02-07-2006, 08:09 PM
[cool][#0000ff]There are more years when NO water comes down the river in the spring than when it does. Last year was unusual. The whities liked it though.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In "normal" years, you can find white bass around any rocky area of the shoreline. They will spawn near rocks when they can't go upstream. I have done well many years by launching and fishing up near the bridge that goes over Castle Creek, on the other side of the lake from Agua Fria River. Shad schools move back and forth along the bridge and both largemouths and white bass cruise along with them, ambushing them from time to time.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In my float tube, I usually kick about 200 yards up the lake, from the bridge. The white bass come up the channel and sometimes move fairly close to shore, chasing shad. If not, cast out into the channel, with a Rat-L-Trap, white twister or a smoke sparkle plastic. Let it settle down about 20 feet and then reel it back fast.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If the CAP water is coming in strong, there will be white bass along the shoreline below the visitor center and along the dam. You can't fish off the dam or take a boat out to the incoming water towers, since 9/11, but there are often good schools of whites near shore in the early morning. 3" shad bodies and twisters can do well.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Apache Lake does have some dandy yellow bass...and walleyes...and smallmouths...and trout...and largemouths. The only problem is that there are only a couple of places to access the lake, and the lake is big. Without a boat, your chances are limited. Most of the best spots are a few minutes from any launch ramp. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]But, there can be some good action in close, for tubers and tooners. Try launching up toward the head of the lake (Burnt Corral) and work along any rocky shorelines with a variety of plastics and spinners.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In "normal" years, you can find white bass around any rocky area of the shoreline. They will spawn near rocks when they can't go upstream. I have done well many years by launching and fishing up near the bridge that goes over Castle Creek, on the other side of the lake from Agua Fria River. Shad schools move back and forth along the bridge and both largemouths and white bass cruise along with them, ambushing them from time to time.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In my float tube, I usually kick about 200 yards up the lake, from the bridge. The white bass come up the channel and sometimes move fairly close to shore, chasing shad. If not, cast out into the channel, with a Rat-L-Trap, white twister or a smoke sparkle plastic. Let it settle down about 20 feet and then reel it back fast.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If the CAP water is coming in strong, there will be white bass along the shoreline below the visitor center and along the dam. You can't fish off the dam or take a boat out to the incoming water towers, since 9/11, but there are often good schools of whites near shore in the early morning. 3" shad bodies and twisters can do well.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Apache Lake does have some dandy yellow bass...and walleyes...and smallmouths...and trout...and largemouths. The only problem is that there are only a couple of places to access the lake, and the lake is big. Without a boat, your chances are limited. Most of the best spots are a few minutes from any launch ramp. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]But, there can be some good action in close, for tubers and tooners. Try launching up toward the head of the lake (Burnt Corral) and work along any rocky shorelines with a variety of plastics and spinners.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
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