Northeastern Arizona (White Mountains)

Arizona Game and Fish Department's Fishing Report

FISHING REPORT EDITOR: Rory Aikens, (602) 789-3214

July 28, 2010

Note: All lakes are accessible and most are full. Hwy 273 (Big Lake road) is paved and open. However, paving on a short section between Sunrise and Sheeps Crossing is in progress and traffic through this area may be slow. Flagmen and pilot cars are being used to maintain vehicle access while construction is occurring. Expect some delays. To avoid this construction, use Hwy 261. For more information, call the Pinetop office of the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (928) 367-4281.
 
BECKER LAKE - Fishing is fair for large rainbow trout. Anglers have been catching rainbows on nymphs and small midges. The lake is open to artificial lure and fly only, barbless hooks, and a two-trout bag and possession limit.

BIG LAKE - Fishing is fair to good. The lake is full.  Rooster Tail spinners and wooly bugger flies are working well, and the usual night crawlers, Power Bait, and salmon eggs are working particularly well. Trout are being caught in deep water areas of the lake. Boat anglers trolling cowbells and lures tipped with a night crawler has also been working well. Bank anglers should fish off rocky points where there is deep water.   The store is open and boat rentals are available.

CARNERO LAKE - Fishing is  good for stocked rainbow trout. Fly fishermen are catching stocked rainbow trout on small nymphs. The lake winter-killed but has been restocked with 2,350 large catchable (11-inch) and 6,935 sub-catchable (6-inch) rainbow trout earlier in the spring. This lake is best fished from a float tube, canoe or kayak. The weeds along the shoreline are very thick, but there is some open water in the middle. Trout have been feeding along the weed line near deeper water.

CLEAR CREEK RESERVOIR - Fishing is  poor for trout and good for warm-water species. Try night crawlers and spinners for trout, and night crawlers on the bottom for bullheads, sunfish, and bass.

CONCHO LAKE - Fishing is poor. The lake level is very low and launching a boat is difficult. 

CRESCENT LAKE - Fishing is good. The lake winter-killed but has been heavily restocked with 5,000 catchable size brook trout, and 4,949 catchable and 7,457 sub-catchable rainbow trout since mid-May.  1,740 catchable size brook trout will be stocked this week. Anglers are catching stocked trout on night crawlers and Power Bait off rocky points that are located over deep water. The store is  closed for the season.

FOOL HOLLOW LAKE - Fishing is fair. A few trout in the 15-inch range are being caught on night crawlers and Power Bait. There were 1-7-pound channel catfish stocked on May 19. Anglers are catching catfish at night on chicken liver and night crawlers. Bluegills and black crappies are being caught on night crawlers and small jigs off the west and east side fishing piers. Some bass and walleyes are being caught on lures. One fishing pier on the east side is closed for repairs. This lake is managed as a State Recreation Area.

GREER LAKES - Fishing is fair at all Greer lakes (Bunch, Tunnel and River). Water levels are dropping at all three reservoirs, so use caution when launching a boat. Boats cannot be launched at the boat ramp at River Reservoir due to very low water levels. Also be careful about launching a boat at Bunch Reservoir due to the concrete lip at the end of the ramp. Anglers should use Power Bait and night crawlers on the bottom  early in the morning and late evening.  Boat anglers should try small lures or cowbells with an attached lure, fly or bait.  River Reservoir also contains illegally-stocked yellow perch, which can be caught easily by kids fishing a small piece of night crawler under a bobber.

HULSEY LAKE - Fishing is fair. Trout  have been caught on Power Bait and night crawlers. Stocked trout that are rising  during the early morning and late evening hours  can be caught on small dry flies. There is a short hike down to this small lake.

LEE VALLEY RESERVOIR - Fishing is fair to good. The lake winter-killed, but has been restocked with 4,000 catchable-size Apache trout and 3,700 arctic grayling (7”) since mid-May. Apache trout and grayling are biting  on beadhead nymphs, Prince nymphs, Hares ear, zug bugs, and small peacock ladies. Try small nymphs in black, brown or green colors. Lee Valley Lake is open to lures and flies only with a 2-trout bag and possession limit, and a minimum size of 12-inches.  It is illegal to use bait here. 

