Note: Access
roads are open to all the Mogollon Rim lakes. There is a Bald
Eagle closure located in the northwest shore area of Woods Canyon
Lake. The Bald Eagle closure area is marked by red signs. Access
to the shore and parking a boat on the shoreline area that is
within the Bald Eagle closure area is prohibited. The closure
affects only a small area on the northwest shore and the rest
of the shoreline on the lake is open to the public. Boat travel
is allowed throughout the lake, but stopping in front of the
bald eagle shore closure is not allowed so that the nest is not
disturbed. Contact the U.S. Forest Service's Black Mesa Ranger
District office at (928) 535-4481 for more information.
CHEVELON
LAKE - Fishing is fair to good. The lake is full, but
no longer spilling. Anglers have been catching good numbers of
moderate size trout near the dam. The lake is ice free, full, and
spilling. Anglers are catching trout in the creek downstream of
the dam, which is open to statewide fishing regulations.
The lake is open to artificial lure and fly only, trout between
10 and 14 inches may not be possessed, and the bag limit is six
trout. Try lures such as Z-rays, Super Dupers, spinners, and Rapalas,
and flies such as wooly worms, wooly buggers, peacock ladies, prince
nymphs, zug bugs, and other small nymphs. The lake is open to electric
trolling motors and/or up to 10 hp. gas motors.
Where:Chevelon Canyon Lake
When:05/20/08
Caught:21 inch Brown Trout
Technique:KastMaster fished slowly right about midday.
Comments: I caught 6 total and my brother caught 8 but other than
the German Brown they were all very small Rainbows. Didn't have
a scale for the brown but we figure he is somewhere between 3 and
4 pounds.
Name: Michael D. Lazok
Where:Chevelon
When:05/21/08
Caught:4 inch rainbow
Technique:Flies, spinners, z-rays, spoons from 6 am to 7 pm
Comments:Caught the little 4-incher on a wooly worm
Name: M&M
Where: Chevelon Canyon
When: 05/18/08
Caught:1 small trout
Technique: Fly fishing from float tubes
Comments: Got down to the lake at 8:30 a.m. Three fishers floated
the entire lake from 8:30 to 3 p.m. Caught only one small stocker
rainbow. Used a variety of flies, both dry and wet, sinking line,
nothing was biting. Lot of work for only one trout.
Name: Ed
Where: Knoll lake, Chevelon Canyon Lake.
When: 05/07/08
Caught:1 Rainbow trout at Knoll and 5 Rainbows and 1 big (16")
Brown at Chevelon
Technique: Small spinners and Flies from a canoe. Rapalas failed.
Tiny spinners worked and 2 ate my flies in a less windy cove. Fish
the size of sea otters were rolling on the surface as the sun went
down at Chevelon. Loud.
Comments: It took me 45 minutes to get the canoe up from Chevelon!
I'll take a friend next time for help.
Name: Todd DeAngelis
BEAR
CANYON LAKE - The lake is full and spilling and fishing
is fair to good. The lake was stocked week with catchable size
rainbow trout. This is a hike-in lack down short but steep
and winding paths. There is pretty good shore access. This
deep canyon lake is great for those with float tubes.
Try worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as spinners, Z-rays,
Super Dupers, and Rapalas and flies such as wooly worms, wooly
buggers, Yeager buggers, peacock ladies, prince nymphs, zug bugs,
hares ear and pheasant tail nymphs. The lake is open to electric
trolling motors only.
Where: Bear Canyon Lake
When:05/17/08
Caught: A lot of Trout
Technique: Power Bait Flies
Comments: I had a great morning 13-16in. I Limed out in two hour's.
The best fishing on the Rim. I have fished all the Rim lake this
year, and this lake is hot !!!!
Name: Tommy Krauter
Where: Bear Canyon
When:04/23/08
Caught: Limit of trout
Technique: Hit on yellow Rooster Tail, Berkley Gulp, and silver
spoons. Took about 4 hours
Comments: Still some snow on the trail and banks. Road in being
graded
Name: Jeff
Where: Bear Canyon Lake
When:05/03/08
Caught: Rainbow trout
Technique: Night crawlers and Power Bait off of the bottom
Comments: My two sons and I caught 6 fish in about five hours of
fishing.
