FISHING REPORT EDITOR: Rory Aikens, (602) 789-3214, E-mail raikens@gf.state.az.us.

Note: The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes they have been discriminated against in any Game and Fish program or activity, including its employment practices, the individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly with the Game and Fish Deputy Director, 2221 W. Greenway Rd., Phx., AZ 85023, (602) 789-3290 or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr., Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact the Game and Fish Deputy Director as listed above or by calling TTY at 1-800 367-8939.

Rory’s Fishing Tips: Fishing is starting to heat up. Crappie fishing is terrific at Roosevelt Lake near the Windy Hill launch ramp. Smallmouth bass are spawning at Apache Lake (and possibly Canyon and Saguaro). White bass are spawning in the Agua Fria Arm of Lake Pleasant (access off Table Mesa Road). This is the leading edge of spring fishing fever—warning, it can be contagious, but the remedies are fun.

LAKE PLEASANT — Lake level has risen to 89 percent of capacity. Access to the upper Aqua Fria has been limited due to runoff. This week’s rains will probably make access even more difficult. Fishing in the main lake has been fair. Last week’s WON Bass tournament weighed in over 1400 bass; most caught on Carolina-rigs and drop-shoting in 35-55 feet. The biggest bass was 9.46 pounds. The best action for bass and catfish has been in the upper lake, near Castle Creek and Humbug Cove, which tend to warm the fastest. White bass are hitting trolled Panther Martins and Road Runners in the main lake creek channels.

ROOSEVELT LAKE — Lake level has risen to 29 percent. Crappie fishing remains good near Windy Hill and Cholla on minnows and small jigs. Anglers are still finding them in 10-20 feet of water. Males are starting to show breeding colors and anglers are reporting 10-25 crappie a day. Bass fishing remains fair; crankbaits and spinnerbaits remain the best bait of late. Starting to see some catfish around Cottonwood.

UPPER SALT RIVER — Flows averaging 545 cfs into Roosevelt. No reports. Be aware of rising flows following storms. If you catch a flathead catfish with a Game and Fish tag attached to it, please note the weight, length and river location, then call the Game and Fish Dept. at (480) 981-9400 ext. 214 (you can keep the fish). Part of the Salt River above the Diversion Dam is in a wilderness area; be sure to know the rules.

APACHE — Lake level remains at 94 percent. Not many reports this week but those that came in were pretty good. The smallmouth bass getting ready to spawn are hitting crawdad pattern crankbaits and plastic jigs from the shoreline to 10 feet. Some nice largemouth have been taken as well. Walleye have been hitting crankbaits; try fishing an hour before sundown to and hour after sundown. Use electronics to locate schools of yellow bass and vertical jig them with spoons, minnows or cicadas.

CANYON — Lake level is 93 percent. The big bass are still hitting the trout baits. Remember there is a certified scale at the marina if anglers would like to get an official weight of their fish before releasing it. Go to the marina to find out more about the certified scale. Two witnesses are needed for the weight to be official. Trout were stocked last week. Trout have been hitting Power Bait, dillys and spinners. Try cicadas or minnows for the yellow bass. Walleye have been active during dusk, try throwing shad pattern crankbaits off major points in 10-20 feet.

SAGUARO — Lake level is 90 percent. Bass fishing is good. Carolina rigs, crankbaits and even top water baits are producing. Most of the action has been in 25 feet to the shoreline. There has been a report of a 14.5-pound bass taken last week on a jerkbait. The walleye have been active in the evenings and during the late morning. Anglers should try trolling shad patterned crankbaits off points and shorelines in 10-25 feet of water. Anglers are encouraged to release all walleye less than 14 inches. The last trout stocking was last week. Trout fishing should remain good in Butcher Jones and Keyhole for the next two weeks on Power Bait, dillys and minnows. Yellow bass are hitting minnows and jigs off the fishing piers.

BARTLETT — Lake level is at 67 percent capacity. Crappie fishing is picking up. Shore anglers are starting to pick up crappie in Rattlesnake Cove. Look for stick-ups and woody areas in 5-10 feet of water. Night fishing under crappie lights is starting to produce some nice catches. Small jigs and minnows are the best baits. Bass fishing has been fair. Crankbaits, jigs and plastics are your best bet in the mornings and crankbaits in the afternoon. Catfishing is fair.

