Note:  Always check on road conditions before venturing afield.

Williams Lakes:

KAIBAB LAKE — This is the fishing hot spot for the area — it’s the only one truly fishable. Kaibab was tocked last week with 7,200 trout around eight inches long.

The lake is accessible although the campground is still closed. 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.

Try night crawlers, Power Bait, small spinners, small spoons or Rapalas.

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 —  Stocked on March 4 with 1,000 rainbows, which is the first installment of 15,000 trout heading to this lake (was scheduled for another installment March 6).

The lake size is about 50 surface acres now, but snow melt should increase its size by the prime spring fishing season. Biologists are expecting good things from this highly productive lake this season.

UPPER LAKE MARY — The lake is almost full (four feet down).

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 — The lake did have open water a few weeks ago, but access may be questionable.  Water level is good.  Lake was stocked last year.  This lake was producing some nice trout and pike last fall, so might be worth a try this spring once the snow melts and the roads are passable.
SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX — No reports.

BEAVER CREEK —  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 — Very little water, NO FISH.

Verde Valley

DEAD HORSE STATE PARK – Stocked this week. Fishing in general has been very good.  It is not uncommon for  anglers to report catching their limit in less than 1 hour.  If you are willing to fish all day you should be able to get a limit. The stockings have been so frequent that any day is a good day to fish, even the day before the stockings.  Try using white PowerBait, homemade dough baits, flies or small spinners.    If you’re not catching anything you may want to try a different bait or the other lagoon.  It is not uncommon for the anglers at one lagoon to do better than the anglers at the other lagoon.

Catfish were last stocked on September 17th in both the middle and lower lagoons.  Verde River day festivities on September  27th  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) –T rout were scheduled to be stocked this week, with 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.

Prescott Area

FAIN LAKE — Fain lake will be closed for most of the day on Thursday while Prescott Valley Parks removes cattails.  Trout were stocked last week, the week of Feb 23;  1,325 rainbow trout went in without a hitch.  Anglers targeting trout were successful. Trout fishing is best immediately following the stocking.  For trout try using spinners or bright colored Power Bait.
Catfish and sunfish were stocked the week of June 23.

GOLDWATER LAKE —  Trout were stocked this week, so fishing should be pretty good this weekend.

This is a day-use-only lake that is fun for families to fish. The next scheduled stocking is for the week of March 16.  Try worms or night crawlers for trout and sunfish.  If that does not work, you may want to try using KastMasters or spinners.

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 hot dog 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.  The next stocking is scheduled for next week, the week of March 9.  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 – As of last weekend, the gate was still closed on the road into this small fishery. 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 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, 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.