The final Arizona Free Fishing day is Saturday, which means no fishing licenses are required for fishing in the state’s public waters. Bring the family, wet a hook and take advantage.

Water temperatures in shallow areas of desert lakes will begin to reach 80 degrees this weekend and largemouth bass are recovered from their post-spawn and will be feeding frequently once again. Try top-water lures in the morning and late afternoon, and when the sun is high, sink an assortment of dropshot and Texas-rigged soft plastics. In the high country, trout stockings are taking place at numerous fisheries.

One month ago, the record for the heaviest recorded fish in state history went, “timber.”  This week, another record nearly dropped.