HORSESHOE — Lake is at 12 percent capacity. Fishing is poor. Remember that the Colorado pikeminnow and the razorback sucker are endangered and must be released immediately. Upstream from Horseshoe Dam is an unlimited harvest area for all game fish.

VERDE RIVER (above Horseshoe) — Flows were 351 at Camp Verde and 923 going into Horseshoe Lake. No reports. Remember that no baitfish can be transported into this part of the river. For further information concerning regulations, call AGFD at (602) 789-3257.

LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) — Salt River below Stewart Mountain Dam is 8 cfs. Verde River into the Salt is 175 cfs. Trout stockings are scheduled for this week at Phon D. Sutton and Granite Reef. Trout fishing has been excellent on spinners, Power Bait and dillys.

LEE’S FERRY – The rainbow trout spawn is underway. Some trout are displaying magnificent spawning coloration. Catch rates have generally been good for all anglers, but spin anglers fishing deep are catching a greater percentage of the larger trout. Check out the Lee’s Ferry Angler’s web site for up to the minute information at www.leesferry.com.

LAKE POWELL – Lake elevation: 3665. Water temperature: 48-52 F. It is still winter as far as the fish are concerned. There was no established pattern - just random fish caught here and there. Striped bass were located in the same winter holding pattern that we saw in December. They are in the mouths of short canyons and in deep submerged creek channels of long canyons holding at 50-60 feet. Anchovies fished on the bottom on a short Carolina rig were the ticket. Fish were found on the graph in modest numbers, which numbers increased when anchovy chum had time to reach the bottom. Stripers may be resting on the bottom and initially missed while graphing. Pay attention to any fish trace or unusual bottom structure for a potential striper school. No movement toward the dam has been detected yet. Walleye are one month away from spawning and should be in pre-spawn condition. Any slight warming may increase activity and perhaps allow some decent walleye catches on slowly fished, bottom bouncing hair jigs, tubes and plastic. It is a good idea to tip the rig with live night crawlers when fishing for walleye. For current Lake Powell fishing information: www.nr.state.ut.us/DWR/LPFISH.htm.

LAKE MEAD — The lake level is currently at 1196.6 feet and is projected to maintain that level throughout the week. Rain through Thursday, cold and cloudy the remainder. No one is, or has been fishing as of late. Spring is approaching so get your gear ready for the water. Things will turn on all at once with this extended cold weather.

WILLOW BEACH — Projected average daily release from Hoover Dam way up (17,200 cfs), but this varies drastically with power demands on a daily basis. Flows above 20k are expected later this week. Check the generation schedules http://www.lc.usbr.gov/~pao/rivops.html before fishing above the Ringbolt Rapid area (mile 60). The trout stocking schedule can now be accessed online from the Fish and Wildlife Service web page at: http://southwest.fws.gov/fishery/wbstocking.htm. Trout will be stocked at the marina (mile 52) on Thursday or Friday. Trout fishing is excellent on days close to a stock date, but in general, catch rates are low and fishing pressure is minimal. The large stripers have headed down stream and are focusing on Nevada trout stockings around Cottonwood Landing.

LAKE MOHAVE —Mohave elevation 640.6 feet, but will gradually drop one foot over the course of this week. Rain most of the week, yucky weather the rest. Gear up for spring.

BELOW DAVIS DAM —The projected average daily flow is 16,500 cubic feet per second, check the generation schedule before your trip though: http://www.lc.usbr.gov/~pao/rivops.html . Fish for trout along casino row until a new stocking occurs. No reports of late have come in, which generally indicates slow catch rates. Plan your fishing trips to Davis Camp on the stock dates; the web link is listed in the Willow Beach section of this fishing report.

TOPOCK MARSH — Poor weather and fishing all week.

HAVASU- Reports are that the south end of the lake is producing catches on stripers. Shad are congregating around the Havasu Springs fishing docks; which is bringing in the stripers. Fishing late evening to morning is best. Also try around Sandpoint for stripers. Bass fishing is usually good north in the river where there is great natural structure to fish. In the lake, concentrate for bass in and around submerged artificial structure, which has been placed in various coves throughout the lake. Consistent bass catches have been reported around Mesquite Cove.

PARKER STRIP — Water levels on the strip are high right now. Stripers are still hitting on live shad above the dam, particularly at night when the dock lights draw in the shad schools. Bass are getting more active below the dam, with some nice small mouth being taken on crawdad colored jigs. Largemouth are hitting on pig-n-jigs, try working the shorelines down the river from Buckskin State Park. Crappie action should be picking up at the south end of the lake. Try small shad colored jigs in the area of open water. If you find a school stick with them.

