FISHING
REPORT EDITOR:
Rory
Aikens, (602) 789-3214
July
28,
2010
URBAN PROGRAM
WATERS -- With catfish stockings on hold over the
summer months, fishing becomes more challenging requiring anglers
to be adaptable and persistent. The less careful stockers
are pretty much gone now, leaving behind the smarter, more wary
fish.
The many catfish, bass and bluegill remaining in the lakes have
been around for awhile and have seen a lot of the same baits, presented
in the same way. Successful summer anglers have learned to
change it up and experiment with new baits, new bait combinations
and new presentations.
Try combining a piece of shrimp with a worm, or dip a hot dog in
stink bait. Do a web search for “secret catfish baits” and
discover an amazing selection of concoctions sure to increase your
fishing success. This is the time to make some rigging
changes and try out some of the fluorocarbon fishing lines in lighter
test weights to make your line practically invisible; or try fishing
without weights and let your bait flutter to the bottom.
For more bites, fish with 4-6 pound test line and keep your weights
to a minimum. Keep trying new things, keep at it and have
fun learning more about fishing this summer.
Fishing has tapered off at all Urban Fishing waters statewide now
that the spring catfish stocking season has ended. Fish stockings
will resume in mid September once temperatures start to cool once
again.
Fishing is still fair at lakes as many catfish still remain, bluegill
and other sunfish species are still plentiful, and bass are still
lurking around. To be successful, anglers may have to try
some new baits and methods, mixed with some persistence and patience
to have regular success.
With water temperatures around 90 degrees, the resident fish are
becoming more lethargic. Fish activity is best after dark
or in the early morning during these summer months.
The usual catfish baits such as shrimp, worms, and dough/stink
baits are good to try, but this is a good time to experiment and
combine baits or mix up a new catfish bait concoction you discovered
on the internet. At Green Valley lakes (Payson) the best
fishing is for crappie, bluegill, bass and catfish. Try small
marabou jigs or curly tail grubs for the sunfish and bass. Catfish
are biting on worms and liver.
Where:Chaparral Park
When:07/11/10
Caught:Nothing
Technique:liver, shrimp
Comments: Not one bite between the 5 of us (kids included). Went
early morning and not a thing. Very slow fishing recently here
and not sure why. Used to be MUCH better last year.
Name: Phil
TEMPE TOWN LAKE --
No water, no fish, no fishing due to inflatable dam failure. Tempe
Town officials expect the inflatable dam to be replaced and the
lake to be replenished by some time in November. It will take some
time after that for the fish populations to return, just like when
the lake was first created. Tempe has a firm on contract to remove
any dead or dying fish. Game and Fish biologists are closely monitoring
the situation and are staying in close contact with the expect
contractor and Tempe officials.
LAKE
- Lake elevation 1,674 feet (70% full).
Anglers are finding shad boils and catching bass and stripers in
the northern coves and in main lake coves and shoreline. Skinny
dippers, topwater shad imitators and clear Zara Puppies are always
good lures to use. The fish tend to be small but there are
a few big ones in there.
Patience… Try drop shot in the mornings and get it
down to 20 feet quickly before the little ones nab it. At
night use the lights and again get your anchovies down fast to
get the attention of the bigger ones lurking down there.
Just a heads up, I have heard reports there is a person out there
on the water without their nav lights so beware. That is extremely
dangerous
With a full moon this week, a good night time fishing technique
is to use your fish finder to locate possible schools of stripers,
and then chum. A new inland state record striper was caught a couple
of weeks ago (see picture above). We are rountinely getting
reports of larger stripers being caught at Pleasant, so be sure
to have new line on your reels.
ROOSEVELT -- Lake Elevation is 2,147 ft (95 percent full). Tonto
Creek runoff is 49 cfs while inflow from the Salt River is at 456 cfs. Monsoon
time is here. There is a full moon this week.
A couple anglers fished in the early morning jigging for crappie
and caught 1 bluegill and two channel cats in the Salt end later
they caught 2 crappies and 4 sunfish. Drop-shot works pretty
well off points in 25 to 30 feet of water.
With the monsoons, fishing conditions are variable. When the barometer
drops, the fish will typically feed more aggressively and those
anglers in the right place at the right time can do well.
We are not hearing much about the summer topwater bite during
the day. It should be underway at least at first and last light.
Let us know.
APACHE -- Lake elevation is 1,908 ft (94 percent full).
Fishing is still good at Apache. An angler fished near the
marina and caught bass and sunfish. Walleye were susceptible
to the trolling technique at the points below 15 feet of water.