Name: Adam Hammond
BLACK
CANYON LAKE -- Fishing is fair. The lake is full and
spilling. Black Canyon Lake was stocked last week with1,823
rainbow trout.
Try worms, salmon eggs, Power Bait, lures such as spinners, Super
Dupers, Z-rays, spoons, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly
worms and wooly buggers, and Yeager buggers. The lake is open to
electric trolling motors only.
Where: Black Canyon Lake
When:05/08/08
Caught:16'' inch Rainbow Trout
Technique: set-up with a bobber with the hook about two feet and
the fundamentals, good old fashion worm.
Name: Chris Spaziano
BLUE
RIDGE - Stocked this week with 4,000 rainbow trout
and the water temperature was 64F with an 8.0 pH. Open and
accessible. The lake is spilling. Expect larger hold-over trout.
This is a deep canyon lake that is tough for shore angling,
but great for small boats and canoes, or float tubes.
Where:Blue Ridge Reservoir
When:05/20/08
Caught:2 little stocker Rainbows
Technique:Every type of fly or lure I know of.
Comments: Fishing was slow all day. There was a four hour stretch
from 2-6 where I never even saw a fish jump or anything. But I
did manage to net a few small 'bows. 6-8 inches. No one else caught
anything but small stockers (or maybe they just didn't admit it?).
I was surprised at how crowded and busy it was, it seemed like
a holiday weekend, on a Tuesday. Oh ya, winds were bad, worse than
Big Lake bad.
Where: Blue Ridge Reservoir
When:05/18/08
Caught: Rainbows
Technique: Trolling with worms
Comments: My wife & I landed and released 8 stockers (9" to
10") but definitely had fun. Action picked up as the temps picked
up toward midday. Lake is definitely full. Water temps are little
cold for the larger ones just yet.
Name:Mike & Nancy
Where: Blue Ridge
When:04/27/08
Caught: Nothing
Technique: trolling with spinners, off shore with corn, worms,
rainbow Power Bait
Comments: Not sure what the fish were doing that day- but they
were NOT biting. Spent the entire day from 8 a.m.- 5p.m.-- and
never once got a bite.
Name:Jennifer
KNOLL LAKE - The Forest Service 300 (Rim Road) is
open. It should be decent for larger hold-over trout. Stocked with
3,330 rainbow trout last week.
Where: Knoll Lake
When:05/10/08
Caught: 3 hold over trout
Technique: trolling spinners, worms under a float and bottom fishing
worms
Comments: Even with some snow left in the areas that never get
direct sun light it is as dry as a well kept tender box up on the
rim. Bark beetles are taking a real toll on the forest. Pray for
rain.
Name: Jason Cowdry
WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE - The lake is full and the fishing
is fair to good. Willow Springs was stocked last week with 2,734
rainbow trout and will be stocked again with catchable size rainbow
trout this week. Anglers have been catching trout trolling lures. Trout
have been active at the surface down to 15 feet.
Try worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as Z-rays, spinners,
and Rapalas, and flies such as peacock ladies, wooly worms, wooly
buggers, Yeager buggers, and nymphs in black, brown, or green colors.
The lake is open to electric trolling motors and/or up to 10 hp.
gas motors. Recent electro-fishing surveys revealed lots of nice
sized smallmouth bass, up to 15 inches, and largemouth bass, up
to 21 inches, lots of small rainbow trout and one large 7pound
brown trout.
Angler reports:
Joel Mielke: Sat 05/17/08 at Willow Springs Lake. Marina (my wife)
and me caught 32 trout in 6 hours fishing from a small boat and
using worms as bait. The average was 9-10 inches, some were 6-inch,
and some were foot-long. Kept three nice foot-longs, left the rest
for the Memorial Day crowd. Here's a pic of Marina fishing while
she reclined and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Good times! Thanks
AZGFD!! Keep up the good work. - Joel
PS. I tried a new fillet technique that I saw on Youtube. It really
was just as easy as this guy makes it look! I flipped the trout
over and used the same technique on the other side. Fast, easy
and who can resist a sauteed trout fillet? Here's his demo video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtuOGdt-GWw
Where:
Willow Springs Lake
When:05/12/08
Caught:4 trout
Technique: Power worms
Comments: Fish not interested in salmon eggs or flies at all. VERY
SLOW fishing!
