March
2,
2010
RORY'S
TIPS
March fishing
madness is here. This is what I call a (be) 'tweener month -
storms can chill things down and slow the bite, warmer days will
prompt fish to stage for the spawn or even enter it.
It’s
spring one day, and winter the next. And that can even vary from
lake to lake.
Wind will mix cold water
with warmer water and sometimes shut things down. You never know
from day-to-day. It’s either smiles or expletives depending
on the day, lake or location.
There was a full moon earlier
this week. The desert habitats are in the mid 70s most of this
week with another weather front headed our way this weekend.
Most interior lakes have
lots of suspended particulates from runoff. Sunlight will hit
those suspended particles and the resulting energy transfer will
help warm the water. Shallows should warm and bass will move
into spawn. It’s possible that crappie will also move into
spawn at Alamo (it’s like a huge solar bowl) any time now.
Don’t forget the clean up at Alamo Lake on Saturday.
As a side note, the Army
Corps of Engineers will be doing a “pulse release” from
Alamo Lake on Sunday, March 7 that will gradually be ramped up
to 3,000 cfs and then held at that flow level for 36 hours, then
ramped down Tuesday morning to the typical 40 cfs release. The
lake level is expect to drop 2.5 vertical feet from the pulse
release.
Here is some information
gathered by Diana Rogers, our fisheries biologist who does the
weekly Central Arizona fishing report. If you want to talk
biologically, 57.9 to 59 F is when nest building occurs for the
most part and full force spawning occurs when the nests are at
or near 64 F. Keep in mind spawning will take place on
different time lines depending on the temperature of coves and
depths where spawning activity is occurring. Another thing
to keep in mind is the bass don’t read the biological assessments
so there are a few that does it their own way or they simply
find warmer spots we aren’t aware of.
Crappie move into the shallows when temperatures are between
60 and 65 F. A temperature of 62 F is usually a very good.
The males come into the shallows first then the females follow
when the temps are typically about 64 F. Use 1/32-ounce
and lighter tube or curly tail jigs. You have to figure out the
color they like, but I would start with blue-black chartreuse jigs
or John Deere grubs. You can always tow a live minnow using No.
8 or 6 Aberdeen hook with a small split shot above it about an
inch.
Good information from Diana.
Also keep in mind that at Roosevelt, the crappies really love the
recently inundated flats with cockleburs. You’ll want to
fish using mono filament rather than any braided line - cockle-burs
will stick to thread-like line but won’t stick to mono.
If you have water temperature
readings for Roosevelt (or other lakes), especially in the shallow
sheltered coves, please send them to either Diana or myself to
share with other anglers.
Okay,
back to some other really interesting fishing dynamics along
the Salt River chain of lakes. We have an historical set of fishing
or hydrological circumstances occurring right now.
Roosevelt at the top of
the line is full. Salt River Project (SRP) must match the outflows
to the inflows and snow melt has not even begun yet at
the higher elevations. These inflows and outflows will likely
last through much of the spring. Plus, SRP will still be doing
pump-backs to at non-peak electrical use times so they can maximize
$$$ from hydroelectric production.
This is a first, at least
since the Rosey dam was raised in 1996. Last year Rosey filled
and they did releases, but not for a protracted period of time.
So first, there will be
the flow-through dynamics with inflows and outflows somewhat
matching and creating a flushing current through Apache, Canyon
and Saguaro lakes 24-7, and ultimately into the Lower Salt River
and through Tempe Town Lake as well (if it exceeds the amount
they divert for Valley of the Sun use). It will almost be a riverine/lake
environment, with an added dimension.
There will be pump backs
when possible during off-peak use, say nighttime, mornings and
early afternoons (before the kids get home from school) from
Canyon back to Apache, and Saguaro back to Canyon. This will
likely disrupt the flow-through current in a localized way, but
not necessary reverse the current like we see during normal operations,
especially during summer when we need lots of power to run our
air conditioners to survive in this desert environment. Some
anglers and biologists have described these lakes as being similar
to tidal basins where the current reverses and water levels fluctuate.
Possibly not this spring though.
I suspect that this spring,
anglers will have fun trying to figure out what these currents
and flows do to the bite and spawning patterns for the different
species of fish. We’ll likely be more like those southeastern
waterway systems, such as along the Tennessee River and such.
Just remember, predatory sport-fish face into the current to
feed - adjust your presentations accordingly. It also means
bass will spawn first in the shallow coves not directly affected
by current, but we will likely see a protracted spawn because
the lakes won't warm up as quickly. It could also change the
locations for pre-spawn and post spawn bass to feed, loaf or
whatever, but that is a hypothesis needing verification or ground
truthing.
So
for all of you dedicated Apache, Saguaro, and Canyon anglers
(Rosey as well), let me know your thoughts and observations as
we move through the season. It would be way cool to figure out
the patterns so we know what to expect in the future if and when
this happens again.
Or if nothing else, it’s
intriguing to figure out these biological mysteries or humbling
when we can’t. Besides, life without some mystery would
be boring.
Go catch some memories
my friends.
PS: Come chat with me on
Facebook when you get the chance (no negative stuff please, just
like a good drop-shot fishing pole, I can be sensitive). Oh,
and I am still figuring out the FB stuff, so be patient with
my fumbling.
Visit azgfd.gov.
http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/where_fish.shtml