Jointed cranks were the deadliest and the bite was soft. The
recreational boaters have their way in the afternoon unless you
can find a nice cove to hide out in.
Also, try using gold KastMasters (small) for the plentiful yellow
bass. Try working the secondary points just inside the major coves.
CANYON -- Lake elevation is 1,656 ft, which is 93 percent full.
The fish want night crawlers fished off the bottom in 6 to 11 feet
of water. If you are out in the daytime fish the shady walls
with Texas-rigged worms working down the cliffs. For you
tubers you can’t beat the Boulder Cove bluegill fishing. Use
mealworm and worms on ledges and try the points for bass.
The desert bighorn sheep are in the rut, so you might see or hear
bighorns butting heads. Try fishing along the base of the
cliffs using flutter down baits such as Senkos and curly tails,
and be watchful for bighorns on the steep slopes. Also,
if you don't get bass, Canyon is loaded with sunfish. Downsize,
use an ultra light with mini jigs or small spinners, and catch
a passle of bluegill.
SAGUARO -- Lake elevation 1525 feet at 93% full.
Cat fishing is good try dragging worms along the bottom. The
snags is a good place for bass and along the steep walls.
Shakey head jigs, Texas-rigged worms and drop shots work well for
bass.
A couple experienced anglers caught over 60 fish from
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Drop shots worked well for largemouth
bass and most were in 10 to 13 feet near drop-offs. Bluegill
and channels were both in the shallows and they liked worms and
KastMasters. Yellow bass were deeper at 22 to 25 feet
and they liked KastMasters and worms. Shad boils were popping
up all day but the fish just wanted to play with the shad and did
not seem interested in any other presentations.
BARTLETT -- Lake elevation is 1,791 ft, which is 90-percent full. Reservoir
release is 950 cfs.
There are lots of shad. Look for the boils mostly in the
mornings and evenings. Throw clear Zara Puppies and other
shad looking lures. Drop shot near drop offs in the main
river course for bass.
Crappie are hanging off the drop off points; use your fish finders. There
is lots of food for them so make your presentation seductive.
This is a perfect time to fish at night under the full moon for
both channel catfish and flathead catfish. Use live bait -- minnows
and bluegills respectively.
HORSESHOE - Lake elevation is at 1997 feet, 41-percent full. They
are releasing water at 400 cfs.
Lots of carp there…some bass if you want a challenge.
VERDE RIVER -- Verde River flow at Tangle
is 245 cubic feet per second. Release from Bartlett Lake is
950 cfs.
SALT RIVER (upper) – Salt River into Roosevelt is 456
cfs, and Salt River Canyon is 360 cfs.
LOWER SALT RIVER -- They are releasing 650 cfs
out of Stewart Mountain dam from Saguaro.Stewart Mtn. Dam (below
Saguaro Lake) release is 650 cfs. It is possible to catch fish
-- even some surviving trout -- in the deeper pools.
Where:Lower Salt River
When:07/18/10
Caught:1 Largemouth, 3 Bluegill
Technique:The bass was caught on a spinnerbait - fire tiger pattern
w/ a white twin tail trailer. The bluegill bit on red wigglers.
Comments:I had another bass hooked on the spinnerbait but before
I could land it, the fish jumped clear out of the water and spit
out the lure. Should have set that hook better...
Name:Joe
Where:Lower Salt River
When:07/10/10
Caught:3 Largemouth & 2 Rainbow
Technique:I caught one 14" and one 13" bass on a spinnerbait (firetiger
pattern). The third, about 6"-7", was caught on a Cordell Super
Spot (blue shiner pattern). It barely fit in his mouth. The Rainbows
were average to small stockers and were both caught on a small
earthworm 18"-24" under a bobber with 1 split shot.
Comments:I fished for nine hours on my float tube. I started at
Water Users at 7:30 and went all the way to Granite Reef. The worms
were getting strikes in every set of riffles above blue point.
Around 1:00 pm the fishing got really slow, I had no action between
Coon Bluff and Granite Reef. I was lucky enough to see a bald eagle
flying near the diversion damn. Great end to a great day on the
river.
Name:Joe Freye
CREEKS – All these creeks are scheduled to receive trout
every week. Fish with big terrestrials such as hoppers although
the smaller terrestrials will work too. To increase your
odds throw a dry dropper nymph on it. The East Verde River also
has increased flow levels this year, so it is also worth a try.
It has been stocked.
OTHER
WAYS TO GET THE FISHING REPORT:
Internet Home Page - www.azgfd.com
