Note: All lakes are now accessible and most have been stocked. Some smaller secondary roads may still be muddy or contain snowdrifts. Fishing is generally very good, with lots of anglers catching larger hold-over trout, as well as the stockers. With the wind the past several weeks, the forest has been drying out fast.
CHEVELON LAKE - Fishing is fair to good. Anglers have been catching good numbers of moderate size trout near the dam. The lake is ice free, full, and spilling. Anglers are catching trout in the creek downstream of the dam, which is open to statewide fishing regulations.
The lake is open to artificial lure and fly only, trout between 10 and 14 inches may not be possessed, and the bag limit is 6 trout. Try lures such as Z-rays, Super Dupers, spinners, and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms, wooly buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, and other small nymphs. The lake is open to electric trolling motors and/or up to 10 hp. gas motors. Access to Chevelon Lake is open on Forest Road 169 from the north, via Hwy 99 from Winslow or via Forest Road 504 from Heber.
Where:Chevelon Canyon
When:05/18/08
Caught:1 small trout
Technique:Fly fishing from float tubes
Comments:Got down to the lake at 8:30 a.m. Three fishers floated the entire lake from 8:30 to 3:00 p.m. Caught only one small stocker rainbow. Used a variety of flies, both dry and wet, sinking line, nothing was biting. Lot of work for only one trout.
Name:
Ed
Where:
Knoll lake, Chevelon Canyon Lake.
When:05/07/08
Caught:1 Rainbow trout at Knoll and 5 Rainbows and 1 big (16″) Brown at Chevelon
Technique:Small spinners and Flies from a canoe.Rapalas failed. Tiny spinners worked and 2 ate my flies in a less windy cove. Fish the size of sea otters were rolling on the surface as the sun went down at Chevelon. Loud.
Comments:
It took me 45 minutes to get the canoe up from Chevelon! I’ll take a friend next time for help.
Name:Todd DeAngelis
BEAR CANYON LAKE - Main access roads are open to the lake. The lake is full and spilling and fishing is fair to good. Stocked last week. This is a hike-in lack down short but steep and winding paths. There is pretty good shore access. This deep canyon lake is great for those with float tubes.
Try worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as spinners, Z-rays, Super Dupers, and Rapalas and flies such as wooly worms, wooly buggers, Yeager buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs, hares ear and pheasant tail nymphs. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only.
Where:Bear Canyon Lake
When:05/17/08
Caught:A lot of Trout
Technique:Power Bait Flies
Comments:I had a great morning 13-16in. I Limed out in two hour’s. The best fishin on the Rim. I have fished all the Rim lake this year, and this lake is hot !!!!
Name:Tommy Krauter
Where:Bear Canyon
When:04/23/08
Caught:Limit of trout
Technique:Hit on yellow Rooster Tail, Berkley Gulp, and silver spoons. Took about 4 hours
Comments:Still some snow on the trail and banks. Road in being graded
Name:Jeff
Where:Bear Canyon Lake
When:05/03/08
Caught:Rainbow trout
Technique:Nightcrawlers and powerbait off of the bottom
Comments:My two sons and I caught 6 fish in about five hours of fishing.
Name:Adam Hammond
BLACK CANYON LAKE –- Main access roads are open and fishing is fair. The lake is full and spilling. Recent netting revealed lots of illegally stocked largemouth bass and some nice sized rainbow trout (up to 2 pounds). The lake was stocked last week with catchable size rainbow trout.
Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Super Dupers, Z-rays, spoons, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms and wooly buggers, and Yeager buggers. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only.
Where:Black Canyon Lake
When:05/08/08
Caught:16” inch Rainbow Trout
Technique:set-up with a bobber with the hook about two feet and the fundamentals, good old fashion worm.
Name:Chris Spaziano
BLUE RIDGE – Open and accessible. The lake is spilling. Expect larger hold-over trout. This is a deep canyon lake that is tough for shore angling, but great for small boats and canoes, or float tubes.
Where:Blue Ridge Reservoir
When:05/18/08
Caught:Rainbows
Technique:Trolling with worms
Comments:My wife & I landed and released 8 stockers (9″ to 10″) but definitely had fun. Action picked up as the temps picked up toward midday. Lake is definitely full. Water temps are little cold for the larger ones just yet.
Name:Mike & Nancy
Where:Blue Ridge
When:04/27/08
Caught:Nothing
Technique:trolling with spinners, off shore with corn, worms, rainbow Power Bait
Comments:Not sure what the fish were doing that day- but they were NOT biting. Spent the entire day from 8 a.m.- 5p.m.– and never once got a bite. Name:Jennifer
KNOLL LAKE – The Forest Service 300 (Rim Road) is open. It should be decent for larger hold-over trout.
Where:Knoll Lake
When:05/10/08
Caught:3 hold over trout
Technique:drolling spinners, worms under a float and bottom fishing worms
Comments:Even with some snow left in the areas that never get direct sun light it is as dry as a well kept tender box up on the rim. Bark beatles are taking a real toll on the forest. Pray for rain.
