Arizona Lake Fishing

After a long summer and hundreds of anglers throwing in spinners, the bass get wise and a jig could be just enough to land that big one. Swimming a jig takes a little fineness and technique to get the presentation just right for a strike but after reading this post you’ll be casting it in like a pro.

The key to swimming a jig for a big bite is all about presentation and how to attract a bite. You want to pay attention to color, the bite (if you’re getting any), your retrieval speed and most importantly setting the hook.

Jig Swimming Tips: Pay attention to the bite.

1. If the bass is inhaling the jig, make no adjustments and keep hauling them in.
2. If they seem to be just nipping at the end of the jig, make a change with your trailer. It’s possible you could be getting the wrong action from your jig.
3. If they are following your jig but not striking, make a complete change in color. If you’re using a dark jig, switch to a bright color with a flash.

Jig Swimming Tips: Pay attention to presentation.

1. Hold your rod tip at about 10 o’clock.
2. Vary your speeds by dropping and ripping through cover.
3. Be sure to set the hook properly. Once you feel that bass on your line give it a good rip back and set the hook before he even knows what hit him. Make it one smooth motion.

Fishing at Bartlett Lake has been a little slow and cold. Flows from the Verde River has picked up slightly so keep an eye out for floating debris.

Some anglers are getting a bite now and then on pumpkin green or watermelon jigs. Go along the walls and work the jig.

Cranks and white spinner baits are also working for some but fishing has slowed due to the turn in weather recently. Drop shot may also work for you.

Lees Ferry is hands down one of my favorite places to fish and I think many anglers will agree. Not only does it have some of the largest wild trout in the state but it is also a beautiful area.

The fish seem to be moving into the deeper water but the trout are looking healthy and the river is thriving. The spawn this year was 10x normal with a lot of fry and small trout in the river.

The Cicada hatch began in June and by July the trout were starting to jump on them. Here in August the cicada hatch is just about over and it seemed to be any normal hatch not like the “bumper crop” of last year.

Fly fishing on Lees Ferry try a 12′ to 14′ nymph rig with a lot of split shot and indicator from the boat drift. Also carry some scuds and midge patterns.

There isn’t much action for the walk in fisherman but it is better in the morning hours than any other time of the day.

Spin fishing is getting good results right now. Try an egg pattern in the drift or black and olive marabou jigs.

For best results: Get out on a cloudy or overcast day and use cicadas on your line.

At Lake Havasu the average day time water temp is between 86-92 degrees right now.

The striper bite is good to fair but they are only small to medium sizes. They will bite on anchovies, squid and mackerel at around 30 – 50 feet deep. Chumming is recommended because the striper schools are broken up due to the low number of shad this year.

Smallmouth bass have been hitting big time with a 1/4 – 3/8 ounce brown jigs, or hula grubs. Try around the rocky points in the main basin south to Standard Wash.

Catfish are also biting. They prefer anchovy this summer and they are most active at night. It’s recommended to go out to Topock Gorge where the sizes have been around 4 – 12 pounds.

For best results: Go for the smallmouth bass. Get out early in the morning and troll with chrome/blue Rat_L-Trap, pointers, or chug bugs. Spin casting is also working well if you don’t like the troll method.

Bartlett Lake has an elevation of 1789 ft making it 87% full.

Anglers are reporting that fishing is good out at Bartlett Lake. The largemouth bass are biting on crank baits, and drop shot with plastics. Bluegills are biting mealworms, crickets or small portions of earthworms on a small hook with a bobber.

For best results: To catch largemouth, try fishing the points at about 20 feet of water. Using the drop shot with plastics seems to be working best. For the bluegills, try shore fishing around rocky areas. They seem to be more aggressive in these areas. Live bait seems to be working best but if you’re not a fan of live bait, try 1/32 oz or smaller jigs, grubs or spinnerbaits.

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.

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.

Water elevation remains at 2,099 feet, which is 45-percent full

For bass the action is at dawn and all but stopped an hour after sunrise. It is expected to pick up with the new moon.

Try deeper water around 20 feet just off the steep rocky shores. Use deep diving crank bait.

The coves are also hitting for largemouth bass. Try using spider jigs.

Fishing is fair but the lake is weedy.

Try small spinners, jigs, spoons and flies such as woolly worms, peacock ladies, prince nymphs and zug bugs.

There is a 2 trout limit.

You must use barbless hooks. No bait allowed.

There is no boat ramp and boats must be electric trolling motors only.

A lot of surface action from trout to be seen in the evenings. Small spinners should work well. Try a small black Mepp.

The surface action is seen out over deeper water.

For bluegill, get out in early morning, the bite is done by 9 a.m. Try spinners, jigs, worms and rainbow Power Bait at 25 feet or less.