WILLIAMS
LAKES:
KAIBAB LAKE - Campground area is closed. Fishing
was fair-good on Power Bait and worms.
CATARACT
LAKE - Campgrounds are closed. Anglers were catching
some nice crappie using Flies. A 3-pound bass was reported by
an angler.
CITY
RESERVOIR - Road is open. No angler reports.
DOGTOWN
LAKE - Campground area is closed until spring. Fishing
was best using a piece of marshmallow on the hook with a worm on
the end of the hook. Worms alone were also working.
JD
DAM - Road is open.
RUSSEL
TANK - Has been stocked. Water is very low.
SANTA
FE - Lake is full. According to the few anglers I
talked to fishing is good.
WHITEHORSE
LAKE - No report from anglers. Campgrounds are closed.
FLAGSTAFF LAKES:
LOWER
LAKE MARY - The water is low and it is very weedy. Has
not been stocked since last spring.
UPPER
LAKE MARY - The lake is full. Anglers have reported
that folks are catching black crappie, yellow perch and northern
pike on soft plastic jigs and spoons. In addition they were
catching walleye near the boat ramp on night crawlers. Remember
there are no boat motor restrictions on this lake.
ASHURST
LAKE - The lake is full. Fishing was fair - good
on worms fished under a bobber. Fishing on regular marshmallows
was good. A big pike was caught here recently, click
here for the photo.
FRANCIS
SHORT POND - Anglers were catching catfish using hotdogs
for bait early in the morning and in the evening. Trout fishing
was good over the weekend. Stocked last week. Fishing was good
on worms on the bottom, but some anglers were having success using
bobbers.
KINNIKINICK
LAKE - Road is open. A 2-pound brown trout was caught
on a worm recently.
MARSHALL
LAKE - It is very weedy. Has not been stocked since
last spring.
LONG LAKE - Lake is open. Water level is good.
Has been stocked. We sampled the Long complex in mid-July. Trout
up to about 6-pounds were caught and released during our surveys.
Some anglers have caught some large northern pike here as well.
SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS
ANNEX - Lakes are open. No report. Walleye, Largemouth
Bass northern pike, channel catfish and bluegill were collected
during our surveys in mid-July.
VERDE
VALLEY
BEAVER
CREEK -- Stocked last week. It's a great place to take
the youngsters fishing. You can also hike upstream into the canyon
and catch holdover trout and smallmouth bass. One angler reported
he did not do well fishing for trout, but caught smallmouth and
largemouth bass downstream from the bridge.
DEAD HORSE STATE PARK - Catfish were stocked for
the Verde River days, the week of September 21st. 1500 lbs of catfish
will be split between the two lagoons. This should give a boost
to the fishing until trout stockings start. Trout stockings are
scheduled to resume in November. Bluegills are plentiful. Most
of the bluegills are small, but still fun for kids to catch. Try
fishing for catfish at night using anchovies or stink bait.
FOSSIL
CREEK -- This seasonal fishery opened for the first time ever on
Oct. 3. Fishing is good for chub is good, but special regulations
apply: it's catch-and-release only using artificial lures and flies
only with single barbless hooks. And the scenery is absolutely
spectacular along this rare travertine stream.
Be sure to leave this special place better than you found it by
picking up any litter.
OAK CREEK -- Fishing is good for rainbows fair for brown trout.
Scheduled to be stocked this week.
VERDE
RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) - The catfish bite
has been pretty good. Look for catfish in eddy areas of large
pools. Bass should be biting as well. One angler caught a
very large roundtail chub below thousand trails.
WEST
CLEAR CREEK -- Has been recently stocked, fishing should
be good. Game and Fish has also reintroduced Rocky Moutain Bighorn
Sheep into this area, so you might just see some up into the rugged
canyon area (not an easy hike -- be sure to wear boots).
PRESCOTT
AREA
FAIN
LAKE — Trout were stocked last week, the week of October
5th. Look for the fishing to pick up following the stocking.