MARTINEZ LAKE/COLORADO RIVER- The Colorado River water level was dropped with the flow close to 6000 cfs due to the heavy rains soaking the fields of the Imperial Valley last week and the anticipated rains due this week. The heavy projected flow of 11,500 cfs won’t take place until the valley dries out. The water temperature is up to 61 degrees and the weather is warming up to the low 70’s daytime and low 50’s at night. Visibility is still poor in the side lakes (1-2 feet) and the river holding at 5-7 feet. There are many sandbars showing. Fishing is reported to be good right now with shiners, night crawlers and crankbaits working best for largemouth bass in the lakes and lake entrances. Stripers are hitting live bait and Rapalas at the lake entrances upstream as large as 8-pounds. Crappie are scarce while bluegill and catfish are not biting yet. For info on Martinez Lake visit the web site: www.martinezlake.com.

MITTRY — Fishing was slow this past week as more fronts moved through the region. Fishing should improve as weather clears up and water temperatures rise. Some channel catfish have been biting along the shore fishing jetties on baits such as worms, liver, shrimp and cut mackerel. For bass, try spinnerbaits and plastics. No crappie reports. Doughballs and corn will land large carp, which are numerous in the lake.

YUMA AREA RIVERS/CANALS — The Colorado River is starting to improve as winter ends and spring emerges. Bass should be starting their pre-spawning activities soon, which means hungry fish! River conditions change day to day so be aware of this when planning to launch a boat. There are also many sandbars to be cautious of. Canals are a great place for catfishing after rainy weather. Rain washs insects and other food items into the canals which stimulates catfish activity. Use chicken liver or stinkbait for bait.

FORTUNA POND — Fishing is good on the pond. Anglers are still catching Rainbow trout on Power Bait, green worms and various spinners. A trout stamp is required to fish for and keep trout, with a 6-fish limit. Stocked channel catfish are also being caught off of the bottom with various baits such as hogwild stinkbait, chicken liver and worms. For a change of pace, try fishing for bluegill, tilapia, carp or even a striped mullet. Bass are also in the pond with a two fish limit, minimum length of 13-inches.

REDONDO POND — As weather starts to heat up, this may be the place to try. Some large bluegill and largemouth are known to inhabit the pond. Shore access is limited, the best way to fish is from a small hand-carried boat or bellyboat. Bass here have a 13-inch minimum length with a daily limit of two fish.

EHRENBERG — Flathead and bass dominate the catch on this stretch of the Colorado River. Bass fishing can be good in the main river, but great at times in the backwaters. Use plastics, spinnerbaits or natural baits for bass. Flatheads prefer live baits such as bluegill and goldfish, fish these baits over deep holes. Channel catfish are also present and like stinkbait and chicken liver.

ALAMO- Fishing has been good on the lake. Bass anglers are doing consistently well on spinnerbaits fished in the shallower waters throughout the lake. Shallow points and cove shorelines hold fish as well. Some anglers are averaging 3-4 bass of good size bass a day. Catfish are biting. One angler caught four catfish near the dam on chicken liver. Crappie continue to bite on minnows and trolled crankbaits. Anglers are averaging 4-6 fish per trip on the water. Reminder that you can now only keep one bass in the slot; which is currently 13-16 inches. The possession limit is now six bass (formerly 12).

KAIBAB LAKE – Gate is closed due to construction.

CATARACT LAKE – Gate is closed.

CITY RESERVOIR - Poor access.

DOGTOWN LAKE – Gate is closed.

WHITEHORSE LAKE – Extremely poor road conditions – not recommended

JD DAM No report Extremely poor road conditions – not recommended

SANTA FE – Lake has been drained. No fish.

LOWER LAKE MARY – Lake is dry.

UPPER LAKE MARY - Mostly frozen.

ASHURST LAKE – Lake is open. Fishing is excellent. If you want to catch northern pike, try where the ditch runs into the lake. The lake was sampled this past week with a 16-pound and a 7- pound northern pike being taken. Trout are being caught on worms that are injected with air. Scheduled to be stocked this week.

KINNIKINICK LAKE – No report.

OAK CREEK – Good for rainbows and browns.

LONG LAKE – No report. Anglers need to complete the creel cards available at the lake in order to insure that the trout stockings will continue.

SOLDIERS & SOLDIERS ANNEX – No report.

