SPRING FISHING HOT, HOT, HOT!
Don’t wait another day to go fishing.  Fishing activity at Urban Fishing Program lakes and ponds is excellent with anglers reporting nice stringers of catfish, aggressive bluegill and hybrid sunfish, some nice bass and a few remaining trout. Fish have been stocked three weeks in a row, with channel catfish stockings starting March 21, followed by hybrid sunfish March 27-28 and more catfish coming the week of March 31-April 5.  On top of all the stockings of big fish, the lakes are producing good action for largemouth bass, bluegill and redear sunfish as all three of these species are in spring spawning mode and moving close to shore.  Stockings of the 1- to 3-pound catfish will continue every two weeks through June.  So get out now during these cool spring days to enjoy fishing that is hot, hot, hot!

Urban Fishing Program Daily Bag and Possession Limits
Species; Lakes; Ponds; Minimum Size Limit

• Channel catfish; 4; 2; None
• Trout; 4; 2; None
• Bass; 2; 1; 13-inches (must release all bass under 13 inches)
• Sunfish (includes bluegill, redear and hybrid sunfish); 10; 5; None

Click here for a snap shot overview of the urban fishing regulations.

OVER 5,000 SUNFISH CAUGHT AT OUTDOOR EXPO
The Kids Fishing Tank at the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Outdoor Expo provided fun and excitement for over 1,400 kids last weekend.  Fish were biting non-stop all three days of this event held the March 28-30 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in northwest Phoenix.  The 6-8 inch feisty hybrid sunfish were the star of the show as over 5,000 fish were caught and released back into the tank.  Most every child caught from 3-15 fish each as the action was fast and furious.  For many kids, this was their first fish ever caught—creating memories that will last their lifetime.  The fish certainly earned their keep after being caught and released many times each day.  At the end of the Expo, the sore-lipped sunfish were stocked into three Urban waters in the northwest valley.

URBAN FISHING REPORT
Fishing for catfish is good to excellent, since stockings of the 15- to 20-inch fish began March 21.  Try shrimp, hotdogs or worms fished on the bottom for the channel cats.  Hybrid sunfish (cross between a bluegill and a green sunfish) were heavily stocked from March 27-28 into all lakes.  The 6- to 8-inch feisty sunfish are providing excellent fishing for anglers using meal worms, worms and small jigs.  At Green Valley lakes (Payson) fishing is good to excellent for trout with trout stockings scheduled to continue at this higher elevation lake until mid May.  Try PowerBait, worms or salmon eggs for the trout.  Largemouth bass and bluegill are actively biting entering their spawning period.  Please practice catch and release for all bass during this critical spawning period.  If kept, all bass must be at least 13 inches in length and limits are 2 bass in Urban Lakes or 1 bass in Urban Ponds.  Get a copy of the Arizona or Urban fishing regulations [PDF, 2.3mb] or note fish limits posted on Urban Fishing Program signs at all Urban waters.