09-21-2007, 02:10 AM
Rory's Tip
Grab your trout fishing gear ready and dig out your warm jacket buried in the closet.
This week the high country nights dipped into the cold 30s. The Flagstaff and North Kaibab areas experienced frost this week. Some of the higher elevation lakes in the White Mountains, such as Big Lake, also had nighttime temperatures plummeting to the freezing mark.
It's about time.
This welcome high elevation chill-down should do two things - get the trout more active and prompt autumn colors to start emerging.
By the way, the U.S. Forest Service now has a fall colors page at http://www.fs.fed.us/news/fallcolors/, although there was nothing posted on Sept. 18. With the colder temperatures, that may change soon.
Don't forget to give us a fishing report (and maybe a fall colors report as well) over the department's "Been Fishing?" line above.
If you are headed to the high country this weekend, you might also want to take along a slicker - there might even be some rain. When it rains this time of year in the high country, elk can stay active during the daylight hours and provide good wildlife viewing opportunities, and maybe hearing opportunities as well; bugling. It's mating time.
The fall is when brown trout exhibit spawning activity. Expect to find brown trout staging for the spawn during early October. Good lakes for browns include Chevelon, Blue Ridge, Willow Springs and Nelson. Canyon Creek and Oak Creek both have browns as well, but consult the fishing regulations for stretches of stream with special regulations.
But don't expect to visit Lee Valley Lake in the White Mountains this fall for fishing or fall colors. There is no longer any access by vehicle to Lee Valley Lake due to road work on State Highway 273. State Highway 273 from the Forest and Fort Apache Indian Reservation boundary to Gabaldon Campground is closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will remain closed until the road construction project is complete. Access from Crescent Lake to Gabaldon Campground (includes East Mt. Baldy trail) on Highway 273 will only be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
On the plus side, the road to Riggs Flat is open and trout will be stocked on Thursday, Sept. 20. Rose Canyon is also open and some anglers have been doing really well. Anglers should find good fishing conditions at both of these southern Arizona trout lakes just in time to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day on Saturday.
The cooler daytime and nighttime temperatures in the lower elevations, along with shortening days and lengthening nights, should also result in predatory fish feeding more aggressively in the desert lakes. It doesn't hurt that the milder temperatures also make it more pleasant for another species - Homo sapiens - to fish during the daylight hours.
The hot spots for hard-fighting striped bass continue to be Powell, Havasu, Mead and Pleasant. Powell and Mead are going gangbusters. This is the time to go.
The best largemouth bass action is at Roosevelt, Bartlett, Pleasant, Mead, Alamo and Powell. Martinez Lake on the lower Colorado River can be a fall standout at times.
The best smallmouth bass action is at Lake Powell, the Parker Strip, and Lake Havasu. An outside bet for smallies, especially when storms march through the state, is Roosevelt Lake. With rain forecast for this weekend, it might be worth a shot.
For crappies, we aren't hearing much right now, but typically Alamo, Bartlett and Roosevelt will have a decent crappie bite in the fall (usually at night) - it just hasn't started yet.
Also, mark your calendar for Sept. 29 for the Verde River Day celebration at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood where there will be a fishing clinic, canoe rides, sand castle building, geology tours, and 40 nature-based exhibits. For more information, call (928) 634-5283.
Fishing News
Mr. Whiskers returns to urban lakes<br />
PHOENIX - Cooler water temperatures means Mr. Whiskers is returning to the popular urban program lakes this week to kick off the 10-month-long stocking season.
In fact, there are 13,700 pounds of catfish coming all the way from Arkansas this week for stocking by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in the 19 urban lakes in the Tucson and great Phoenix metropolitan areas. These hard-fighting channel catfish will routinely tip the scales at 1.5 to 3 pounds.
"We suspend the catfish stockings during the heat of summer in July and August," explains Urban Fishing Program Manager Eric Swanson. "Then start stocking them again each September."
This year, the good fishing started picking up at many of the city park lakes all on its own and the catfish stockings will definitely increase the quality of the fishing.
The fall catfish stocking season includes a total of four plants at two-week intervals through early November. Starting in mid-November, the urban program will switch from stocking catfish to stocking trout.
Free activities available during National Hunting and Fishing Day<br />
Learn about the great outdoors and pick up tips on hunting, fishing and wildlife during the National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrations on Sept. 17-21.
Activities include a "Get Outdoors" outdoor expo from 7-11 a.m. at Tempe Town Lake on Sept. 22, a mini-expo at the Tucson Sportsman's Warehouse store on Sept. 22, and various seminars or booths in the Phoenix, Tucson and Kingman areas Sept. 17-21. For a complete list of events, click here.
Quagga mussels invade central Arizona waters<br />
PHOENIX - The quagga mussel invasion in Arizona has now advanced from the Colorado River lakes to the state's interior.
