Note: Snow and rain, with more snow and rain. Access is likely difficult. Expect ice on the lakes, even if just around the rims.
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.
Flagstaff Lakes:

LOWER LAKE MARY — Dry, but with more precipitation, might fill again this coming season.

UPPER LAKE MARY — The lake is full but expect ice cover.

ASHURST LAKE — The lake is full. Access is apparently closed. Probably ice covered.

FRANCIS SHORT POND – No report. Likely ice covered.

KINNIKINICK LAKE — Access conditions unknown.  Road is likely closed.

MARSHALL LAKE — Access conditions unknown.  Road is likely closed.

OAK CREEK — Was running clear earlier this week. A storm front is expected by the weekend. A few small rainbow trout are being caught on flies.

LONG LAKE — Lake is open but access may be questionable.  Water level is good.  Lake has been stocked.  This lake was producing some nice trout and pike last fall, so might be worth a try this spring.

Where:Long Lake, Lake Mary, Ashurst
When:01/20/09
Caught:Not fishable
Technique:Imagination!!
Comments:Forest Service said the road to long lake was closed. Lake Mary is frozen over and Ashurst road is closed and snow covered. Good thing we live in Sedona.
Name:Chuck

SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX — No reports.

BEAVER CREEK — No report. Scheduled for stocking the week of March 9. It is possible to pick up some holdover trout in the creek well upstream from the crossing.

WEST CLEAR CREEK — No report. Was last stocked in the fall and won’t be stocked again until the week of March 9. However, this stream can have some nice holdover fish in the deeper pools upstream in the rugged canyon..

STONEMAN LAKE — NO FISH.

Verde Valley

DEAD HORSE STATE PARK – These ponds were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week. Fishing in general has been very good.  Some anglers are catching their limit in as little as 15 minutes. If you are willing to fish all day you should be able to get a limit.  Trout were stocked last week.  The stockings have been so frequent that any day is a good day to fish, even the day before the stockings.  Try using white Power Bait or small spinners.
VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) – Trout are scheduled to be stocked this week, the week of Feb 2nd.; 2,400 rainbows will be stocked into all 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.

Prescott Area

FAIN LAKE — Trout were last stocked the week of Jan. 20; 1,325 rainbow trout went in without a hitch.  Trout  are scheduled to be stocked again the week of Feb 9.

Anglers targeting trout were successful. Trout fishing is best immediately following the stocking.  Power Bait is usually the hot ticket.  Catfish and sunfish were stocked the week of June 23.  For trout try using spinners or bright colored Power Bait.

GOLDWATER LAKE —Trout are scheduled to be stocked the week of Feb. 16. The last trout stocking was Nov. 11.  You may want to try using KastMasters.  If that does not work, try worms or Power Bait.  Some days the fishing seems to be better than other days as well. Catfish and bass were stocked the week of Sept. 15th.

Where:Goldwater Lake
When:01/29/09
Caught:7 Chubby Trout
Technique:Split shot bounced off the bottom with half a night crawler. Also,Wollybugger, black sparkled, slow reel and twitch, light split shot.
Comments:Started about 10:30 am, slow till 11:30, only one taker. From noon to 2:30 had 2 to 3 flurries of multiple strikes. Afternoons seem best at this serene lake.
Name:Ron Gioia
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 are scheduled for stocking this week. Some of the brook trout stocked during winter last year 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.

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 5lb catfish recently.  Another angler reported catching 3-8 nice bass per evening on green or chartreuse “woolly bugers.”  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, 2008  and found the bass,  sunfish, and bullhead to be plentiful.  Crappie 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.