BEAVER CREEK - No report.

WEST CLEAR CREEK - No report.

STONEMAN LAKE – No report.

BLUE RIDGE – Road is closed.

KNOLL LAKE – Road is closed.

LEES FERRY: Check out the Lee’s Ferry Angler’s web site for up to the minute information. www.leesferry.com

LAKE POWELL: Lake Elevation: 3664 Water Temperature: 46-51 F Bass tournaments occurred almost every weekend during February. Early tournament results were meager with less than half of the teams catching a 12-inch keeper bass, usually largemouth. Finally in the most recent contest 13 of 16 teams entered fish. While fishing for bass remains tough it is gradually improving as day length increases. It seems the chances of catching a fish is now greater than the chance of not catching one. But it might not be possible to catch two. The spring pattern involves looking in the back of the canyon where brown water meets green water especially near brush. Warm afternoons are better than cold mornings especially where a huge rock face has a southern exposure to the sun and can collect the afternoon heat and transmit it into the water. Start shallow by tossing (1/8 to 1/4 ounce) soft plastic or hair jigs to shore line rocks, gradually working deeper with a slow bouncing retrieve. If no action; try a float 5-10 feet up from the jig. This suspends your slow moving bait in a (non threatening) horizontal plane that cold weather bass and crappie find appealing. For stripers, turn around and throw to the middle of the canyon instead of the shoreline. Let the bait go to the bottom (30-50 feet) and then work it near the bottom for slow moving stripers and walleye. Use crayfish colors near shore and shad colors in deeper water. Keep moving and repeat the techniques in the "green water" section of canyon. You can include your favorite methods by tossing a crankbait, or slow rolling a spinnerbait or flippin' a skirted jig with plastic or pork in the shallow brush. There will be plenty of blank spots finally interrupted by one tiny spot that has more than one agreeable fish. Find out what is special about the catch and spot just encountered and then go out find a similar location with the same attributes. Catch another fish in the new spot and you have just cracked the daily pattern. While most striped bass are found in the backs of the canyons at 40-80 feet, there have been some recent catch reports from Glen Canyon Dam by both boat and shore anglers. While fishing is still slow, the occasional school will run along the canyon wall eating anchovy baits along the way. The reports range from 8 fish one day to 30 the next. There is a lot of waiting between schools. For current Lake Powell fishing information: www.nr.state.ut.us/DWR/LPFISH.htm

CHEVELON CANYON - No reports. Expect partial ice conditions. Access lake via Forest Road 504 from Heber and then south on FR 169. Trout may be taken with artificial lures and flies only, and trout between 10 and 14 inches may not be possessed.

BEAR CANYON - No reports. Lake is inaccessible.

BLACK CANYON - No reports. Lake is inaccessible.

WILLOW SPRINGS - No reports. Lake is iced over.

WOODS CANYON - No reports. Lake is iced, and access gate is locked. Store is closed for the winter. Anglers will need to walk to water's edge.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE — This lake is part of the urban fishing program and requires an urban fishing license. Anglers are catching limits of good-sized rainbow trout.

BECKER LAKE - Boaters should try trolling very slowly with small lures, such as Rooster Tails, Z-rays, or Panther Martins. Both shore and boat anglers could also use small flies, size 12 hook or less, in brown or black patterns. Trout may be taken with artificial lures and flies only from October 1 to May 25, and limit is two fish.

BIG LAKE - All access roads have been closed due to snow.

CONCHO - Trout fishing is fair to good. Shore fishermen are catching nice-sized fish using yellow or red baits, such as corn, salmon eggs, or worms suspended about five feet under a small bobber. Boaters should try trolling small lures such as Panther Martins or Rooster Tails, or small peacock lady flies.

CRESCENT - All access roads have been closed due to snow.

FOOL HOLLOW - Trout fishing is fair; use worms, salmon eggs, or Power Bait. Shore fishermen should use a bobber and suspend bait three feet above bottom, or try a worm with a marshmallow to float it up from the bottom. Bass fishing is fair; try the shallow water in the upper arm of the lake with lures or black or purple worms. For walleye, fish during low light hours, early or late in the day, using sinking Rapala lures near rocky shorelines or ledges.

GREER LAKES - Ice is unsafe. Public is cautioned about checking ice thickness at each reservoir. A few people have fallen through the ice at these lakes this year. Holes should not be drilled in close proximity to each other. Trout fishing is good using corn, worms, or salmon eggs.