WOODS CANYON - Fishing is fair to good. Boat anglers
are catching trout by trolling KastMasters and Panther Martins. Woods
Canyon was stocked last week with 3,281 rainbow trout and will be
stocked with catchable size rainbow trout again this week. Water
temperature last week was 68F. Trout have been active at the surface
down to 10 feet.Try
worms, Power Bait, salmon eggs, lures such as spinners, small spoons
(Super Dupers, and Z-rays), and Rapalas, and flies such as wooly
worms and wooly buggers, Yeager buggers, Peacock ladies, and nymphs
in black, brown, or green colors. The lake is open to electric trolling
motors only.
There
is a Bald Eagle closure located in the northwest shore area of
Woods Canyon Lake. The Bald Eagle closure area is marked by red
signs. Access to the shore and parking a boat on the shoreline
area that is within the Bald Eagle closure area is prohibited.
The closure affects only a small area on the northwest shore
and the rest of the shoreline on the lake is open to the public. Boat
travel is allowed throughout the lake, but stopping in front
of the bald eagle shore closure is not allowed so that the nest
is not disturbed.
Angler report:
Where: woods canyon lake
When: 05/11/08
Caught: trout
Technique: fly fishing peacock ladys and daves hoppers.
Comments: the fishing was awesome me and son in float tubes caught
our limit of nice 12 - 14 inch fish in less the an hour after sun
rise and then caught and released about 30 in the afternoon. evening
about dark the fish went nuts was cast, release cast and release
had a ball thanks for your efforts fish and game
Name: mike
Marty Nelson: Took my Twin boys, Chase and Gavin fishing for the
first time. 5/9/2007 (Woods Canyon) Caught 12 trout in 3 hours
all on spinners, No bites on Power Bait.
Where: Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/15/08
Caught: Rainbow Trout
Technique:
Weighted bobber w/#10 hook 4' below it using worms.
Comments: Was windy at times but still caught fish near the spillway
between 9am & 12pm.
Name: Rick & Steve
Where: Woods Canyon
When:05/10/08
Caught: About 30 trout
Technique: We used small roster and panther martins gold and silver
spinners the smaller the better. We also used small spoons in numerous
colors. Used a float and small fly to catch fish that were slurping
at bait rather than striking.
Comments: Found several spots throughout the lake were spawning
of trout was taking place. Spawn was being released from females
while trying to take hooks out of females mouths.
Where: woods canyon lake
When:05/13/08
Caught: trout
Technique: only fly fishing
Comments: nice rainbow trout:12-20',catch&release
Name: catalin
Where: Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/15/08
Caught: Rainbow Trout
Technique: Fished from kayak and trolled close to shoreline in
the morning - Super Dupers, spinners and Wooly Buggers were working
great! Caught and released some holdovers and small ones. Biggest
was a 20" Rainbow on a Super Duper.
Comments: Weather was great. Even a little rain was pleasant around
noon. Everyone on shore seemed to be catching trout on bait. All
in all, as always, a great time on the lake!
Name: Ed Elefante
Where: Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/10/08
Caught: Rainbow Trout
Technique: Every Power Bait they make !
Comments: Fishing was terrible ! Fished for 8 hrs and got one very
small fish ! Don't know where all the good fish that everyone has
been talking about !
Name: BJ Scheller
Where: woods canyon
When:05/08/08
Caught: trout
Technique: yellow humpy with beaded gold hairs ear nymph
Comments: I caught and released 20 fish, while fly-fishing from
a float tube. There were time I was catching fish on every cast.
Unfortunately, the stockers have taken over and most fish were
10 inchers with some 12 inchers mixed in, but I'll take any size
fish it's fun all the same.
Name: Brent
Where: woods canyon lake
When:05/12/08
Caught: rainbow trout
Technique: trolling crick hoppers and caught 4 trout clear water
but cold and good fishing !! 2 were stockys and 2 were hold over
Comments:love fishing there !!
Name: brandon
Where: Woods Canyon Lake
When:05/03/08
Caught:3 Rainbow Trout
Technique:1 on night crawler on the bottom. 2 on mealworms on the
bottom.
Comments: 2 1/2 hours mid day produced these three fish from shore.
1 to 2 fish per angler seemed average. Ours were all 10-11 inches.
Fishing on the bottom was the key.
Name: Kelly, Mitchell, and Tanner
Internet
Home Page www.azgfd.com
Recorded Public Call-In Line (602) 789-3701