LUNA LAKE - Fishing is poor to fair. It is a little slow, but some  trout are being caught on night crawlers, Power Bait, and salmon eggs fished off the bottom. Try fishing early in the morning and late in the evening. The concession store is under new management and is now open.  They have fishing tackle and boat rentals available. There is an algae bloom on the lake. A small fish kill occurred last week.

LYMAN LAKE - Lyman Lake State Park is open for the summer. Anglers should try night crawlers and chicken liver for catfish. Largemouth bass, sunfish and walleye are also present in the lake. Try night crawlers and lures for these fish. The Park has many campsites and other amenities.

NELSON RESERVOIR - Fishing is fair to good. The lake was stocked heavily with 10,800 catchable rainbow trout in May.  An  algae bloom has developed and trout should be staying deep.  Try worms, Power Bait, and salmon eggs  in the early morning and late evening hours for best results.  Anglers using nightcrawlers and salmon eggs in the  deeper portions of the lake have been catching the most fish. 

RAINBOW LAKE - Fishing is poor. An algae bloom and lots of weeds are starting to develop, driving the pH levels up, and the fishing has slowed down. A few trout, bluegills, catfish, and bullheads are being caught off the fishing piers. 

SCOTT RESERVOIR - Fishing is fair. The lake was last stocked with catchable-size rainbow trout in May, and 1 to 7-pound channel catfish were also stocked on May 19. Anglers are catching trout and catfish on night crawlers and Power Bait  early in the morning and late in the evening.

SHOW LOW LAKE - Fishing is fair. The lake has been stocked well during  May and June. Anglers are catching trout, walleyes, bass, and bluegills on night crawlers from the fishing piers, and on lures and cowbells with worms fished from boats.  Fish near the bottom early in the morning and late evening for best results.  A recent report said boat anglers drifting nightcrawlers and flies and trolling small spinners along the bottom were successful on trout and walleye. A few channel catfish and smallmouth bass are being caught by boat and shore fishermen.

WOODLAND LAKE - Fishing has been poor to fair for trout, bass, and catfish. Anglers should try night crawlers or Power Bait  early in the morning and late in the evening for trout, bass, and catfish.  One angler this weekend was catching bass on lures.  A 4.5-pound bass was recently caught by a young angler fishing with a worm for catfish. The daily bag and possession limit at Woodland Lake is 4 trout.

WHITE MOUNTAIN STREAMS
Note:  Access roads to all streams are open. All regular stocking sites will be stocked weekly through the summer.

EAST FORK BLACK RIVER - Fishing is fair to good. Apache trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week. Try drifting worms through pools. Also try spinners, Rapalas or streamers for the resident brown trout.

LITTLE COLORADO RIVER-GREER - Fishing is fair to good.  Stream flows are normal.  Catchable-size Apache and rainbow trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week.  Wild brown trout are also present.

SHEEPS CROSSING - Highway 273 is open and fishing is fair to good. However, road paving on Hwy 273 is occurring from Sunrise to Forest Road 87 (road from Greer) and delays should be expected. Traffic along Hwy 273 is being maintained with flagmen and pilot cars.  Apache trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week.  Anglers are catching trout on night crawlers.

SILVER CREEK - Fishing is fair to good. Silver Creek is currently open to lures, flies and bait; with a daily bag and possession limit of 6 trout from April 1 through Sept. 30. The upper section is closed to fishing at this time. Rainbow trout were stocked last week and will be stocked again this week.  Try nightcrawlers or Power Bait, or small spinners or spoons in the deeper pools.

WEST FORK BLACK RIVER campground - Fishing is fair to good. Apache trout were stocked last week in the campground and will be stocked again this week. Try drifting worms through pools for stocked trout or worms, spinners, or streamers for resident brown trout. The lower river near the campground is open to statewide regulations, but the upper reaches, from Hayground Creek to the Apache Indian reservation boundary, are open to catch-and-release fishing only, with artificial lure and fly.

OTHER WAYS TO GET THE FISHING REPORT:
Internet Home Page www.azgfd.com
Recorded Public Call-In Line (602) 789-3701