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