CENTRAL ARIZONA LAKES
URBAN LAKES — Rainbow trout was stocked at all urban waters on Nov. 13 and will continue to be stocked every two weeks from November through March.  Fishing should be good to excellent for anglers using scented dough baits (such as Power Bait), worms or small trout lures.  All lakes were recently stocked with bluegill and action is good for these feisty fighters.  Try mealworms, corn or dough balls fished below a small bobber for the best action. Catfish action is fair now that the fall stockings are over.  Trout fishing is good to excellent at Green Valley lakes in Payson.  Best action for trout is coming on Power Bait, salmon eggs, worms and small spinners.

2008 Urban fishing licenses (Class U) is 50-percent off until the end of the year.  Some vendors may not know of the 50-percent off status.  Please remind them, and they can call Game and Fish to confirm.

We have some impressive entries so far in the Urban Fishing Program 2008 Big Fish-of-the-Year contest.  Topping the list as a 10.2-pound channel catfish caught by Shay Denniston from Lakeside Lake in Tucson.  A 5.25 pound incentive stocked rainbow trout was caught from Water Ranch Lake in January by Tony Morello.  Louis Hoeniger has been busy with three catch and release records all from Papago Ponds: a 25-inch catfish, 18-inch largemouth bass and an 8-inch bluegill.

With only two months to go, there are plenty of chances to report your big fish catches in either of two categories; kept or released. Application forms and instructions for the contest are in the current Urban Fishing Program brochure or AZ Fishing Regulation booklet.  Updates on the current leaders can be checked out on our website at www.azgfd.gov.  Each year’s winners receive a certificate, hat and other gifts.

Eli fished Cortez Park and caught a 22 inch channel catfish and a small trout.  She used worms.

Andrew fished Surprise Lake and caught a largemouth under 13 inches using a worm at night.

Where:Veterans Oasis Lake – City of Chandler
When:11/01/08
Caught:14 Catfish
Technique:Hotdogs and Stink Bait off the bottom.
Comments:Went in the early morning, arrived at 6am, fished with Family until 8:30 when we ran out of bait. Hotdogs were HOT, they would barely hit the bottom and the cats would hit the line!
Name:TBD

Where:Red Mountain Park
When:11/01/08
Caught:10 Juvenile bass
Technique:Small Shiny blue jig, bounced across the stocking ramp at the south east end of the lake
Comments:Small bluegill caught as well

TEMPE TOWN LAKE — This lake will be stocked with rainbow trout on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 3 p.m. to kick off the “Welcome Back the Trout” celebration. Come on down and join us for this annaul holiday fishing festival. For directions on how to get to the Town Lake Marina for the festival, click here.

The Game and Fish Department will be stocking this 224-acre lake with trout from November through March, with almost 24,000 rainbows throughout the winter trout fishing season. During the December holidays, the lake will be stocked with trout weekly.

LAKE PLEASANT – Water elevation is 1,654 ft, which is 52-percent full.

Andrew fished Lake Pleasant and caught a 2-pound striper using anchovies from shore.
The striper fishing has been a little slow; anglers are having difficulty locating shad boils.  The boils are few and far between and they don’t last very long.  Perhaps it is a temporary situation.  The stripers are in the northern coves, and in the Aqua Fria.  Some activity is in the main lake but if it’s windy it’s difficult to see signs.

Ron and Linda fished Lake Pleasant and caught seven stripers.  They trolled 35-40 feet deep at 2 mph with 4-inch grubs in shad color pearl or chart.

Another angler who reported on the Been Fishing site was J. Morrison and he caught nine stripers using pieces of anchovies 40 feet deep, south of Castle Creek.  The fish were between 1 and 3 pounds and very aggressive.

Some anglers are having luck catching stripers near the mouth of the Aqua Fria around dusk.

Stripers have moved more into the northern coves, especially the Agua Fria Arm of the lake. Go armed with topwater lures, lipless crankbaits and casting spoons (KastMasters work great). If you can net some live shad (there are huge schools roaming about), they make superb bait either straight-lined or slow trolled. Frozen anchovies can work especially well for roving schools of stripers patrolling the submerged creek channels. Don’t forget to chum.

Angler report from Ron Swierski: 8-10:30 a.m. trolling at 40 feet with 4-inch shad pearl or chart at 2 mph caught 14 stripers for 19 pounds.

