Patagonia Lake Slide Show

[TubeDude]

[cool]No fishing for me and TubeBabe this weekend. The 113 degree heat was only part of it. We are also on a vigil...waiting for the call from the hospice facility where my first fishing instructor is completing his alotted days.

As a busy work project, I have been scanning some old slides and making some Jpegs for my computer image files...and for sharing. As I looked at the almost full moon last night, I first thought of posting one of my favorite moon/fishing pics, from Patagonia Lake, here in Arizona. Then I thought I would do a mini slide show. Xman loves this little lake south of Tucson.



Early morning "Moonset" over Patagonia. Best time to hit the water.



A mix of crappies, catfish and three different species of sunfish: bluegill, green sunfish and "warmouth" (pumpkinseeds).



Hefty crappies. Largest here...16". Best ever from Patagonia...19".



The flower of the "coral bean"...looking more like a plant from a tropical rainforest than from the desert. Part of the scenery around the edges.



A western diamondback. More scenery along the lake edge that you would prefer not to see...or hear. Makes your heart beat too fast.



Late afternoon thunderstorms are common during the monsoon season. This was a lucky shot getting a double rainbow and a lightning bolt. When the electricity starts, my mother's son gets off the water.



A sunset to make you cry. Not all that uncommon in Arizona.

Sorry about the no fishing report. Hope everyone else got out and did some good.
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[icefool]

I wouldn't fish in that heat either. Sorry to hear about yur first fishing instructor. Our thoughts are with you.
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[loanfish]

Beautiful pics.Especially that sunset[] Wow, thanks for posting that. I wish I would have gotten some pics of that bright moon at fish lake friday night. It lit up the whole mountain and reflected against the lake. It was a memorable sight to say the least. That is one beautiful area.
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[Tincanfsh]

Thanks for the slide show. The pictures were great. where were they taken. I know patagonia, but where is it.
[]Tincanfsh
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[Xman]

Hey Tube

Those were great. Have me all excited for this fall. I hope to add to that slide show this year. We have a new very fancy digi cam. Ill be shooting a storm up with it.
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[TubeDude]

[cool]It's about an hour and a half drive south from Tucson. You can get to it by driving first to Sonoita and then through the old mining town of Patagonia...or going straight south on Hwy 19 to Nogales...right on the Mexico border...and then 20 minutes east.

The whole lake is only about 1600 acres, and maintains a fairly constant level due to underground springs and constant inflow from Sonoita Creek. In the "good old days" the only access was by dirt road and during the winter rainy season you had to 4 wheel drive in to go fishing. That kept a lot of the "riff raff" out. A few years ago they paved it all the way in and added more camping facilities and a marina. There went the neighborhood.

There are some restrictions on skiing and PWCs during the weekend, as a consideration to fishermen, but during the week it is dangerous during the warm months of summer. Once the water starts cooling in the fall, however, the big bass and crappies come out to play. I have taken several crappies over 3# from Patagonia.

A large part of the lake is ringed with cattails and other reeds and it holds a great population of sunfish, bass and catfish. When Xman was down this spring, he hung a horse redear sunfish. See pics below.



He is determined to catch a crappie bigger than that sunfish. We gonna go for it this fall.
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[TubeDude]

[cool]Hey, Icefool, thanks for the thoughts. I almost missed your post. You catch a few for me and we'll do some fishing when we get moved back up there. We speak fluent grandkids.


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[icefool]

Looking forward to fishing with you and Tubebabe.
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[Xman]

well im raising the scale and saying a couple crappie bigger haha. your new location sounds exciting though and looking forward to hitting it. what does a res pass cost now adays? isnt it about 20 bucks?
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[TubeDude]

[cool]I think that info is in the link I sent. But, that was part of the trouble I told yo about, with the Apaches. They were charging $2 per person, per day, and often did not even check anyone. If they checked and you did not have your permit, it was $5 on the spot...and the officer usually kept the money.

Then, all of a sudden they raised the fee to $10 per person, and checked everyone several times a day. Failure to have a pass...or any infraction of tribal fishing regulations...and you walked home...after getting out of jail. They confiscated everything right down to your Jockey shorts...tackle, vehicle, watch and jewelry...everything. That suddenly made the San Carlos reservation an unpopular place to fish.

Right now, I think the daily fee is about $7 per vehicle, with an annual pass about $75. If there is water in the lakes, they remain a great place for trophy bass, crappies and catfish. But, last year, after three years of drought, San Carlos Lake dropped down to only 5% capacity and had to have special intervention from the US government to keep them from letting it go dry. It still has fish, but it is going to be years of rainy weather before it ever returns to its glory days.

I'll have to see about Talkalai. I may have to do an exploratory on that one.
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