Arizona Lakes, Arizona Pros – Dean Farrell Definitely Knows How To Fish Lake Havasu
According to local anglers, the best times for a bass fisherman to visit Lake Havasu are January through May and then again in the fall. In the early part of the year, the low water level forces the fish to come out of the tules, so fishing improves in the Bill Williams River. Flipping black and blue or pumpkin jigs along the edges of the tules is a good way to catch these bass, and some anglers fish crankbaits parallel to the weed lines.
Where Tournaments Are Won
“If you find a fish on Havasu, it’s almost guaranteed to eat,” states Dean Farrell, a successful Arizona tournament fisherman. Dean likes to fish the north end of the lake, in the Colorado River. “If the river bite is going,” he declares, “that’s where tournaments are won.” The fish that live in the river are bigger and stronger from dealing with the current all the time, he explains. The river is good fishing off and on all year, and especially good when the water is up.
Anything With Red
When we were at Havasu with Dean, we started fishing rocky banks in the Colorado, throwing crankbaits and spinnerbaits along the shore and following up with jigs and worms. “Good colors here are anything with red on it, along with white and pink for plugs and spinnerbaits,” Dean says, and he prefers darker colors for worms and jigs.
Get Them To Take A Lure
Farrell keeps a 6″ purple and red hand-poured worm tied on at all times, on light line. When a bass comes out of the tules and hits his jig or spinnerbait without taking it, he tosses the little worm in. At Havasu, almost all the fishing is sight fishing. You can see the bass down in the water, and the trick is to get them to take a lure without scaring them away.
Crankbaits Good In Weedbeds
The whole lake has good weedbeds until the cold weather causes them to die off. Early in the year the weeds start to grow, and they sometimes get so thick that they block access to the backwaters by late summer. These weedbeds are good places to throw a crankbait, especially in warmer weather. Topwater lures fished over the weeds in summer are dynamite. One of the most popular topwater lures at Havasu is the Lucky Craft Sammy. This bait is fished with a “walk the dog” motion over weedbeds with explosive results.
In The Spring
In the spring, the backs of coves and the pockets in the rivers provide some of the best fishing. Sight fishing with Gitzits, and throwing buzzbaits or topwater plugs over weeds are two of the best producers. Jerkbaits on secondary points produce well, too, and so do Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits, and shad-colored Yamamoto Senkos.
Darker Means Deeper
Flipping or pitching to the tules is good almost all year long, and the trick is to find the most productive spots. Anglers are loathe to show you their favorite stretches, because in somecases they’ve spent years locating these good pieces of shoreline. The tules stretch out along the shore forever, and one way to find the places that hold fish is to throw a spinnerbait or crankbait along the edges and watch for fish to come out.
Another way to narrow down your choices is to look for darker water next to the tules. Darker means deeper and those spots are more likely to hold fish. If you see a fish, or get bit and miss it, stick around and fish the tules very thoroughly with a worm or a jig.
Avoids Summer Weekends
Farrell and most of the locals avoid fishing Havasu during the summer, especially on weekends. This is the height of the tourist season, and the lake is unbelievably busy. “You can almost walk from boat to boat,” states Farrell. California and Arizona residents swarm to the lake to see and be seen, and the lagoon that goes under the London Bridge is absolutely packed with boats and sunbathers.
A Good Lake Even Better
Weekdays during the summer are not as crowded, and anglers can boat some bass by getting on the water early to throw jigs and topwater lures along steep rock banks. Deeper grassbeds will also hold fish in summer, and jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, and split-shotting are a few of the techniques that will get them to bite.The habitat improvement program at Havasu has made a good lake even better, and with all the amenities available, Lake Havasu is one of the best places in the West to take a family vacation.
For The Time Of Your Life
In this tourist-oriented area, the people are very friendly and eager to please, so load up the tackle and the kids and get yourself to Lake Havasu for the time of your life.
Lake Havasu Boat Show 2019
Don’t miss this great event.