Where:Lake Pleasant/ west of 4 lane boat dock /castle creek coves
When:11/08/08
Caught:15 1b. Flat Head and 3lb. Large Mouth
Technique:Slip Sinker w/ a 2ft. lead fishing from the bottom, off my grandfather’s 14 ft. boat.
Comments:Michael, Jovani and Amani had a great time reeling in that big flathead!
Name:Mike Montes

Where:Lake Pleasant
When:11/06/08
Caught:3 channel catfish and 1 striper
Technique:used canned anchovies for the channel cats. While my partner was paddling our tandem kayak, I hooked the striper on anchovy.
Comments:Catfish are hitting well in the castle creek arm just about sundown and a little after.
Name:T. Wagoner
Where:lk pleasant
When:11/03/08
Caught:7 stripers for 11lbs 4oz
Technique:trolling at 35-40ft 2mph with 4in grubs or shad color pearl or chart
Name:Ron and Linda Sun City West
Where:pleasant
When:11/01/08
Caught:9 strippers
Technique:Anchovy pieces at 40′ South of Castle Creek in 74′ areas
Comments:Fished from 0600 – 1000. Metered a lot of bait activity from 30-50′ and anchored on it. Bite started about 0700. Fish were 1-3 lbs and very aggressive, fun on light tackle.
Name:J. Morrison
ROOSEVELT LAKE – Lake Elevation is 2,142 ft (89-percent full).  Tonto Creek runoff is at 8 cfs while inflow from the Salt River is at 215 cfs.

Joe made a report on Been Fishing on the Game and Fish Web site and he and his friend caught three largemouth bass over the slot limit on buzzbaits.  They also caught some nice bass slow rolling blades and dragging jigs off secondary points.

One experienced angler and his buddy fished from about 6:45 to 11 a.m. and caught two crappies and three bluegills trolling in the Tonto end.

Where:Roosevelt & Canyon
When:11/06/08
Caught:Largemouth bass
Technique:We fished on both Roosevelt and Canyon this week and did very well. On Rosy we caught 3 overs on buzzbaits and also caught some nice bass slow rolling blades and dragging jigs off secondary points. We caught some pretty good bass including a 5 1/2 pounder on Canyon by working a few things on the walls. Our fish were suspended and hit the bait’s on the initial drop. Good luck…..Joe
Comments:

Name:Joe Owens
APACHE – Lake elevation is 1,905 feet (91-percent full).

An angler caught a 9-pound cat and a 5-pound catfish using worms and cut bait in the Crabtree area.

Anglers are reporting good fishing for channel cats and flatheads around the marina and in the isolated coves.  The murky coves also have some good carp fishing.  Use dough bait or corn on treble hooks.  One angler caught a 19-inch largemouth but his lips are sealed as far as the location and lure.

Department biologists surveyed Apache Lake and the best place to catch walleye is above Burn Corral on the points.  We caught a few nice ones.  We also caught quite a few catfish at both ends of the lake in coves.  Largemouth bass seemed to be dispersed pretty evenly although some anglers said Burnt Corral was a good place to nab them, using plastic worms and jigs.

CANYON LAKE –Lake elevation is 1,658 feet, which is 97-percent full. Will be stocked with trout this week.

The Been Fishing reporter, Joe, and his friend fished Canyon Lake and they caught a 5.5-pound bass near the walls.  The fish were suspended and hit the bait on the initial drop.

Some good reports coming from the Boulder Recreation Area for largemouth bass and bluegill.  Try spinnerbaits, KastMasters, and plastic worms bounced off the bottom.

Where:canyon lake
When:10/12/08
Caught:7 Largemouth Bass
Technique:Silver and blue Rat-L-Trap and 4″ Senkos
Comments:Good to see Canyon coming back. Latched a 4 lb, 2 lb, and 1.5 lb. The rest were small but fun. All fish released.
Name:Bud Russman
SAGUARO LAKE – Lake elevation 1,524 feet at 91-percent full. Was stocked with 1,500 rainbow trout last week and the water temperature was 70 degrees.

Ryan submitted a Been Fishing report regarding his fishing experiences at Saguaro Lake.  He and a friend boated 29 largemouth bass using a deep-diving crankbait.  Then he went out again to the same spot using the same crankbait and boated 39 largemouth bass.  All the fish were in the 1- to 2-pound range.

Josh also submitted a report and he caught quite a few sunfish in coves using worms fished under a bobber.
The Been Fishing reports are producing some good information.  One angler had lots of bites and caught quite a few largemouth bass using Rapala X-Rap and Green Worm Drop Shot right off the fishing docks at Butcher Jones.
Another angler reports catching between 20 and 30 bass using small plastic worms and grubs fished very slow in 20 feet of water.  He mentioned that crankbaits are not working right now.