HULSEY LAKE - No reports. Lake is iced over.

LEE VALLEY - All access roads have been closed due to snow.

LUNA LAKE - Ice is gone from lake. Trout fishing is fair to good. Fishermen are having most success with small flies in black, brown, or green colors. The store concession has bait and boat rentals available.

LYMAN - Catfish and carp are being caught at the upper end of the lake in one to three feet of water using worms, corn, chicken livers, or anchovies. Bass and walleye are being caught near rocky outcrops using worms or lures in low light hours, early morning or late afternoon.

NELSON - Trout fishing is slow to fair. If you can catch a fish, it will probably be good-sized, in 14" range. Boaters should try small Z-ray or Panther Martin lures or small flies. Shore fishermen should try corn or worms 10 to 20 feet from shore. Trout limit is removed from Nelson Reservoir from September 1 to May 1.

RAINBOW - Good for trout using worms, Power Bait, or marshmallows.

SCOTT'S RESERVOIR - No reports. Lake is full, but turbid from recent runoff.

SHOW LOW - Trout fishing is fair; use red or yellow baits such as worms, salmon eggs, or Power Bait.

WOODLAND - Lake has open water. Trout fishing is fair for carryover trout from last fall.

SILVER CREEK - Trout fishing is good. Use small flies, size 12 hook or less, in black or brown patterns. Best imitations are small midges or scuds. Silver Creek within the boundaries of the Arizona Game & Fish Commission owned property (excluding the portion designated as state fish hatchery) is catch and release only using only artificial lures and flies from October 1 to April 1. To insure optimum fish survival, barbs should be removed or pressed flat against hooks and all fish should be released immediately

WHITE MOUNTAIN STREAMS - Most access roads have been closed due to snow.

TUCSON URBAN — The urban lakes were stocked with rainbow trout last week. Try Power Bait, corn or cheese. Small spinners should also catch trout. Buy a two-pole stamp and try different baits to double your chances.

RIGGS FLAT — The gate is closed for the winter.

CLUFF RANCH — Was stocked with rainbow trout last week. For lake information call (520) 485-9430.

ROPER LAKE — Was stocked with rainbow trout last week. For lake information call (520) 428-6760.

DANKWORTH POND — Was stocked with rainbow trout last week. For lake information call (520) 428-6760.

Kearny Lake – Has been stocked with rainbow trout. Try Power Bait, corn or cheese.

ARIVACA — Anglers should be aware that harvest regulations on largemouth bass have been restricted to catch and release only on all largemouth bass caught at this lake. Surveys show fair numbers of small bass, but almost no fish exceeding 12 inches. No other fish stockings are planned until the water quality stabilizes. Due to elevated mercury readings in the warm water species, (bass, sunfish and catfish) it is recommended that these fish not be eaten until further notice. Catch and release should be practiced.

PENA BLANCA — Pena Blanca has been stocked with rainbow trout. Trout fishing has been very good. Try Power Bait, corn or cheese. Fishing is slow for bass. Fall surveys show a healthy bass population with good numbers of fish in the 15 to 18 inch range. Use artificial worms in rocky areas where the aquatic vegetation is less dense for largemouth bass. The weeds have been cut, so fishing access has improved. Due to elevated mercury readings in the warm water species (bass, sunfish, crappie catfish), it is recommended that these fish not be eaten until further notice. Catch-and-release should be practiced. Since trout are stocked in this lake, they are OK to eat. For lake information call (520) 281-2296.

PATAGONIA — Has been stocked with rainbow trout. Trout fishing has been good. Try Power Bait or small spinners in the marina or rock shelf area. Fishing is slow for warm water species; bass, sunfish and catfish. For lake information call (520) 287-6063.

PARKER CANYON — Has been stocked with rainbow trout. Trout fishing has been good. This is an excellent time to try fly-fishing. Trout have been observed feeding on the surface in the evenings and early mornings in the backs of the coves near the island. Try flys, corn, worms, and Power Bait , crankbaits and spinnerbaits. Fishing is slow for warm water species (bass, catfish and sunfish). Try artificial worms or night crawlers. The limit on northern pike has been removed and all northern pike that anglers intend to keep must be killed immediately. Anglers are encouraged to try to catch this illegally introduced species. Boat launching is not a problem. For lake information call (520) 455-5847.

PICACHO RESERVOIR — No report

ROSE CANYON LAKE - The gate has been closed for the winter. For lake and camping information call (520) 749-8700.

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