Arizona Lake Fishing

Bass are predator fish and they follow schools of baitfish to prey on. So, if you can find the schools of baitfish, chances are pretty good that the bass are close by. But how do you locate the baitfish?

How to locate the baitfish and intern the big bass

1. Easiest to spot are the small minnows jumping out of the water and if your lucky swirls of bigger fish swimming close behind. If you see these tiny jumping fish, there is a school of baitfish swimming around just under them.
2. Loons also love baitfish. They feed on them regularly. The benefit of seeing loons feeding on fish is that they are easier to spot from a distance than jumping minnows. Follow the loons to the baitfish and the baitfish to the bass.
3. Gulls also prey on fish. You’ll often see them circling in one spot. This is a good place to head out and fish.
4. Herons are another bird species that prey on fish and are easy to spot in the air or on the shore.
5. If you see small dimples on the surface of the water chances are there is a school of shad near the surface. These dimples might look like little raindrops falling over a small are of water.
6. Use a depthfinder. On a depthfinder, a school of fish will look like a ball of solid mass.
7. And finally, when you see a group of boats fishing in one area, it’s probably a good spot to fish. Man also likes to prey on fish and they are very easy to spot in their boats with fishing poles.

So now you found the baitfish, what do you do?

Tips to use the baitfish to your advantage

• For your lure or bait selection, try to match the size and shape of the baitfish swimming around.
• Vary your depth to find the feeding fish (largemouth bass but also crappie, walleye, muskie, hybrids, white bass, striped bass)
• Get as close to the food source as possible to increase your odds of catching the fish you set out to catch.

Photo: Marabou Jig

Bellow you’ll find a how to step-by-step guide for tying a classic marabou jig. These are excellent jigs for fishing in freshwater around Arizona. Marabou jigs are especially good at catching trout, shad and crappie.

Small marabou jigs are great for catching crappie because the smaller jig will stay in the strike zone longer, where a larger jig can be used while trolling. Last week’s article I talk about using a Ford Fender for trolling. At the end of the Fender you want to add a lure. This would be a perfect use of a marabou jig.

How to Tie a Classic Marabou Jig

You will need:

• heavy duty thread and bobbin
• fly tying vise
• fly head cement
• zap a gap CA
• sharp x-acto knife
• jig heads
• marabou

Tying a Classic Marabou Jig

1. Add a small drop of zap a gap behind the head of the jig.
2. Wrap your thread over the zap a gap and down the shank of the jig (about 1/8″)
3. Now spin the hook up side down and bring the thread as close to the head as possible.
4. Take a piece of Marabou, pinch the end of the quill with your fingertip and run it down the feather to the tip.
5. While the feather is still pinched, lay it down onto the shank of the jig.
6. Leave a tag near the head so that you can pull the feather later in the process. Wrap the feather with 3 semi-tight wraps close to the head of the jig. You’re too tight if you can not pull the feather. You need to unwrap and do it again.
7. Pull the tag until the tip of the feather is about 1/2″ from the bed of the hook.
8. Now that your feather is in place, you’ll want to add several tight wraps to hold the feather in place.
9. Trim off the tag with your X-acto knife.
10. Rotate the jig back into normal position.
11. Add several more tight wraps.
12. At 1/8″ from the back of the jig head, start your finishing wraps and wrap towards the head.
13. Tie your knot and add a layer of head cement.

Fishing is relatively good at Alamo Lake. Anglers are reporting largemouth bass, channel catfish and carp are all being caught on – get this – WORMS! Who says you need to spend a small fortune on lures to catch fish these days?

The best fishing time is during the day, sun up to sun down between 7am and 5pm. Let the sun get up over the mountains and begin warming the air.

Channel cats are in high numbers this season, especially in the upper portion of the lake. Most tend to be on the small side around 2-3 pounds but there are some that can get up to 7 and 8 pounds.

Carp are also growing in numbers this season and are quickly becoming a favorite angling fish, requiring finesse and accuracy. There are several Arizona lakes for carp fishing and Alamo is one of the most popular.

Fishing at Topock Marsh has slowed since the water levels continue to go down through out the winter. With the lower water levels use caution when launching your boats.

Crappie fishing has picked up even with the lower water levels.

A recent study by game and fish biologists has revealed a strong and healthy population of largemouth bass, channel cats are also at a healthy population. Crappie were present but only in small numbers.

Water levels continue to rise for Lake Mohave but the fishing has slowed considerably, especially for striped bass.

If your trying to catch largemouth bass and crappie look for them near and around the newly installed fish habitats in Carp Cove and Box Cove. With the aquatic vegetation dying off these artificial structures provide them with much needed shelter. Also try in and around brush and submerged trees.

Katherine’s landing seems to be a hot spot for a few 5-15 pound stripers.

Water levels are up at Lake Mead but the fishing is only fair.

The stripers are relativly quiet but you might hook one with anchovies and if you fish bellow 40feet. The stripers that are being caught are a nice size and healthy.

Some largemouth bass are biting along with crappie.

Night fishing is a popular sport at Lake Mead, especially for striped bass. Get out on the lake at about 5pm with artificial lights.

Fishing Roosevelt Lake is a little slow this time of year. Mostly due to the fresh water flows from Tonto Creek and the Salt River but all this fresh water will pay in dividends this spring.

The Crappie Bite is OK

The crappie have moved into the main body of the lake but can easily be tracked down. The schools will look like upside down triangles on your graphs.

You can also find crappie hanging out under brush and fallen trees. They love wood.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park

Dead Horse Ranch State Park is on 423 acres of land, includes the Verde River and 80 miles of fishing opportunity.  Located near Cottonwood, Arizona on highway 260.

The Dead Horse Ranch lagoons are pooled bodies of water created by the Verde River and are regularly stocked by the AZ game & fish.

Fishing Dead Horse Ranch State Park

Fishing continues to be good and is a wonderful spot for family day and a picnic. Rainbow trout, sunfish (bluegill and crappie), Channel Catfish and Largemouth bass are all available to be caught.The lagoons have been recently stocked with over 3,000 rainbows.

Results are best for spinner and fly fishing. Spin anglers use powerbait, worms or small spinners. Fly anglers love to fish the Verde River and the state park.

Pay attention to bag limits

The bag limits at Dead Horse Ranch are different than other state parks. So keep them in mind when fishing.

• 4 catfish
• 4 trout
• 2 largemouth bass with a 13 inch minimum length
• 10 sunfish

Willow Springs Lake was stocked last week so we can expect the action to go up a little. The lake has gone down about 3 feet but fishing is fair to good.

Willow Springs offers an angler a full day of fishing. In the early morning you can fish for trout which have been active until about 10 am at a water depth of about 15 feet. Try worms, power bait, salmon eggs or lures like z-rays and spinners. At mid-morning you can troll the lake with a cowbell and relax. Early afternoon is the best time to fish for bass and crappie. And in the evening, trout will be active again.

Fly anglers use peacock ladies, wooly worms, wooly buggers or black nymphs.

For best results: Troll with a down rigger at about 2mph at 35-40 feet in the old creek channel.

Bluegill, crappie and bass are all biting at Green Valley lakes in Payson. Cooler waters from the many monsoons this summer have kept the fish active and biting.

For best results: Small jigs and worms on a bobber seems to be working for many urban anglers.