Where:Saguaro
When:11/8/08
Caught:largemouth
Technique:Crankbait hitting bottom
Comments:Went out the week before and boated 29 all largemouth. Then went out to the same spot with the same crank and boated 39 all largemouth. Best fishing I’ve seen there in awhile. All the fish where in the one to two pound range small but fun.
Name:Ryan Stradling

Where:Saguaro Lake
When:11/05/08
Caught:sunfish
Technique:worms on bobbers
Comments:nothing bigger was biting for us, but we caught quite a few blue gill with this technique in the coves across from the restrooms.
Name:Josh

BARTLETT LAKE – Lake elevation is 1,761 feet, which is 53-percent full.  Reservoir release is 800 cfs.

Warren fished Bartlett and caught five largemouth bass using a 4-inch drop shot Robo Worm and a Texas-rigged 4-inch watermelon lizard.  He also used a white Zara Spook – a very good lure.   The best fishing was 9 a.m. to 11:30 in 15 feet of water or less close to shore.  He said the chartreuse colors did very well fishing the bottom since the water was a bit stained.  Water temp was 67 degrees.  Thank you Warren for this Been Fishing report.

Brian submitted a Been Fishing report and he used minnows to catch 1 crappie, a bunch of bluegill and one channel catfish.

Just a note on crappie fishing; try a variety of jigs because color does tend to make a difference.  You’ll want to fish near some habitat such as downed trees and the like, trolling is a real good way to catch crappie.  One angler recommends 1/16-ounce heads on No. 6 hooks with 2-inch Kalin grubs tipped with minnows.  If you don’t have a trolling motor try casting out near the fish habitat buoys. Use the lightest jig you can throw. If the water is dark use a dark color. If it’s clear use white, yellow or a light color.

Another Been Fishing reporter, caught five 2-3 pound bass and one 5 pounder as well as some little ones using bass using crankbait, drop shot worms and Rapalas.  Shad looking Rapalas are a good lure choices.
One angler reported catching 15 bass in the 1- to 2-pound range using a crankbait and a drop shot.

Another couple anglers reported catching a nice 2-plus-pound bass by Yellow Cliffs along with some smaller bass and a nice crappie.

Where:Bartlett
When:11/06/08
Caught:Largemouth
Technique:Drop shot Worm & Crank bait
Comments:5 2-3 pound bass and (1) 5 pounder (Beautiful fish) almost all these were caught on shad Rapalas. Caught a 5 or 6 little guys as well on drop shot.
Where:Bartlett
When:10/08/08
Caught:bass
Technique:crankbaits
Comments:fast retrieve caught and released 9 bass, 2-pound average
Name:Bud Tutrone
Where: Bartlett Lake
When:10/06/08
Caught: largemouth and 1bluegill
Technique: white 1/4 oz. spinner, silver and blue Rat-L-Traps, and a 8 ft diver bomber green
Comments: great day we fish the Yellow Cliffs and the Bartlett Flats; our best fish came off the inside of main channel points
Name: josh

HORSESHOE LAKE – Lake elevation is at 1,957 feet, no pool. This is barely more than a wide spot in the river. They are releasing water at 150 cfs. An angler fished the below Horseshoe and caught eight channel catfish using worms in small pools.
VERDE RIVER – Verde River flow at Tangle is 202 cubic feet per second.  Release from Bartlett Lake is 800 cfs.

An angler fished below Horseshoe and caught eight channel catfish using worms in small pools.

SALT RIVER – Salt River into Roosevelt is 215 cfs, and Salt River Canyon is 199 cfs.  They are releasing 8 cfs out of Stewart Mountain dam from Saguaro.  .

LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – Trout were stocked last week at the Phon Du. Sutton and Granite Reef areas. Trout will be stocked again on Thanksgiving week. The water temperature at the time of stocking last week was 63 degrees. Try live night crawlers or grasshoppers with little or no weight cast into the riffles for rainbows.

CREEKS – Browns are just starting to spawn and terrestrials like hoppers are still producing.  Throw midges, San Juan worms, and dry flies.  Anglers are having luck using copper johns, small flies, pheasant tailed flashbacks, simi seal leeches, and zug bugs..

Anglers are also using copper johns, small flies, pheasant tailed flashbacks, Simi Seal leeches, and zug bugs.

Haigler Creek – Use small dry flies

Canyon Creek – Midge patterns

Tonto Creek – Midge patterns

Christopher Creek – No recent reports, but try live night crawlers on light line.

East Verde – One angler reported good fishing for larger trout in the deeper pools.

Workman Creek – No reports, but terrestrials should still work well.

HORSETHEIF BASIN LAKE – Probably not worth driving to just for fishing, but it might be worth a visit if you are prowling the Bradshaw Mountains and want to wet a line for some small sunfish or bass.