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.
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
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
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:04/19/08
Caught:trout planters and hold over 12″ to 19″ 32 trout caught in 3 hours
Technique:slow deep trolling copper KastMaster copper super duper yellow Crickhopper
Comments:really windy but awesome fishing a lot of action caught a couple of 2.5 to 3 pound fat hold over trout
Name:Neil Pitcher
Where:Black Canyon Lake
When:05/03/08
Caught:None
Technique:Power Bait, worms, flies. Tried everything.
Comments:No one catching anything. Boats brought in a few. Very windy. Lake level very high, over the boat launch area. Water very cloudy. Wind a big factor.
Name:R Wilding
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
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.
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.
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:
Where:wood canyon lake
When:05/04/08
Caught:rainbow trout
Technique:blown up worms from the bottom
Comments:
caught 11 nice rainbows 7am-1pm including 1 18″. the rest were 12-14 ”
Name:
Don Smith
Where:Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/03/08
Caught:Rainbow Trout
Technique:Rainbow power bait, worms, flies. We tried everything we had.
Comments:Fishing was very poor. Shore fishing very slow and boaters trolling caught only a few. Lake is clear and cold, crawdads active.
Name:R Wilding
