LAKE HAVASU — Lake Level 448.24

Report courtesy John Galbraith of Anglers Pro Shop
Lake Havasu City

Striped bass bite is fair with limits of medium size stripers coming on trolled cut anchovies rigged on a 2/0 hook, 3-4 ft. leader and a 1.5 to 3-ounce banana sinker or fish seeker used to keep the anchovy skipping on the bottom.  Bottom bouncers work well too.  Still some action during the dark hours of the morning using Stump Jumpers, Pointers and glow Sassy Shads around Thompson bay and south at Havasu Springs.

Smallmouth bass hitting red craw colored crankbaits and drop shotted curly-tail Robo Worms in oxblood or red craw colors fished in 8 to 20 feet of water.

Fishing report for courtesy Karen Coats, Sandpoint Bait and Tackle Shop: A few small–and I stress small–catfish are being taken at North Dyke in the Topock Marsh. Fishing news from the Topock Gorge is light. Striper action may be off, but the smallmouth and largemouth bass bite remains solid.

The smallmouth bass are in pre-spawn and expected to hit their stride soon. But alas, another chill befell our area which sent the water back down to 50 degrees. It isn’t as cold, so bass aficionados expect the temperature to be back up in no time.

Some anglers have been power fishing with white and chartreuse spinnerbaits and others have been using white swim baits. Still others prefer finesse fishing with motor oil colored plastic worms. Both techniques have been producing fish up to 4-pounds.
ALAMO LAKE – This is a bass and crappie hot spot. This warm weather has turned on the fishing – it’s time to fish this lake..

The large crappie flotilla should be active in the huge flats on the eastern end of the lake where the Bill Williams River enters the lake. The recent storm last week caused a slight increase in the inflows, but probably not enough to impact the bite. For crappies, try live minnows, Road Runners and 1/16-ounce jigs.

You might even find some largemouth bass staging for the spawn – it’s possible this time of year.

Also try for the abundant channel catfish. Live minnows might just be the ticket for these bottom feeders. Channel catfish here will also feed in the threadfin shad, and anglers using crankbaits can sometimes find catfish surprises on the end of their lines.

The annual Alamo Lake clean up is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 28 and the Arizona State Parks is waiving the camping and boat launch fees for those registered for this effort.

Participants are staying at the Cholla Campground and clean up boats will launch a the Cholla Launch Ramp as well. Please fee free to come and camp out on Friday night because the clean up will start at 8 a.m.

There will also be a dinner and door prices on Saturday evening following the clean up. It’s a lot of fun – come join us.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department will operate a pontoon boat for collecting shoreline litter, and will also have a dump truck to haul away the trash.

For more information, contact Wildlife Manager Stewart Kohnke at (928- 684-3763 or (928) 342-0091.

The following report is courtesy Mark Knapp, Alamo Lake State Park: Well folks, all in all fishing is pretty good out here. The lake is on the rise as I write this. Bass fishing turned on early this year. You can catch bass in 1 to 15 feet of water throwing training wheels (crankbaits and spinnerbaits)  I’m still holding my own with Wolly hog tails and 4-inch lizards. Watermelon green is still the hot ticket.

Crappie fishing is decent.  It’s hard to miss the flotilla in the upper end of the lake.  If you’re new at this type of fishing, there’s a couple of things to consider. First off, everyone is trolling in the same direction and has about 30 to 40 feet of line out behind each boat. If you go plowing through the middle of everyone, then have the nerve to throw out a marker buoy once you catch a fish, and  tell everyone else to stay out of there, then be prepared to be verbally abused and then some.  This happened this last weekend out here.  You talk about some honked off fisherman.  Try to play nice out there. The crappies are in 20 feet of water right now.  Any color roadrunner jig with a minnow trailer will work fine.

Cat fishing is really good in the upper end of the lake.  If you get up where the river is flowing in and throw night crawlers or stink bait you should be able to boat 8 to 10 cat fish.  Shore fishing is still kinda slow. Both ramps are in operation at this time.  The lake level is at 1,124ish with releases of 40 cfs, but is subject to change any day now.  That’s all I got.  Mark
Angler reports:

Where:lake alamo
When:02/07/09
Caught:large mouth bass
Technique:4”- SENKOS SMOKE WITH RED FLAKE RIGGED WACKY STYLE- ASO ORANGE COLORED CRAKS SHALLOW RUNNERS
Comments:ARRIVED LATE SATURDAY NITE STARTED FISHING AROUND 0730 SUNDAY POINTS AND INSIDE COVES WEST SIDE OF LAKE TOTAL FISH COUNT FOR TWO DAYS 83 BASS BIGGEST BASS 4LBS
Name:gary shanley

SOUTHWESTERN WATERS (Winter Outlook 2008-2009):

Winter Outlook 2009:

Alamo Lake:

Alamo Lake is not expected to increase much in surface acreage from its present 3,700 acres, as the Corps of Engineers changes its release regimes from Alamo Dam to maintain the reservoir at the targeted 1,125-foot level.

