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal.
The eagle closure is Dec. 15 to June 15, to prohibit boaters from reaching the upper end of the Agua Fria River via the main lake. The area above the closure provides prime spawning grounds for striped bass. These stripers tend to congregate in the Aqua Fria River arm during the closure. The Department, in coordination with Bureau of Reclamation and Bureau of Land Management, have worked to get more angler access without causing a negative effect to bald eagles. The joint effort has resulted in reopening the access road off of Table Mesa Road and constructing a primitive boat launch area that is open for a brief time period each spring allowing access to Lake Pleasant above the eagle closure. To catch striped bass, try using live shad, anchovies, silver Kastmasters, plastic swimbaits and top-water lures.
Largemouth bass numbers have been reported to be better than previous years and fishing is expected to be good throughout the winter. During the winter fish become less active, their response is usually slower, and they tend to move to deeper water, though you can still find fish in the shallows year round. Try drop shot and jigging with Kastmasters and spoons.
Try your luck at striped bass fishing top-water shad imitation lures targeting shad boils that pop up throughout the lake. Scan the surface until you find a boil then cast into and around the edges using top-water baits or swimbaits. Anglers have good success fishing anchovies under lights at night. The lights draw in schools of shad and the striped bass are drawn to those schools.
Flathead catfish are present throughout the lake but are more common in the Aqua Fria River arm or by the dam. Look for spots where the water is murkier with vegetation or rocky covering nearby. Fishing for catfish should be great this winter. Try using catfish baits like chicken livers for smaller catfish. To catch a trophy size, try using live gizzard shad, sunfish or carp collected on site.
Saguaro Lake
Fishing Rating: Good
Lake temperatures are cooling down from the 70s in November. Water levels this fall should be stable with minimal fluctuation. See the current lake elevation. Unfortunately, the Department will not be able to stock trout this winter. If you are looking to fish for rainbow trout check out the Salt River or nearby community waters.
Fish tend to be most active during the 90-minute windows surrounding the sun and moon rise and fall. When the moon is at full or new moon stage the effect is stronger. There are many apps that you can use that display this information for you. As fishermen know, severe weather changes have an impact on the way fish feed. If a cold front is approaching the fish tend to move deeper into the water and lay low. Barometric pressure is a good indicator. If pressure changes quickly the fish tend to be less likely to show interest in your bait. If the pressure change is gradual the fish will respond favorably.
Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing for them is expected to be good throughout the winter. During the winter fish become less active, their response is usually slower, and they tend to move to deeper water, though you can still find fish in the shallows year round. Try drop shot and jigging with Kastmasters and spoons.
Yellow bass are abundant throughout the lake and fishing should be great. This lake has the ability to leave that record Yellow Bass in the dust. Try using jigs, spoons, spinners, small crankbaits, minnows and worms. Schools of yellow bass look for groups of shad, so if the bite slows, don’t be too impatient to move off a good point you’ve located. Use sonar from a boat to locate shad groups more precisely — yellow bass are not far behind. They may be below or to the side of schools. Pitch your lure adjacent to or drop it through the school, allowing it to settle to the bottom. Many times bass take the lure on the way down and you won’t feel a bite until you reel in and tighten your line.
If you crave catfish, set your line near the bottom and use worms, minnows and chicken livers as bait. Try fishing for catfish where water flows into the lake from a side canyon, especially if the side canyon waters flow into a deep hole.
For shore anglers, try fishing along the docks and shore near the second ramp. You also can follow a trail beyond the docks that winds along a cliff from which you can fish. Butcher Jones Recreational Area is another shore-access fishing site that has a trail you can fish along as well as a side cove along the cliffs. back...
