NORTH CENTRAL MOUNTAINS

Note:  Northern Pike have been illegally stocked in Francis Short.  If you catch a Northern Pike at Francis Short Pond please REMOVE IT FROM THE POND.

WILLIAMS LAKES:
KAIBAB LAKE — Campground area is open.  Fishing was fair over the weekend.  Try Pistol Petes for crappie and worms for catfish and trout.   Some larger catfish are being caught on worms and Power Bait

CATARACT LAKE — Campground is open. Some larger catfish are being caught on worms and Power Bait. Stocked with catfish.

CITY RESERVOIR — Road is open. Lake is full. Stocked with catfish.

DOGTOWN LAKE — Campground area is open. Lots of folks are catching crayfish.   Some browns are being caught on lures.

JD DAM — Road is open.

RUSSEL TANK – Has been stocked

SANTA FE — Lake is full. Anglers are catching trout and yellow perch.  Stocked with catfish

WHITEHORSE LAKE — No report from anglers. Campground area is open.

FLAGSTAFF LAKES:

LOWER LAKE MARY — A fish kill has occurred. There may not be any fish left.

UPPER LAKE MARY — The lake is full. Some pike are being caught on anchovies.

ASHURST LAKE —  The lake is full, the road is open.  Stocked last week.

FRANCIS SHORT POND – A fish kill has occurred earlier in summer due to an algal bloom thatreduced oxygen levels in the water.  Some fish survived the kill, but fishing will be tough until the lake gets stocked after water quality improves.

KINNIKINICK LAKE — Road Open.  Some large brown trout and one large Rainbow were stocked in the lake.

MARSHALL LAKE —  Road Open.

OAK CREEK — Fishing is fair. A few small rainbow trout are being caught on flies. Scheduled to be stocked this week.  A 10-year-old boy caught a 4.59-pound brown trout on the creek recently.

LONG LAKE — Lake is open.  Water level is good.  Lake has been stocked.

SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX — Lakes are open. No report.

BEAVER CREEK —   No report.

WEST CLEAR CREEK —   No report.

STONEMAN LAKE — NO FISH.

MINGUS LAKE – The seasonal gate across the access road is open. Mingus was stocked on June 16.  This was the last scheduled stocking until the first week in September.  The best bait has been white Power Bait, fished on the bottom with a treble hook and an egg sinker. Fishermen using night crawlers under a bobber are also having some success more than one month after the last stocking.  Look for the fishing to be pretty slow until September.

Someone illegally stocked yellow bullhead into Mingus several years ago.  These fish compete directly with the trout and keep growth rates very low.  If you witness anyone, anywhere, moving fish like bass, bluegill, catfish and stocking them, please report it to our Operation Game Thief Hotline.  Illegal stockings cost YOU money!

DEAD HORSE STATE PARK –Largemouth bass fishing has picked up a little.  Try using small plastic jigs, plastic worms, or small spinnerbaits near deeper cover.  Catfish stocked June 9.  The catfish bite has been fair in the evening. Some angler’s are having limited success in the day.
Bluegills are very abundant, but most are small.  This is a great opportunity to teach kids how to fish.  Try using a No. 12 hook with a small piece of worm under a bobber and you should have success.  While the crappie numbers are up a little, most are small.  Look for the crappie fishing to be good late this year or next year.

VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) – Channel catfish action is starting to pick up in the Verde Valley. Most success on catfish is by using night crawlers and chicken liver after dusk.  Look for the bass to be biting early morning and in the evening.

LYNX LAKE — Catfish were stocked June 9 and again on June 25.  Trout were stocked the week of June 16.  This was the last scheduled stocking until the fall. The fishing has been slow.  For now, some veteran anglers report limited trout still biting.  Some of the brook trout that were stocked in February are showing up.  Try using chartreuse Power Bait on the bottom for these pretty little fish.  Try using night crawlers or hot dogs  for the catfish.  Look for the fishing to pick up following the trout stocking the first week in September.

Game and Fish Biologists installed PVC fish structures on Jan. 3.  These structures should protect small fishes from predation. Some 7-inch brook trout were in February and 5-inchers in September. Game and Fish stocked catfish the week of June 4. There were 200 pounds of bluegill stocked on March 29. Game and Fish biologists surveyed Lynx in May and found that the brook trout stocked in September 2006 were still present.

FAIN LAKE — No new reports. Catfish and sunfish were stocked the week of June 23.  Try using night crawlers for the catfish.  The sunfish will bite on meal worms or small worms.  Panther Martins are working well for the sunfish.  The lake has some debris from the recent rains.  Fain lake was last stocked with rainbow trout the week of June 16.  This is the last trout stocking scheduled until September. For trout, try using spinners or bright colored power bait.  Fain lake was stocked with brook trout on Feb. 25.

GOLDWATER LAKE — Trout were stocked last week, the week of Aug. 18.  You may want to try using small KastMasters. If that does not work you may try worms or Power Bait.  Early in the morning and in the evening the bite may be a little better. Some days the fishing seems to be better than other days as well.

Bluegills were stocked Feb 25.  Game and Fish biologists weighed a 22-pound channel catfish that was caught at Goldwater in March.   On July 11  a 26-pound catfish was caught on a hot dog and an 11-pound catfish has been caught since then.  While the number of catfish is low, the quality is exceptional.

Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Goldwater during the middle of May 2007 and found the trout and sunfish plentiful. While the number of catfish and bass was low, the quality was exceptional. One 16-pound catfish was sampled and released. The bass averaged about 3.5 pounds. On March 29, 2007, there were 400 pounds of bluegill stocked. These fish were hand-sized and should be easily caught.  Try using worms or mealworms on a bobber.  Small spinners may work as well. If you fish Goldwater and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.