A single adult quagga mussel measuring 15 mm in diameter was found on a sampling device in the Central Arizona Project aqueduct in north Scottsdale.
A single quagga mussel can produce 30,000 to 40,000 fertilized eggs in a single breeding cycle, and one adult female quagga can release up to a million eggs in a single year.
Game and Fish Department officials asking boaters and anglers to help fight the continuing spread of these and other invaders by routinely taking simple precautionary steps. Before leaving a lake or other waterway, always:<br />
* CLEAN the hull of your boat.<br />
* DRAIN the water from the boat, livewell and the lower unit.<br />
* DRY the boat, fishing gear, and equipment.<br />
* INSPECT all exposed surfaces.<br />
* REMOVE all plant and animal material.
After you leave a lake or other body of water, please wait five days before launching your boat someplace else. This five-day-waiting period will aid tremendously in killing those hidden hitchhikers on your boat, such as the microscopic quagga larvae.
Central Arizona
URBAN LAKES - Rig up the poles for Mr. Whiskers: channel catfish are being stocked this week to kick off the 10-month-long stocking season. Try any stink bait, corn, shrimp or frozen anchovies. Some anglers are also doing well on bass and bluegills.
Bret Baron caught 25-plus channel catfish in about three hours during the day at Red Mountain Lake using "good ole hot dogs and vanilla" and a 5-ounce weight on the bottom. "The fishing here is OUTSTANDING for Mr. Whiskers if you know the right spots."
Angel Ulloa visited Desert Breeze to catch largemouth bass and caught two catfish weighing 2-pounds each using white and chartreuse spinnerbaits. He also caught largemouth bass at Red Mountain Park using Texas- rigged 4- to 5-inch pumpkinseed-colored worms or red craws.
"I caught two largemouths on the north side of the big island weighing 2-pounds each by casting past the rocks and retrieving slowly and at the same time, jerking my rod tip. Then I switched to the chigger craw where an estimated 3- to 6-pound bass broke my new rod in half. Was disappointed about the rod, but happy I got to experience the bass," Angel said.
TEMPE TOWN LAKE - Come join us Saturday to help celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day. There will be lots of activities.
Bass fishing is picking up and anglers are also catching catfish, bluegills and yellow bass. Plastics and crankbaits worked around the ledges and docks can work well during the early morning and right before dark. Channel catfish averaging 1 to 2 pounds will bite stink baits, hot dogs and shrimp. Carp fishing is excellent using corn and dough bait. Remember no gas motors are allowed (trolling motors are) and you must have a boating permit, which can be obtained at the Town Lake operations center.
LAKE PLEASANT - Water elevation is at 1,639 ft (39-percent Full) as of Sept. 17.
There is a junior Bassmaster fishing tournament on Oct. 7, starting at 4 a.m. at the 10-lane launch ramp.
Striper fishing was a little slower the last couple weeks although there are still consistent striper boils, but you have to look for them. Stripers seem to be on the move, probably going toward the Aqua Fria. Try anchovies under a green light.
Anglers are also report finding boils of largemouth bass off-and-on throughout the day, sometimes over deep water. Expect this trend to continue as bass feed more aggressively to put on fat before winter conditions arrive.
A new state record 27-pound striper was caught on a water dog here this past summer. There could be another record-breaker lurking in the depths.
Mike Culbertson had an exciting time while fishing from shore using liver on the bottom. Mike got lots of bites, but kept missing the hook sets and when he did connect, one big catfish stripped off all his line and another fought so hard that his fishing pole bruised his hip.
Denny Wood caught a 5.1-pound largemouth bass on a Rico topwater plug in Humbug just before dark on Sept. 11.
John Uram, Jr. fished from shore using frozen anchovies free floating on the bottom and caught stripers, adding, "First time I've caught stripers. I understand it is difficult to catch them from shore, especially at 8 a.m. "
Mitch Jordan fished from 5 a.m. to noon using topwater poppers and spooks cast into boils or trolled at medium speed to catch stripers and largemouth bass. "Lots of largemouth out in the middle of the lake on top. Between two of us, we caught about 35 fish, some weighing over 3 pounds."
Some anglers are encountering huge boils of stripers and largemouths, especially in the northern coves or along submerged creek channels (underwater fish freeways) off-and-on throughout the day. Also try major points, islands and reefs throughout the lake. Go armed with topwater lures, soft plastic jerkbaits, spoons (such as KastMasters) and frozen anchovies. Shad-like crankbaits can work great at times.
Paul and Tom Johnson from Tucson wrote: We fished the night of the eclipse and targeted largemouth bass from about 5 p.m. until 7p.m. We caught none, but we are recent transplants from Alaska and are still figuring out the Bass fishing. About seven boats huddled around the mouth of H
Grab your trout fishing gear ready and dig out your warm jacket buried in the closet.