However, increased inflow into Alamo Lake brings in additional nutrients, which generally improves the fishery, sometimes dramatically. The largemouth bass and black crappie populations at Alamo Lake are currently healthy, and poised to benefit from an increased food supply.

The primary prey base of these species is the threadfin shad.  Increased nutrients in the system should stimulate the plankton community, upon which the shad feed.  This should, in turn, stimulate increased production of shad, which could be a very good thing for growing bass and crappie this year.

Bass numbers are good in Alamo Lake, but large bass are relatively uncommon.  Given abundant food resources, bass can grow quickly, and we are hoping the largemouth bass population will respond accordingly.  Regardless, the current lake elevation, resulting from the last two years of decent inflow, should ensure that fishing at Alamo Lake will be good to excellent for the next couple of years.
Lake Havasu & Topock Gorge:

Fishing for largemouth bass, as well as smallmouth bass, is expected to be fair. The size will range from 13 inches and up with an occasional fish greater than 4 pounds.  Striped bass will continue to be excellent for small fish (12-18 inches) with occasional fish over 8 pounds.

The lake is also full of smaller stripers, which will make it challenging to catch the larger fish.

Channel catfish as well as bluegill & redear sunfish will be fair to good. Flathead catfish fishing should be fair at the lower end of the lake (Bill Williams River Arm) through the fall. Sizes of flathead catfish can reach as high as 40 pounds. When fishing for them select the interior points in the coves and the areas where artificial structure has been placed.

The cooler weather causes the bite to slow down so it is important to work your lures more slowly and in deeper water.  Put away your topwater lures and switch to plastics, crank baits, spinner baits, jigs, cut fish, live shad, etc.

Colorado River (Parker Strip Area):

Smallmouth bass with fish over two pounds in size are expected to be fair this winter.  In addition, redear sunfish should also be fair in the pound plus sizes.   The Parker Strip is well known for its smallmouth bass fishing, especially in the area from the dam to several miles downstream.

The Parker Strip is also home to some really impressive, dinner-plate sized redear sunfish of two pounds or larger.  Channel and flathead catfish are always fair in this section of the Colorado River.  Below the dam, striper fishing should also be fair, using live shad or anchovies this winter.

This stretch of the river will be low during the month of January so access will be limited.  The good news is that the fish will be concentrated during that time period.

Colorado River (between Palo Verde Diversion Dam and Walter’s Camp):

This area should be fair for both smallmouth bass (in the channel) and largemouth bass (in the backwaters) throughout the entire area. Channel and flathead catfish are always fair to good in this section of the Colorado River. Most of the flathead catfish will be in the 2 to 5 pound size range with an occasional fish over 30 pounds. The time for fishing for both species of catfish is in the evening to midnight.

Colorado River (between Walter’s Camp and Picacho State Park):

This section of the Colorado River is relatively remote and can only be accessed by boat from either end. Fishing is expected to be fair to good for flathead catfish with sizes over 40 pounds. The best time for fishing for both species of catfish will be in the evening to midnight.  Largemouth bass and bluegill are also present in the various backwaters and slack water areas. Other species available in the main river are smallmouth bass and striped bass.

Colorado River (between Picacho State Park and Imperial Dam):

This area is expected to be fair to good for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and flathead catfish. Bass and channel catfish in excess of 5 pounds are present along with flathead catfish as large as 40 pounds. Bluegill are also present in the various backwaters and an occasional striped bass will be caught in the main river channel.

Colorado River (between Laguna and Morelos dams):

This area will be fair for largemouth bass and flathead catfish. Bass in excess of 5 pounds are common and flathead catfish over 20 pounds are a good bet. In this area accessibility to the river is dependent on the amount of water being released. Usually shallow draft boats work the best. The lower end has had some dredging work done and larger boats may be able to get on the river in that area.

With the increase in border issues and illegal activity on the lower end of this stretch, we recommend exercising extreme caution, avoiding nighttime use, or even staying away from the area altogether (Pilot Knob to Moreles Dam).
Regional Hot Spots:

Alamo Lake will be the hot spot for largemouth bass and channel catfish.  There are many fish in the lake at the present time (especially channel catfish), and keeping some to eat will not impact the population in the slightest, and will perhaps even enhance it.  Next choice would be Lake Havasu for striped bass, Lake Havasu and the Parker Strip for smallmouth bass, and Martinez Lake and Imperial Division backwaters for largemouth bass.   For the die-hard flathead catfish angler, large catfish can still be caught from Walter’s Camp down to Imperial Dam, although fishing likely won’t be as effective as in the warmer months.

If you need any additional information or assistance don’t hesitate to contact the Yuma Regional office at (928) 341-4052 and we will be happy to give you whatever information we have.