Arizona Fishing

Note: Mogollon Rim streams are flowing high. Access roads to Black Canyon, Willow Springs, Blue Ridge and Chevelon Canyon Lake are open. The road to Woods Canyon Lake will be open on Friday. Forest roads to Bear Canyon Lake (and Knoll Lake) are closed and snow packed. Contact the US Forest Service’s Black Mesa Ranger District office at (928) 535-4481 for information.

CHEVELON LAKE – This is a hike-in lake. 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.

Fishing is good. The lake is ice-free, full and spilling. Anglers have been catching good numbers of moderate size trout near the dam. Anglers are also doing very well 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 six 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.

BEAR CANYON LAKE - All access roads are closed and snow packed to the lake.

BLACK CANYON LAKE – The roads are now open and fishing is fair. The lake is ice free, full, and spilling. Recent netting revealed lots of largemouth bass and some nice sized rainbow trout (up to 2 pounds)

WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE - Fishing is fair. Stocked with 1,823 rainbow trout last week. The lake also has plentiful hold-over trout. The road is now open to the lake. The lake is ice-free and full. The boat ramp is accessible, however, the boat dock needs to be repaired.

Try worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as Z-rays, spinners, and Rapalas, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, wooly 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 netting revealed some small rainbow trout and a few largemouth bass.

Angler report:
I and my son were on the water at 10 a.m. fly fishing in float tubes. Noticed the lake was covered with floating ladybugs. Son used a peacock lady, I used a small grasshopper at first. There was nothing till around 2 p.m. as far as hits. Talked to several people who had caught a few from shore using worms and Power Bait. Then about 4 p.m., I caught four – one right after another. My son took three; all were in 12- to 14-inch range. Their stomachs were full of lady bugs. Lots of natural food for them but fishing was good after 4 p.m. and dropped off after six but was a good time. P.S
only one fish was a stocky. Thanks for your tips too — Mike

Where:Willow Springs
When:04/12/08
Caught:nothing
Technique:Tried all sorts of power bait, night crawlers, corn, salmon eggs. with bobbers, and on the bottom
Comments:It was very windy, and we didn’t see anyone catching fish. There were 7 of us in our group, and other than a couple of bites that amounted to nothing it was very slow. It was still great to be up in the mountains, can’t wait for Woods Canyon to open, to go fly fishing!!!!
Name:Brent Uffelman

WOODS CANYON LAKE - The road into Woods Canyon could open by this weekend. Call (928) 535-4481 before going.