Bright colored Power Bait will be your best bet. As the water
cools more, spinners will become more effective.
Bluegill were stocked on June 15 and again the week of June 20.
Catfish were stocked the week of June 15. Catfish should bite
on night crawlers or anchovies in the morning and evening hours.
GOLDWATER
LAKE - Trout were stocked last the week of Sept. the
14. They will be stocked again this week, the week of Oct. 12.
Power Bait has been the best for trout. Spinners are effective
early in the morning. As the water cools, look for the trout
to become more active and start hitting spinners. Look for the
trout to be most active in the early morning and late afternoon,
they are not very active during the middle of the day right now.
One angler reported catching a catfish last week that weighed
around 20lbs.
Both bass and catfish were stocked the week of June 22. Bass were
stocked on June 10. The bass are being stocked to give a boost
to a dwindling population in the lake and to reduce the excessive
number of crayfish. Please practice catch and release with the
bass, while the population gets re-established.
Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Goldwater on Sept. 15, 2009
and found bass and catfish populations to be much improved over
last year. The number of green sunfish was greatly reduced. The
bass had a successful spawn this year. If you fish Goldwater
and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so
I can share your successes with others.
Granite Basin –Bluegill and bass are plentiful in this lake.
The aquatic vegetation has not been bad this year making fishing
this lake easier than normal. The bluegills have been biting well,
but most are small. Some anglers have reported catching limited
numbers of bluegill that were close to a ½-pound. Bass are also
biting, but not as good as the bluegill. If you fish Granite Basin
and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so
I can share your successes with others.
LYNX
LAKE - Rainbow trout were last stocked the week of
the week of October 5th.
Look for the fishing to really pick up following this stocking.
Fingerling brook trout were stocked Sept. 17. Five hundred pounds
of catfish were stocked on June 10. Fishing success has been low,
try fishing for bass and catfish early in the morning or in the
evening. One thousand six hundred brook trout were stocked on
May 11. The brookies were about 3 to the pound. Some anglers
have had success catching the brook trout. Rainbow trout stockings
will resume the middle of September if water temperatures permit.
MINGUS
LAKE - Trout were stocked last week, the week of Oct.
5. The fishing has been really good. The best bait is usually
orange, pink, or white Power Bait, fished on the bottom with
a treble hook and an egg sinker. Anglers often have success
with flies and spinners as well.
Someone illegally stocked yellow bullhead into Mingus several
years ago. These fish compete directly with the trout and keep
growth rates very low. If you witness anyone, anywhere, moving
fish like bass, bluegill, catfish and stocking them, please report
it to our Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-352-0700. Illegal
stockings cost YOU money!
WATSON -
Some reports of anglers having success for largemouth with crank
baits. The catfish bite should be good in the evenings. Crappies
are found in low numbers. Bullheads are easily caught using a
small piece of worm. Look for the fishing to slow down as the
water temperature falls.
Game and Fish Biologists surveyed Watson last fall and found the
bass, sunfish, and bullhead to be plentiful. Crappies were also
doing well. Look for the crappie fishing to pick up in a year
or two. If you fish Watson and are having luck, please e-mail me
at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so
I can share your successes with others.
WILLOW
CREEK RESERVOIR – Some anglers are reporting catching
a few nice bass on spinner baits, crank baits, and crayfish
lures. Try fishing off rocky points and by tulles. Bass,
bluegill, and bullhead are plentiful. Most of the bluegills
are on the small side, but the bullheads are thick. Try fishing
for bullheads by the dam. Access is difficult, but may be
worth it. The lake is covered with aquatic vegetation, making
it difficult to fish. Look for the fishing to slow down as
the water temperature falls. If
you fish Willow and are having luck, please e-mail me at mchmiel@azgfd.gov so
I can share your successes with others.
OTHER
WAYS TO GET THE FISHING REPORT:
Internet Home Page www.azgfd.com
Recorded Public Call-In Line (602) 789-3701