This week the high country nights dipped into the cold 30s. The Flagstaff and North Kaibab areas experienced frost this week. Some of the higher elevation lakes in the White Mountains, such as Big Lake, also had nighttime temperatures plummeting to the freezing mark.
It's about time.
This welcome high elevation chill-down should do two things - get the trout more active and prompt autumn colors to start emerging.
By the way, the U.S. Forest Service now has a fall colors page at http://www.fs.fed.us/news/fallcolors/, although there was nothing posted on Sept. 18. With the colder temperatures, that may change soon.
Don't forget to give us a fishing report (and maybe a fall colors report as well) over the department's "Been Fishing?" line above.
If you are headed to the high country this weekend, you might also want to take along a slicker - there might even be some rain. When it rains this time of year in the high country, elk can stay active during the daylight hours and provide good wildlife viewing opportunities, and maybe hearing opportunities as well; bugling. It's mating time.
The fall is when brown trout exhibit spawning activity. Expect to find brown trout staging for the spawn during early October. Good lakes for browns include Chevelon, Blue Ridge, Willow Springs and Nelson. Canyon Creek and Oak Creek both have browns as well, but consult the fishing regulations for stretches of stream with special regulations.
But don't expect to visit Lee Valley Lake in the White Mountains this fall for fishing or fall colors. There is no longer any access by vehicle to Lee Valley Lake due to road work on State Highway 273. State Highway 273 from the Forest and Fort Apache Indian Reservation boundary to Gabaldon Campground is closed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will remain closed until the road construction project is complete. Access from Crescent Lake to Gabaldon Campground (includes East Mt. Baldy trail) on Highway 273 will only be open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
On the plus side, the road to Riggs Flat is open and trout will be stocked on Thursday, Sept. 20. Rose Canyon is also open and some anglers have been doing really well. Anglers should find good fishing conditions at both of these southern Arizona trout lakes just in time to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day on Saturday.
The cooler daytime and nighttime temperatures in the lower elevations, along with shortening days and lengthening nights, should also result in predatory fish feeding more aggressively in the desert lakes. It doesn't hurt that the milder temperatures also make it more pleasant for another species - Homo sapiens - to fish during the daylight hours.
The hot spots for hard-fighting striped bass continue to be Powell, Havasu, Mead and Pleasant. Powell and Mead are going gangbusters. This is the time to go.
The best largemouth bass action is at Roosevelt, Bartlett, Pleasant, Mead, Alamo and Powell. Martinez Lake on the lower Colorado River can be a fall standout at times.
The best smallmouth bass action is at Lake Powell, the Parker Strip, and Lake Havasu. An outside bet for smallies, especially when storms march through the state, is Roosevelt Lake. With rain forecast for this weekend, it might be worth a shot.
For crappies, we aren't hearing much right now, but typically Alamo, Bartlett and Roosevelt will have a decent crappie bite in the fall (usually at night) - it just hasn't started yet.
Also, mark your calendar for Sept. 29 for the Verde River Day celebration at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood where there will be a fishing clinic, canoe rides, sand castle building, geology tours, and 40 nature-based exhibits. For more information, call (928) 634-5283.
Fishing News
Mr. Whiskers returns to urban lakes<br />
PHOENIX - Cooler water temperatures means Mr. Whiskers is returning to the popular urban program lakes this week to kick off the 10-month-long stocking season.
In fact, there are 13,700 pounds of catfish coming all the way from Arkansas this week for stocking by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in the 19 urban lakes in the Tucson and great Phoenix metropolitan areas. These hard-fighting channel catfish will routinely tip the scales at 1.5 to 3 pounds.
"We suspend the catfish stockings during the heat of summer in July and August," explains Urban Fishing Program Manager Eric Swanson. "Then start stocking them again each September."
This year, the good fishing started picking up at many of the city park lakes all on its own and the catfish stockings will definitely increase the quality of the fishing.
The fall catfish stocking season includes a total of four plants at two-week intervals through early November. Starting in mid-November, the urban program will switch from stocking catfish to stocking trout.
Free activities available during National Hunting and Fishing Day<br />
Learn about the great outdoors and pick up tips on hunting, fishing and wildlife during the National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrations on Sept. 17-21.
Activities include a "Get Outdoors" outdoor expo from 7-11 a.m. at Tempe Town Lake on Sept. 22, a mini-expo at the Tucson Sportsman's Warehouse store on Sept. 22, and various seminars or booths in the Phoenix, Tucson and Kingman areas Sept. 17-21. For a complete list of events, click here.
Quagga mussels invade central Arizona waters<br />
PHOENIX - The quagga mussel invasion in Arizona has now advanced from the Colorado River lakes to the state's interior.
