Arizona Lake Fishing

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.

West of Wickenburg, Alamo Lake is like a giant bowl. It’s easy to navigate at night and the only source of night sky light pollution is from camp lanterns along the hillside. Alamo Lake is perfect for the night angler and also the family star gazer.

Top water bass are busy at last light and first light.

This is also a great lake for bottom fishing for catfish and carp.

But night fishing for Crappie, this is the time to do it. June 3rd begins the dark side of the moon and perfect for some nocturnal fishing.

Trout fishing has slowed some. The best bet is to use corm kernels on a split shot sinker with about 3 feet under the bobber. Power bait is also working fished off the bottom with an egg sinker.

Largemouth bass fishing is fair but has picked up a little. Try small plastic jigs or worms. Small spinners are also working in deep cover.

Bluegills are hot right now but they are small. Same with the crappie. So it’s a good opportunity to get your kids out and teach them a few fishing techniques.

For the smaller fish try a #8 hook with a small piece of worm under a bobber about 2 - 3 feet.

Catfish will be stocked again in first week of June.

Lake elevation is 1,909 feet (95-percent full).

Channel catfish, largemouth bass, crappie, trout and small mouth bass are all being caught at Apache right now.

Go to the coves for the catfish or try Alder Creek.

For trout, try the cooler water near Horse Mesa Dam or by the fish habitat. Use power eggs.

Small mouth bass can be found near rocky shores.

Walleye were stocked at the end of April; 2.4 million walleye sac fry, to be exact. Walleye are biting the best. Try trolling with shad-patterned crank baits just off Bronco Creek.

Lake elevation is 1,796 feet, which is 98-percent full.

Fishing is fair to good with the bass biting. Use drop shot, blades, and lizards.

Crappie fishing is a little slow but some are biting. Go to the Yellow Cliffs for your best shot.

Best bet for largemouth - use a Carolina rig with jigs across the bottom.

Largemouth bass, crappie, and channel catfish are all looking good for fall fishing at Alamo Lake.

Largemouth bass are present in all sizes and fishing is expected to be excelent. Try using plastics in deeper water.

Crappie fishing is expected to be good to fair throughtout the fall and winer. Baits of all types should work right now.

Channel catfish fishing should continue to look good. Try any prepared catfish baits as well as chicken livers.

Both boat ramps are open for use. However, the store as the lake has closed for the winter. So you will need to vring everything with you.

Water elevation remains at 2,099 feet, which is 42-percent full.

Large mouth bass are biting during late morning. Try crankbaits and jerkbait.

Crappies are also biting on 1/16 oz. jigs with a split shot attached at about 3 feet above jig.

Best spot:Tonto end of lake.

The desert lakes (Roosevelt, Bartlet, Alamo, Pleasant, Powell, Havasu, and Mead) where bass, crappie and catfish are all bitting pretty good right now.

The best has to be Lake Powell because it’s the off season.

This is a great weekend to go fishing at the Green Valley Lake in Payson. This lake is part of the Urban Fishing Program by the Arizona Game and Fish.

Rainbow trout are stocked 8 months of the year beginning in mid October through late May. 800 rainbow trout plus an extra 25% will be stocked in Green Valley Lake.

Use small spinners, and spoons, scented dough baits, worms, or salmon eggs with a light line (2 to 6 pound) and small hooks (10s).

For fly fishing use nymphs and wet flies.

You can also expect to catch bass, crappie, and sunfish.

Finally, don’t forget your license. You will need at least an urban fishing license or a Class A general fishing license for Green Valley Lake.