Warm weather has caused some snow melt, creating unusual early-season runoff. Rivers and streams in central Arizona are mostly running at spring-like or near-spring-like levels right now, filling many lakes with water and nutrients. This can temporarily slow down the bite in some reservoirs.

However, some experienced anglers are already fishing the streams flowing off the Mogollon Rim and catching some nice holdover fish despite the turbid waters. This early melt may result in the great spring trout fishing commencing even earlier this spring, so keep a watch on the reports.

The Salt River lake complex is already 99-percent full even before the normal spring runoff. This has resulted in early-season water releases (currently 425 cfs versus the norm of 8 cfs this time of year) from Stewart Mountain Dam (Saguaro Lake), allowing us to stock the upper reaches of the Lower Salt River about two months early this year.

What a super fishing bonus right before the Super Bowl. Now the entire 14-mile length of the Lower Salt is available for fishing. We stocked the Water Users Area (just below the dam where the tubers put in) and the Blue Point Bridge (the only Verde River crossing for Bush Highway) with rainbow trout last week.

We will stock every two weeks from now through the tail end of spring when water temperatures increase and dissolved oxygen levels decrease. This is shaping up to be our best trout fishing season here since 2005.

Because of the overly-abundant food supply (lots of insect larvae etc.), the trout will grow super fast here. The hold-over trout not readily caught will look like small footballs in a month or so, so keep this fishery close on you’re A-list. Don’t forget your Tonto National Forest special use area pass (call the Forest Service, not us).

With the increased popularity of fishing pontoons, float tubes, kayaks and other self-propelled fishing devices, lots of anglers should be able to take advantage of this primo opportunity to fish this interesting stretch of river from the Water Users to Blue Point Bridge. Obviously, two vehicles or some creative transportation solutions are needed for this fishing adventure close to home.

Another piece of good news is Alamo Lake – it is turning on for bass and crappie. This large bowl-like shallow lake at the bottom of a huge bow-like desert basin is often the state’s early-bird fishing hole. When Alamo isn’t windy, it can provide some of the state’s best crappie and bass fishing on any given day.

However, because it is a huge bowl, when the winds blow, there aren’t a lot of sheltered places to hide at Alamo. By the way, some anglers have caught lots of channel catfish here. If you are looking for a Super Bowl fish fry, give this lake (or Saguaro) a try. Live minnows can be the ticket for crappies and channels, so fish from 15 feet to the bottom, or both at the same time if you use two hooks.

The Alamo Lake clean-up is slated for Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the state parks will wave the user and/or camping fee for those signed up for the clean up. Dinner and a raffle will be held Saturday night for the participants. You can also camp out with everyone on Friday night. It’s become quite an annual social gathering. Bring gloves – you’ll need them. For more information, contact Wildlife Manager Stew Kohnke at (928) 684-3763.

Other early-bird fisheries include Havasu, Martinez (lower Colorado River backwater), and Saguaro. Saguaro has been low lately for largemouth bass, but anglers have been catching plenty of yellow bass. This can also be an excellent late-winter fishery for channel catfish.

Another shallow lake that has been producing some decent action lately (mostly trout) is Tempe Town Lake (it is being stocked again this week). First and last light are the best times for trout, but this amazing impoundment between inflatable dams also has largemouth bass, yellow bass, catfish and carp. As the day progresses, switch gears and target warmwater species.

Be sure to fish Tempe Town Lake whenever you can and don’t worry so much about doing catch-and-release. Here’s why. The Salt River system is already 99-percent full even before the major spring runoff hits. It is entirely likely that lots of water will be running over the Granite Reef Diversion Dam some time this spring and filling the Salt River channel, which means they will have to lower the inflatable dams for Tempe Town Lake (just like in 2005), sweeping lots of fish downstream toward Buckeye, Gila Bend and beyond. That’s not really bad news; good runoff is a sign of great fishing to come once the flows subside. Who knows, maybe Gila Bend and Painted Rock Lake (normally dry) will become a fishing hot spot this year; not likely, but could happen.

On a down note, it looks like our former winter fishing hot spot – Lake Pleasant – has finally turned off, but it has sure had a long productive run for stripers from last summer to the opening days of 2009. Right now, anglers are reporting an ugly algae bloom and unresponsive fish.

On the upside, Pleasant received superb flows the days following Christmas. That nutrient loading may be a factor in the current algae bloom. But look for this lake to turn back on once the stripers get in their spawning mode (any time now). If another storm event causes the Agua Fria River to flow, hordes of striped bass will surge into the inflows to spawn.

For the interim, anglers at Pleasant may want to switch to targeting largemouth bass sunning themselves in the shallows of the northern coves in late afternoons during non windy days, or going for smallmouth bass along rocky areas when the breeze kicks up.

Another superb winter fishing spot while the high-pressure dome sits over the state is Lees Ferry. The wild rainbow trout are spawning. The fish are fat, strong and healthy. This might be some of the best iceless winter trout fishing right now in all of North America. Give it a try.

So go catch some super memories. Maybe I’ll see you out there.

By the way, here is a note from a happy transplanted angler from a sister state:

This is not really a fishing report. I just need a venue to say thanks to the Arizona Game and Fish.

Like many here, I came from a “different” state.  Mine was west of here and the service was not very good.

Let’s all thank AGFD for the excellent services that are provided and also the reasonable fees charged. If you are a transplant then you understand my reasoning.

Steve Weston
Along the Colorado River………..