Hot Spots For Various Species Are Noted
Tip Of The Week
Night fishing at many desert bass lakes has been excellent, and in the morning, many will be chasing bait. Try top-water lures and swim baits in the mornings. As the morning progresses, throw dropshot-rigged Roboworms (morning dawn with a chartreuse tip and red crawler are typically good colors). Anglers can target humps, points, boulders, reef signs and grass bottoms. Of course, locate the food source (shad, for example) and you’ve found the fish.
The Reel Deal
Let’s get right to some weekend Reel Deal hot spots —
Kinnikinick Lake
It’s being stocked with thousands of rainbow trout. This excellent fishery 38 miles southeast of Flagstaff is usually just stocked with brown trout in the fall. So far, thousands of rainbows have been stocked. More are coming.
Wet Beaver Creek
An angler reported fishing to be “unbelievably good” with consistent action on smaller bass.
Show Low Lake/Show Low Creek
Families can get some crayfish and stocked trout from the creek, just downstream of the lake, and then some of the large “supercatchable” trout from the lake. Fish 10-15 feet below the surface.
Lake Mead, Lake Powell, Lake Pleasant
It’s still a decent moon phase to drop submersible lights (and anchovies) at night. At Powell, an angler reported dropping spoons for shad in 40-80 feet of depth and hooking up with smallmouth bass, walleye and catfish, too. Top-water boil action is good, too.
Saguaro, Apache, Canyon Lakes
Go get some big largemouth bass. Marissa Mandigo this week caught a 7-pound, 15-ounce bass at Saguaro on a nightcrawler. Most anglers try deep diving crankbaits, or plastic worms Texas-rigged or with a dropshot.
Roosevelt Lake
Additional water has boosted action for these speckled crappie beauties. Jim Goughnour of Rim Country Custom Rods reported: “Most crappie anglers are fishing vertically using a John-Deere colored 2″ grub-tail in 20 to 25 feet deep water. A 1/8 ounce jig-head hook creates a slow fall rate which crappie like. Crappie will be in schools during this time of year near brush or rock structure. The size of the schools can vary, so anglers may need to find another school if the bite in one area begins to slow.”
Bartlett Lake
For flatties, it’s hard to beat Bartlett this time of the year. Try live bluegill or small carp as bait. Look for the deeper holes, especially up-lake where there is a little current. For bluegills, try the backs of rocky coves using nightcrawlers or meal worms on light tackle.
Parker Canyon Lake
Bluegill, anybody? Reports now say catching this tasty sunfish is excellent. The lake is 6.06 feet below the spillway so boaters should use caution on the ramp. Maybe you’ll stake out your own hot spot this next weekend.
Grab A License
Grab a license online (that helps conserve all species of wildlife, not to mention provides funding that goes back into fishing opportunities) and go.
