Note:  Always check on road conditions before venturing afield.

Williams Lakes:

KAIBAB LAKE —  Lake is accessible via four-wheel drive vehicles, and the lake is only half-covered with ice (as of last weekend), and the fishing was decent. These early season trout will sometimes readily gulp down delectable items they haven’t seen for some time, like wiggling night crawlers or meal worms.

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

CITY RESERVOIR — No report.

DOGTOWN LAKE — Campground area is closed.

JD DAM — No reports.

RUSSEL TANK – No reports.

SANTA FE — Lake is full. No reports

WHITEHORSE LAKE — Campgrounds are closed. No reports.
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.

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 – 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 week of Feb. 9);  3,600 rainbow trout are split between the lower and middle lagoons each stocking.  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, home made dough baits, flies 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.  As the water temperature continues to cool, the bass, bluegill and catfish become less active.

VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) –Trout are scheduled to be stocked this week, the week of Feb 16; 2,400 rainbows will be stocked into all four sites.  Those sites are Tuzigoot Bridge, just down from the Deadhorse Bridge or “Jacks”, Bignotti Beach or the Thousand Trails site, and the bridge out of Camp Verde.   The next stocking is scheduled for the week of Feb. 16.

Prescott Area

FAIN LAKE — Trout were stocked last week, the week of Feb 9; 1,325 rainbow trout went in without a hitch. Trout  are scheduled to be stocked again the week of Feb 23.    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 stocking resumes this week, the week of Feb. 16.  Look for the fishing to really pick up following the stocking.  You may want to try using KastMasters. If that does not work, try worms or Power Bait.  Try fishing different times of the day. When the weather is cold, the bite may not pick up until 10 or 11.

Catfish and bass were stocked the week of Sept. 15.  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.

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 the week of Feb. 2.  The fishing has picked up following the stocking, but angler use has remained low.  Sub-catchable brook trout were stocked on Sept. 24.  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.

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 “wooly 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.  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 bullheads 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.