WILLIAMS LAKES:
WILLIAMS LAKES:
KAIBAB LAKE — Campground area is closed.

CATARACT LAKE — Campgrounds are closed. Must walk in to fish

CITY RESERVOIR —   No report.

DOGTOWN LAKE — Campground area is closed.

JD DAM — Road is open.

RUSSEL TANK – No reports.

SANTA FE — Lake is full.

WHITEHORSE LAKE — Campgrounds are closed.  Must walk in to fish.

Where:white horse lake
When:11/15/08
Caught:trout
Technique:meal worms with a bobber
Comments:caught and released our limit. Kids enjoyed the bike ride in and want to return soon.
Name:Sonny Smith

FLAGSTAFF LAKES:

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

UPPER LAKE MARY — The lake is full.

Where:Upper Lake Mary
When:11/23/08
Caught:One Northern Pike
Technique:Frozen Anchovy
Comments:I fished Saturday, Sunday and part of Monday and caught the pike on an anchovy near the dam. It was about 16 inches long and seemed well fed with lots of color. What I would like to know is why I didn’t catch or even hook any yellow perch although I also fished with night crawlers much of the time. I fished all along the northern side of Lake Mary including the dam area. Where were the perch and what were they doing? The water temperature was, on my thermometer, 44 degrees. Thanks I didn’t see others catch anything either. Of course as always the lake and surrounding country side was very beautiful, especially around five thirty on Saturday when strange sounds from most probably disturbed elk could be heard from the opposite of the lake. Quite eerie and definitely very interesting and since I was by myself a little scary. Once again thanks for your web site.
Name:Ron Redlin

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

FRANCIS SHORT POND – Stocked last week.

KINNIKINICK LAKE — Road was still open last weekend.

Where:Kinnikinkick
When:11/25/08
Caught:3 lb. Rainbow
Technique:Secret Formula
Comments:Two bald eagles greeted me at the entrance. I had the entire lake to myself. Fished the east side by the dead tree in the water, all hits and catches within 10 feet of shoreline.
Name:Thom Rogers

MARSHALL LAKE —  Road was still open last weekend. No Fish.

OAK CREEK — Fishing is fair. A few small rainbow trout are being caught on flies.  This may be the tail end of the brown trout spawn.

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. Has been stocked this season.

WEST CLEAR CREEK —   No report.  Has been stocked this season.

STONEMAN LAKE — NO FISH.

BLUE RIDGE —  Road was still open last weekend.

KNOLL LAKE — No report.

Verde Valley

DEAD HORSE STATE PARK – Fishing in general has been fair to good.  Trout were stocked last the last two weeks and are scheduled to be stocked this week (Dec. 1).  3,033 rainbow trout were split between the lower and middle lagoons.  Look for the fishing to be really good following the stocking.  Try using Power Bait or small spinners.  Catfish were last stocked on Sept. 17 in both the middle and lower lagoons.  Verde River day festivities on Sept.  27  were a success with around 300 people attending.  Try using small plastic jigs, plastic worms, or small spinnerbaits near deeper cover for bass.  The catfish bite has been good 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) –Stockings are scheduled for next week (Dec. 8).  Rainbow Trout were stocked two weeks ago.  There were 2,400 rainbows stocked into our four sites.  Those sites are Tuzigoot Bridge, just down from the Dead Horse Bridge or “Jacks”, Bignotti Beach or the Thousand Trails site, and the bridge out of Camp Verde.   Channel catfish action has been fair 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.

Prescott Area

FAIN LAKE — Trout were stocked on Nov. 4 and are scheduled to be stocked again this week (Dec.1). 1,000 rainbow trout went in without a hitch. Anglers targeting trout were successful. Trout fishing is best immediately following the stocking.  Power Bait is usually the hot ticket.  The next stockings are scheduled for the week of Dec. 1.  Catfish and sunfish were stocked the week of June 23.  Anglers are still having some limited success catching some of those catfish, but it is fairly slow.  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.  For trout try using spinners or bright colored Power Bait.

GOLDWATER LAKE —Trout were stocked on Nov. 11 with 1,350 plus incentive sized trout were put in around the boat launch.  So some 1-2 pounders could be waiting for you at Goldwater.  This was the last scheduled stocking until the spring.  Catfish and bass were stocked the week of Sept. 15.  Trout seem to be biting pretty good, as well as some of the catfish and bass.  You may want to try using KastMasters.  If that does not work, try worms or Power Bait.  Night crawlers are the ticket for the catfish, the trick is to float the night crawler off the bottom a little so the crayfish don’t get it.  You can either inflate your night crawler or you can use marshmallows.  Some days the fishing seems to be better than other days as well.

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 hotdog and an 11-pound catfish was caught since then.  While the number of catfish is low, the quality is exceptional.  Bluegills were stocked Feb 25.

Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Goldwater on Sept. 16, 2008  and found the trout and sunfish plentiful. While the number of catfish was low, the quality was exceptional. One 19lbs and a 14lbs catfish was sampled and released. No bass were sampled this year. If you fish Goldwater and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

Granite Basin – Bluegill and bass are plentiful in this lake.  The aquatic vegetation has not been bad this year making fishing this lake easier than normal. The bite should be pretty slow all winter.  If you fish Granite Basin and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
LYNX LAKE — Rainbow trout were stocked November 4th.  This was the last scheduled stocking until the spring.  Sub-catchable brook trout were stocked on Sept. 24.  The trout fishing picked up a little following the last stocking.  Salmon colored Power Bait was working for some.  Trout were seen cruising near the surface and jumping, so you may want to fish under a bobber or with spinners near the surface.  Most anglers are having success on worms.  Some anglers were having luck in about 18-feet of water near the spillway at the dam using night crawlers.  Some of the brook trout that were stocked in February are still showing up.  Try using chartreuse Power Bait on the bottom for these pretty little fish.  Catfish were stocked June 9 and again on June 25.  Try using night crawlers or hot dogs for the catfish.

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.

Where:Lynx Lake
When:12/02/08
Caught:Rainbow Trout
Technique:Casting gold z-ray from shore – slow retrieve. Bite started around 4pm and continued till park closed.
Comments:Caught and released about a dozen rainbow trout using gold lures and spoons. Best results using Super Dupers and Z-Rays. Think Gold
Name:Alex

MINGUS LAKE – Mingus was stocked the week of Oct. 20.  This was the last scheduled stocking until spring.  The best bait has been orange or pink Power Bait, fished on the bottom with a treble hook and an egg sinker. Fishermen using night crawlers grass hoppers and flies have also reported doing well.

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 at 1-800-352-0700.  Illegal stockings cost YOU money!

WATSON – NO NEW REPORTS: Bass, Bluegill and catfish are common in this lake. One angler reported seeing several 5-pound catfish recently.  Another angler reported catching 3-8 nice bass per evening on green or chartreuse “wooly buggers.”  As the water begins to cool this will slow, so get them while you can.  Crappies are found in low numbers. Bullheads are easily caught using a small piece of worm.

Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Watson on Sept. 17,  and found the bass,  sunfish, and bullhead to be plentiful.  Crappies are also doing well.  Look for the crappie fishing to pick up in a year or two. If you fish Watson and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR – NO NEW REPORTS: Bass, bluegill, and bullhead are plentiful.  Most of the bluegills are on the small side, but the bullhead are thick.  If you fish Willow and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.