Comments on: Central Arizona

By: Ray S.

Ray S. — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:49:14 +0000

Anyone know what is going on with the Bald Eagles on the Agua Fria branch of Lake Pleasant. I have not read any reports. Bald Eagles are no longer on the endagered species list. Maybe they can change the rules and make it NO NOISE, NO WAKE, NO MOORING during the nesting season. I have a boat that is too large to bring in from Table Mesa and I think many anglers are missing some great fishing action due to the 6 MONTH closure of the river.

By: T. Wagoner

T. Wagoner — Tue, 05 May 2009 21:20:54 +0000

Ken Soza I was fishing on the river below the Horseshoe Dam at Catfish point yesterday and about 1 wk ago. The fish were very active and we caught channel cat and larghemouth bass. The channel cat were a little small. I fished with liver and as soon as I got my line out I would get a bite. Caught a few carp on liver also. I’ve had better luck fishing there than Bartlett or Pleasant.

By: ricky davis

ricky davis — Sat, 02 May 2009 22:12:40 +0000

Brian, Try using live bluegills(sunfish) hooked thru the back, just in front of the dorsal fin. Use a heavy slip sinker about a foot above the hook and hang on. I caught a 25 pounder using this method. Good luck!

By: Edward

Edward — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:56:19 +0000

Was there yesterday…. the release valves are still open… fishing was next to impossible… horseshoe dam that is

By: Andy

Andy — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:37:19 +0000

Brian. I am not a cat enthusiast, but I will pass along something. Floyd Prese was one of Ariaona’s premire cat fishermen before he died. He would catch Blue Gill and use them strictly as bait, and fish the Salt end of the lake. I remember a picture of him holding a 45 lb cat in each hand, and there was a third he couldnt hold up unless he grew another hand, one night at Roosevelt. one more thing, i understand there are some monster cats in the salt river itself in some of the pools above the bridge on the east end of the lake, where the road parts and goes up to Young. Watch out for ratlers though, there is no shortage of them.

By: Ruben

Ruben — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 22:24:48 +0000

Yes went this week catfish bite all day long with worms.Water is running slow, Bass are bite in morning and late afternoon. Water is also very low !

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:01:11 +0000

Hi-

My boyfriend and I LOVE Roosevelt Lake and have been fishing there off and on for about the last 15 years or so. There are stories of flatheads there being big enough to “eat you”, so on and so forth…. We go to Rosie to mainly catch bass and crappie, however, we have also discovered that Bartlett Lake is a good place to catch cats overall. Night fishing is the most fun as we put our bells on our poles and hang out and always we will hear the bells ring during the night and reel in nice size catfish. The last time we went (Oct. 2008) my boyfriend caught a 20 lb. flathead on a Yamamoto plastic bass bait! It was so cool because he could tell right away that it wasn’t a bass, but something way bigger. Lo and behold it was a big ole flathead. Cool as s___! Anyhoo- try for flatheads at Bartlett Lake, it’s smaller than Roosevelt but a lot of fun…..

-Christine

By: admin

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:58:21 +0000

Thanks Brent. Well the full moon is this week (Easter weekend), so it should be a superb time to go after the big flatheads above Roosevelt, or even in the upper reaches of Bartlett Lake. There are also some giant flats to be found along the Imperial Division of the Colorado River near Yuma.

Rory Aikens

Fishing Report Editor

By: admin

admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:53:12 +0000

Barbara;

Great going. That is the first good report I have had out of Horseshoe in more than a year. It can be the land of the huge flatheads. Now Horseshoe has become mostly a flood retention basin, and once again this year will be slowly drained to keep Bartlett full. While that isn’t good news for those of us who love to fish Horseshoe, it’s great news for all those who visit Bartlett.

Rory Aikens

Fishing Report Editor

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:04:20 +0000

I’ve not caught any flatheads (yet) but I did do a lot of studing last year. At Roosevelt the best place to catch the Flatheads is at the point the Salt River runs in to it. Alos starting now through June, they shoudl begining to spawn and traveling up the Salt River section. They tend to strike at live bait, so minnows work or if you want to go for the big big ones use bluegill. The Colorado River above Yuma seems to be the best place for Flatheads. When I was a kid my Grandpa caught a 65 pound flathead, and last yr the Fish and Game caught and released a 87 ponder. Hope this helps some.

By: barbara

barbara — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:50:17 +0000

Horseshoe dam is not that bad right now we just went and caught 19 nice cat’s through back 5 small one’s.Good times

By: william gustafson

william gustafson — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:23:44 +0000

yeah the flatheads are starting to heading up the salt to spawn just get alot of waterdogs and some heavy gear their big this time of year they spend the early spring gorging on anything they can get their mouths on in anticipation for the spawn go just above the bridge and hang on they,ll probly spawn the next full moon conditions are perfect for them right now usally typically it,s a little later before they spawn but we took 7 that were over 30# last weekend and broke off i don,t know how many so get your steel leaders and 5/0 circle hooks and hang on

By: Brent

Brent — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 04:45:15 +0000

Has anyone been creek fishing up by payson like at Christopher Creek or Tonto Creek. Going easter weakend but never been there.

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:21:34 +0000

Brian, I am interested in what responses you received, if any.I am from Oregon also and would like to contact you to get sturgeon info.

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:30:24 +0000

Anyone out there interested in showing someone how to catch those monster flatheads at Roosevelt. I’ve got a boat and am willing to compensate you for your time. I am from oregon and I’m used to catching 8-15 foot sturgeon. I am craving to have something heavier than a crappie on my line.Thanks in advance for any help.

By: ken soza

ken soza — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:45:16 +0000

I would like to know if anyone has been to Horseshoe Dam lately?
The last two times that I was there the spill out was open full blast making it impossible to fish under the dam.I was wondering if anyone has been there in the last week and if so how was it?