Name:Jason Cowdry
WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE - Fishing is fair to good. The road is open and the lake is full. The boat ramp is accessible. The lake was stocked with catchable size rainbow trout. Anglers have been catching trout trolling lures. Trout have been active at the surface down to 15 feet. Try worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as Z-rays, spinners, and Rapalas, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, wooly buggers, Yeager buggers, and nymphs in black, brown, or green colors. The lake is open to electric trolling motors and/or up to 10 hp. gas motors. Recent electro-fishing surveys revealed lots of nice sized smallmouth bass, up to 15 inches, and largemouth bass, up to 21 inches, lots of small rainbow trout and one large 7pound brown trout.
Angler reports:
Joel Mielke: Sat 05/17/08 at Willow Springs Lake. Marina (my wife) and me caught 32 trout in 6 hours fishing from a small boat and using worms as bait. The average was 9-10 inches, some were 6-inch, and some were foot-long. Kept three nice foot-longs, left the rest for the Memorial Day crowd. Here’s a pic of Marina fishing while she reclined and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Good times! Thanks AZGFD!! Keep up the good work. - Joel
PS. I tried a new fillet technique that I saw on Youtube. It really was just as easy as this guy makes it look! I flipped the trout over and used the same technique on the other side. Fast, easy and who can resist a sautéed trout fillet? Here’s his demo video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtuOGdt-GWw
Where:Willow Springs Lake
When:05/12/08
Caught:4 trout
Technique:Power worms
Comments:Fish not interested in salmon eggs or flies at all. VERY SLOW fishing!
WOODS CANYON – Stocked weekly. Fishing is very good. Anglers are catching carryover trout to 1.5 pounds using corn or worms near the dam. Boat anglers are catching trout by trolling KastMasters and Panther Martins. The lake was stocked with catchable size rainbow trout last week. Trout have been active at the surface down to 10 feet. Try worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as spinners, small spoons (Super Dupers, and Z-rays), and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly worms and wooly buggers, Yeager buggers, Peacock ladies, and nymphs in black, brown, or green colors. The lake is open to electric trolling motors only..
Angler report:
Marty Nelson: Took my Twin boys, Chase and Gavin fishing for the first time. 5/9/2007 (Woods Canyon) Caught 12 trout in 3 hours all on spinners, No bites on Power Bait.
Where:Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/15/08
Caught:
Rainbow Trout
Technique:
Weighted bobber w/#10 hook 4′ below it using worms.
Comments:Was windy at times but still caught fish near the spillway between 9am & 12pm.
Name:Rick & Steve
Where:Woods Canyon
When:05/10/08
Caught:About 30 trout
Technique:We used small roster and panther martins gold and silver spinners the smaller the better. We also used small spoons in numerous colors. Used a float and small fly to catch fish that were slurping at bait rather than striking.
Comments:Found several spots throughout the lake were spawning of trout was taking place. Spawn was being released from females while trying to take hooks out of females mouths.
Where:woods canyon lake
When:05/13/08
Caught:trout
Technique:only fly fishing
Comments:nice rainbow trout:12-20′,catch&release
Name:catalin
Where:Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/15/08
Caught:Rainbow Trout
Technique:Fished from kayak and trolled close to shoreline in the morning - Super Dupers, spinners and Wooly Buggers were working great! Caught and released some holdovers and small ones. Biggest was a 20″ Rainbow on a Super Duper.
Comments:Weather was great. Even a little rain was pleasant around noon. Everyone on shore seemed to be catching trout on bait. All in all, as always, a great time on the lake!
Name:Ed Elefante
Where:Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/10/08
Caught:Rainbow Trout
Technique:Every Power Bait they make !
Comments:Fishing was terrible ! Fished for 8 hrs and got one very small fish ! Don’t know where all the good fish that everyone has been talking about !
Name:BJ Scheller
Where:woods canyon
When:05/08/08
Caught:trout
Technique:yellow humpy with beaded gold hairs ear nymph
Comments:I caught and released 20 fish, while flyfishing from a float tube. There were time I was catching fish on every cast. Unfortunately, the stockers have taken over and most fish were 10 inchers with some 12 inchers mixed in, but I’ll take any size fish it’s fun all the same.
Name:Brent
Where:woods canyon lake
When:05/12/08
Caught:rainbow trout
Technique:trolling crick hoppers and caught 4 trout clear water but cold and good fishing !! 2 were stockys and 2 were hold over
Comments:love fishing there !!
Name:brandon
Where:Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/03/08
Caught:3 Rainbow Trout
Technique:1 on nightcrawler on the bottom. 2 on mealworms on the bottom.
Comments:2 1/2 hours mid day produced these three fish from shore. 1 to 2 fish per angler seemed average. Ours were all 10-11 inches. Fishing on the bottom was the key.
Name:Kelly, Mitchell, and Tanner
