Arizona fishing report: The Reel Deal

The incentive trout that we’ve been talking about for a couple weeks have just been stocked into Community waters. Anglers can count on fishing for them this weekend in our “core” Community fishing waters. These larger-than-average rainbow trout average around 1 pound. If you catch one, send a picture and report to BFishing@azgfd.gov, and we’ll do our best to show it off.

Speaking of lunkers, we have our first 10-pound Club member for our new Hawg Bass Challenge. See the Catch of the Week below. There’s also a new Fat Cat Challenge.

Some good news from Roosevelt Lake: this impoundment on the Salt River-chain is rising slowly due to water flowing into the lake from storms and run-off.  As is the case at most of our state’s desert impoundments, water temperatures have been hovering in the low-50s. The metabolism of bass will remain slow until early-spring conditions raise water temperature back above 60 degrees. Fish deep and with slow presentations.

White Mountains update

Highways 273 and 261 are closed for the winter. Some lakes at the higher elevations, including around Show Low and Pinetop, are ice covered or partially ice covered. Anglers should always check ice conditions before fishing.

Lower elevation lakes such as Concho, Lyman, and Clear Creek Reservoir may or may not have ice. This time of year, the ice frequently goes on and off (and on and off) at the lower and middle elevations (less than 7,500 feet in elevation). All these lakes should be considered unsafe at all times.

At lakes above 7,500 feet in elevation, anglers should check ice conditions before heading out, but should count on not finding open water at this time. Read a full report.

Catch of the Week

Send your fishing reports and photos to BFishing@azgfd.gov —
one will be selected for Catch of the Week

Roper Lake

Christopher T. caught this 10.38-pound largemouth bass on Sunday, Jan. 3 at Roper Lake. “Fished for two days and this was the only bite I got,” he wrote.

He said he used a WOO! tungsten 3/4-oz flipping weight and a black-and-blue Pitboss, flipping about 3 feet into tullies.

As part of the 10-pound club, Christopher will receive a 10-pound club fishing shirt, AZ Hawg Bass Challenge artwork and be entered into a drawing to be held during February of each year for a prize valued at more than $1,000. He also made the Brag Board!

This week’s scheduled stockings

Rainbow trout: “Core” Community waters, Parker Canyon Lake, Patagonia Lake, Apache Lake, Lower Salt River, Watson Lake, Fain Lake.

See the stocking schedules.

Grab a license online (that helps conserve all species of wildlife, not to mention provides funding that goes back into fishing opportunities) and go “Fish AZ”.

SEE MORE REPORTS