09-13-2007, 11:10 PM
Rory's Tip
A quick note: Starting this week, we have a new fishing report editor, Diana Rogers, for the Central Arizona waters. Diana has joined the Mesa regional fisheries staff. She had worked in the department's Research Branch on projects such as the striped bass study at Lake Pleasant. Welcome aboard Diana.
Okay, on to the fishing tips.
The nights are getting longer, the days are getting shorter - autumn should be knocking at the door any time now. The best advice is to pick your favorite fishery and just go. Staying at home should not be an option when nature is putting on such a grand show (at least that is what I tell my wife).
Bass, trout and other sport-fish species will be feeding more aggressively to put on fat before winter conditions arrive. It can get pretty dramatic at times when bass start chasing shad and whole sections of a lake erupt with surface boils.
Just watching the action is awesome enough, participating in the melee has to be experienced to be believed. Don't miss out.
Here are the top places:
* Lake Pleasant for largemouth bass and stripers.<br />
* Lake Powell for stripers, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.<br />
* Mead for stripers and largemouth bass.<br />
* Havasu for stripers and smallmouth bass.<br />
* Roosevelt for largemouth bass and channel catfish.<br />
* Alamo for largemouth bass.<br />
* Martinez Lake for largemouth bass.<br />
* San Carlos for largemouth bass (no word on crappie).
At most of the larger lakes, a key to finding fish at the surface is locating actively feeding birds, such as seagulls, great blue herons and osprey. When seagulls are circling and diving into the water, you'll want to get in on the action. Take along binoculars.
All striper anglers will want to read Wayne's Words - the Lake Powell report in the Colorado River Northwest section below - for tips on how to catch these hard-fighting fish in the fall.
Don't forget the high country trout opportunities. Arizona's high country is green, lush and full of summer wildflowers. This is a superb time to camp out before the nights get chilly and while the days are still pleasantly warm. Elk should be bugling in the forest. Grab the camp gear and go! Take along a jacket - sometimes, there is a 50-degree shift in temperatures from the Valley to the cool mountains.
Brown trout should be pre-staging for the spawn any time now. Great places for browns include: Chevelon, Willow Springs, Canyon Creek, Nelson, Blue Ridge and Reservation lakes.
Another excellent angling experience this time of year is catching native Apache trout. These golden-colored native trout can be found along the West and East Forks of Black River, the Little Colorado River in Greer, and Silver Creek. Lee Valley has Apaches, but it is only accessible on weekends (see the road closure information in the White Mountain section of the fishing report).
This is also the time of year when you might catch a record walleye from either Show Low Lake or Fool Hollow, both of which are in the city limits of Show Low. Fool Hollow is an Arizona State Park and has excellent camping facilities. Fool Hollow also has largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Fall colors could also start any week now in the high country. Typically, either Escudilla Mountain just south of Springerville or the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff will sport the first blush of autumn each year. Visit the high country and find out for yourself which one will wear the autumn crown first this year.
Go catch some memories. Maybe I'll see you out there.
A quick note: Starting this week, we have a new fishing report editor, Diana Rogers, for the Central Arizona waters. Diana has joined the Mesa regional fisheries staff. She had worked in the department's Research Branch on projects such as the striped bass study at Lake Pleasant. Welcome aboard Diana.
Okay, on to the fishing tips.
The nights are getting longer, the days are getting shorter - autumn should be knocking at the door any time now. The best advice is to pick your favorite fishery and just go. Staying at home should not be an option when nature is putting on such a grand show (at least that is what I tell my wife).
Bass, trout and other sport-fish species will be feeding more aggressively to put on fat before winter conditions arrive. It can get pretty dramatic at times when bass start chasing shad and whole sections of a lake erupt with surface boils.
Just watching the action is awesome enough, participating in the melee has to be experienced to be believed. Don't miss out.
Here are the top places:
* Lake Pleasant for largemouth bass and stripers.<br />
* Lake Powell for stripers, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass.<br />
* Mead for stripers and largemouth bass.<br />
* Havasu for stripers and smallmouth bass.<br />
* Roosevelt for largemouth bass and channel catfish.<br />
* Alamo for largemouth bass.<br />
* Martinez Lake for largemouth bass.<br />
* San Carlos for largemouth bass (no word on crappie).
At most of the larger lakes, a key to finding fish at the surface is locating actively feeding birds, such as seagulls, great blue herons and osprey. When seagulls are circling and diving into the water, you'll want to get in on the action. Take along binoculars.
All striper anglers will want to read Wayne's Words - the Lake Powell report in the Colorado River Northwest section below - for tips on how to catch these hard-fighting fish in the fall.
Don't forget the high country trout opportunities. Arizona's high country is green, lush and full of summer wildflowers. This is a superb time to camp out before the nights get chilly and while the days are still pleasantly warm. Elk should be bugling in the forest. Grab the camp gear and go! Take along a jacket - sometimes, there is a 50-degree shift in temperatures from the Valley to the cool mountains.
Brown trout should be pre-staging for the spawn any time now. Great places for browns include: Chevelon, Willow Springs, Canyon Creek, Nelson, Blue Ridge and Reservation lakes.
Another excellent angling experience this time of year is catching native Apache trout. These golden-colored native trout can be found along the West and East Forks of Black River, the Little Colorado River in Greer, and Silver Creek. Lee Valley has Apaches, but it is only accessible on weekends (see the road closure information in the White Mountain section of the fishing report).
This is also the time of year when you might catch a record walleye from either Show Low Lake or Fool Hollow, both of which are in the city limits of Show Low. Fool Hollow is an Arizona State Park and has excellent camping facilities. Fool Hollow also has largemouth and smallmouth bass.
Fall colors could also start any week now in the high country. Typically, either Escudilla Mountain just south of Springerville or the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff will sport the first blush of autumn each year. Visit the high country and find out for yourself which one will wear the autumn crown first this year.
Go catch some memories. Maybe I'll see you out there.