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[cool][#0000ff]Man, I move back to Utah and the Arizona Board goes in the tank. Did everybody in Arizona quit fishing or have all the fishermen quit using computers?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Shouldn't be too long until the crappies start moving at Roosevelt, and the big largemouths start the prespawn. I'll be making runs back down there from time to time in the coming year so I would like to be able to keep up with some reports.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, I made a quick trip through Phoenix a couple of weeks ago and heard the word that there was a whole lotta dry going on. But, that is the nature of the area.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Hopefully Saguaro will stay healthy this year and you can get out to play with the yellows. Lotsa fun and some nice kitties to rassle too. In years past, mid April has been about the time they turn on. The whites at Lake Pleasant start showing up anytime around the end of February, and run up the river in March. Hope you can get into them again this year.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Sorry you are limited on "play time" but it will all be worth it some day. Take care of business right now and business will take care of you later.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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And what if there is no water coming down the river? (a very likely possibility this year) Will the whites congregate in the backs of the bays or will they all head over to where the CAP water gets dumped in?
Apache is supposed to have some decent yellows in it doesn't it? It has been spared any of the major fish kills thus far, so it might be worth a try.
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[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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[cool][#0000ff]There are a few BFTers in the area, but Arizona just does not have the computerized fishing group that Utah had. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of good fishing down there, if the water does not all dry up and blow away. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Around the first of March, there should be lot of things happening. The bass will be moving shallow at Roosevelt and the other lakes along the Salt River. Same for Saguaro. Crappies will be hot for a month or so in those lakes also. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Watch for the white bass and stripers to start chasing shad in the backs of coves and along the banks at Pleasant in March. In April, the yellow bass get busy in Saguaro and Canyon...and Apache.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There should be some good striper and largemouth action on Havasu soon, but as soon as the weather starts getting warm the lake is taken over by boats full of naked women. Severe eye strain. Tough to concentrate on fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you are down in that area you need to get clued in on going down to Mexico and fishing in the Sea of Cortez. It will ruin you forever.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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My boat still has the blue & gold decals so maybe I can help with promoting the site. At any rate I'll probably fish the local reservoirs: Pleasant, Apache, Canyon, Alamo, Roosevelt and whatever else is within earshot. Havasu would be a good trip on a long weekend as well. Any advice you can offer on any of these places? Thanks..fonduvfishin