A single adult quagga mussel measuring 15 mm in diameter was found on a sampling device in the Central Arizona Project aqueduct in north Scottsdale.
A single quagga mussel can produce 30,000 to 40,000 fertilized eggs in a single breeding cycle, and one adult female quagga can release up to a million eggs in a single year.
Game and Fish Department officials asking boaters and anglers to help fight the continuing spread of these and other invaders by routinely taking simple precautionary steps. Before leaving a lake or other waterway, always:<br />
* CLEAN the hull of your boat.<br />
* DRAIN the water from the boat, livewell and the lower unit.<br />
* DRY the boat, fishing gear, and equipment.<br />
* INSPECT all exposed surfaces.<br />
* REMOVE all plant and animal material.
After you leave a lake or other body of water, please wait five days before launching your boat someplace else. This five-day-waiting period will aid tremendously in killing those hidden hitchhikers on your boat, such as the microscopic quagga larvae.
Central Arizona
URBAN LAKES - Rig up the poles for Mr. Whiskers: channel catfish are being stocked this week to kick off the 10-month-long stocking season. Try any stink bait, corn, shrimp or frozen anchovies. Some anglers are also doing well on bass and bluegills.
Bret Baron caught 25-plus channel catfish in about three hours during the day at Red Mountain Lake using "good ole hot dogs and vanilla" and a 5-ounce weight on the bottom. "The fishing here is OUTSTANDING for Mr. Whiskers if you know the right spots."
Angel Ulloa visited Desert Breeze to catch largemouth bass and caught two catfish weighing 2-pounds each using white and chartreuse spinnerbaits. He also caught largemouth bass at Red Mountain Park using Texas- rigged 4- to 5-inch pumpkinseed-colored worms or red craws.
"I caught two largemouths on the north side of the big island weighing 2-pounds each by casting past the rocks and retrieving slowly and at the same time, jerking my rod tip. Then I switched to the chigger craw where an estimated 3- to 6-pound bass broke my new rod in half. Was disappointed about the rod, but happy I got to experience the bass," Angel said.
TEMPE TOWN LAKE - Come join us Saturday to help celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day. There will be lots of activities.
Bass fishing is picking up and anglers are also catching catfish, bluegills and yellow bass. Plastics and crankbaits worked around the ledges and docks can work well during the early morning and right before dark. Channel catfish averaging 1 to 2 pounds will bite stink baits, hot dogs and shrimp. Carp fishing is excellent using corn and dough bait. Remember no gas motors are allowed (trolling motors are) and you must have a boating permit, which can be obtained at the Town Lake operations center.
LAKE PLEASANT - Water elevation is at 1,639 ft (39-percent Full) as of Sept. 17.
There is a junior Bassmaster fishing tournament on Oct. 7, starting at 4 a.m. at the 10-lane launch ramp.
Striper fishing was a little slower the last couple weeks although there are still consistent striper boils, but you have to look for them. Stripers seem to be on the move, probably going toward the Aqua Fria. Try anchovies under a green light.
Anglers are also report finding boils of largemouth bass off-and-on throughout the day, sometimes over deep water. Expect this trend to continue as bass feed more aggressively to put on fat before winter conditions arrive.
A new state record 27-pound striper was caught on a water dog here this past summer. There could be another record-breaker lurking in the depths.
Mike Culbertson had an exciting time while fishing from shore using liver on the bottom. Mike got lots of bites, but kept missing the hook sets and when he did connect, one big catfish stripped off all his line and another fought so hard that his fishing pole bruised his hip.
Denny Wood caught a 5.1-pound largemouth bass on a Rico topwater plug in Humbug just before dark on Sept. 11.
John Uram, Jr. fished from shore using frozen anchovies free floating on the bottom and caught stripers, adding, "First time I've caught stripers. I understand it is difficult to catch them from shore, especially at 8 a.m. "
Mitch Jordan fished from 5 a.m. to noon using topwater poppers and spooks cast into boils or trolled at medium speed to catch stripers and largemouth bass. "Lots of largemouth out in the middle of the lake on top. Between two of us, we caught about 35 fish, some weighing over 3 pounds."
Some anglers are encountering huge boils of stripers and largemouths, especially in the northern coves or along submerged creek channels (underwater fish freeways) off-and-on throughout the day. Also try major points, islands and reefs throughout the lake. Go armed with topwater lures, soft plastic jerkbaits, spoons (such as KastMasters) and frozen anchovies. Shad-like crankbaits can work great at times.
Paul and Tom Johnson from Tucson wrote: We fished the night of the eclipse and targeted largemouth bass from about 5 p.m. until 7p.m. We caught none, but we are recent transplants from Alaska and are still figuring out the Bass fishing. About seven boats huddled around the mouth of H