spectr17
04-23-2003, 12:56 PM
Big Lake Is Open: Trout Fishing is Busting Loose
AZ G&F
4/14/03
The time is finally here: most high mountain lakes in Arizona's national forests are accessible and full of hungry trout, so trout fishing is finally busting loose.
Arizona finally has some snow pack this year to raise stream, lake and river levels in many high county areas - especially along the Mogollon Rim and in the White Mountains.
Also, many waters received multiple bonus stockings of trout last season by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "We don't know what weather, continued drought and other factors might do later in the season. We do know there are some terrific fishing opportunities right now," says Public Information Officer Rory Aikens, who compiles the department's weekly fishing report.
Here are some top trout fishing choices this season from the Game and Fish Department:
- Big Lake: Highway 261 (near Springerville) is open, which makes both Crescent and Big Lake accessible for anglers. Big Lake is the primary fishery where Game and Fish Department biologists banked trout last year that couldn't be stocked in other fisheries due to drought and/or fires. It even got a load of native Apache trout. This is likely to be the hot spot of the state for trout. Crescent is still low, the ramp is out of the water, and the scheduled stocking for this week is postponed.
- Willow Springs Lake: Open: received multiple bonus stockings of trout last season. Anglers are catching limits of fat, feisty 12-inch-plus rainbows. Power Bait is always a good choice. Mealworms or night crawlers might be irresistible.
- Woods Canyon Lake: Still inaccessible. With more snow expected, who knows. . . This lake also received bonus stockings of trout last season.
- Black Canyon Lake: This fishery is located in the Rodeo Chediski Fire area near Heber-Overgaard. Even though it experienced a fish kill last year due to ash runoff from the fire, water conditions this season are good and it was stocked recently with rainbow trout.
- Chevelon Lake: Accessible via the FS 504 Road from Heber/Overgaard. This is a tough lake to get to. There is not a lot of good shore access (it's a steep canyon lake). But if you have a belly boat or a canoe, this can be the place for trophy-sized salmonids.
- Blue Ridge Reservoir: The gate is open. This is another deep canyon lake that lacks good shore access for anglers, but can provide terrific fishing for boaters.
- Lower Lake Mary: This fishery near Flagstaff was dry last year, but now has water and has been stocked with trout. Also in the Flagstaff area, try Upper Lake Mary for trout and walleye or Ashurst Lake for trout and northern pike.
- Ashurst: This lake on Anderson Mesa near Flagstaff has a good campground, making it a nice family destination fishery. There are also pike - please catch and keep all you can.
- Long Lake: This fishery north of Happy Jack (east of Flagstaff) should be turning on for rainbow trout, but it has been phenomenal for northern pike off-and-on since last fall. Long also sports walleye and bass. It's in pinyon-juniper habitat, so don't expect tall picturesque ponderosa pines lining the shore.
- Knoll Lake, Lee Valley Reservoir and Sheep's Crossing were all inaccessible on Monday. Keep checking the road conditions: things can change rapidly this time of year.
AZ G&F
4/14/03
The time is finally here: most high mountain lakes in Arizona's national forests are accessible and full of hungry trout, so trout fishing is finally busting loose.
Arizona finally has some snow pack this year to raise stream, lake and river levels in many high county areas - especially along the Mogollon Rim and in the White Mountains.
Also, many waters received multiple bonus stockings of trout last season by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. "We don't know what weather, continued drought and other factors might do later in the season. We do know there are some terrific fishing opportunities right now," says Public Information Officer Rory Aikens, who compiles the department's weekly fishing report.
Here are some top trout fishing choices this season from the Game and Fish Department:
- Big Lake: Highway 261 (near Springerville) is open, which makes both Crescent and Big Lake accessible for anglers. Big Lake is the primary fishery where Game and Fish Department biologists banked trout last year that couldn't be stocked in other fisheries due to drought and/or fires. It even got a load of native Apache trout. This is likely to be the hot spot of the state for trout. Crescent is still low, the ramp is out of the water, and the scheduled stocking for this week is postponed.
- Willow Springs Lake: Open: received multiple bonus stockings of trout last season. Anglers are catching limits of fat, feisty 12-inch-plus rainbows. Power Bait is always a good choice. Mealworms or night crawlers might be irresistible.
- Woods Canyon Lake: Still inaccessible. With more snow expected, who knows. . . This lake also received bonus stockings of trout last season.
- Black Canyon Lake: This fishery is located in the Rodeo Chediski Fire area near Heber-Overgaard. Even though it experienced a fish kill last year due to ash runoff from the fire, water conditions this season are good and it was stocked recently with rainbow trout.
- Chevelon Lake: Accessible via the FS 504 Road from Heber/Overgaard. This is a tough lake to get to. There is not a lot of good shore access (it's a steep canyon lake). But if you have a belly boat or a canoe, this can be the place for trophy-sized salmonids.
- Blue Ridge Reservoir: The gate is open. This is another deep canyon lake that lacks good shore access for anglers, but can provide terrific fishing for boaters.
- Lower Lake Mary: This fishery near Flagstaff was dry last year, but now has water and has been stocked with trout. Also in the Flagstaff area, try Upper Lake Mary for trout and walleye or Ashurst Lake for trout and northern pike.
- Ashurst: This lake on Anderson Mesa near Flagstaff has a good campground, making it a nice family destination fishery. There are also pike - please catch and keep all you can.
- Long Lake: This fishery north of Happy Jack (east of Flagstaff) should be turning on for rainbow trout, but it has been phenomenal for northern pike off-and-on since last fall. Long also sports walleye and bass. It's in pinyon-juniper habitat, so don't expect tall picturesque ponderosa pines lining the shore.
- Knoll Lake, Lee Valley Reservoir and Sheep's Crossing were all inaccessible on Monday. Keep checking the road conditions: things can change rapidly this time of year.