Fall Fishing Outlook For Southwestern AZ

      Alamo Lake and Lake Havasu will likely be fishing hot spots this fall in the southwestern region of Arizona, but the outlook is favorable for the Colorado River waters all the way through Yuma.

Alamo Lake

Largemouth bass is expected to be excellent with fish in the two to two-plus-pound sizes.  Channel catfish is also expected to excellent this fall. Crappie continues to look good, but may be slow at times. If you are looking for other panfish such as bluegill there are numbers of nice size fish available.

Lake Havasu & Topock Gorge

Largemouth bass is expected to be good to excellent with fish over 13 inches and occasional sizes over four pounds. Striped bass are expected to be excellent for fish less than 16 inches and an occasional fish over 20 inches. Expect lots of good topwater action on stripers from now through the end of September, and possibly into October. Channel catfish and bluegill will be fair to good. If your interest is flathead catfish, it should be good at the lower end of the lake (Bill Williams River Arm). Sizes of flathead catfish can reach as high as 50 pounds. When fishing for them select the interior points in the coves and the areas where artificial structure has been placed.

Colorado River (Parker Strip Area)

Smallmouth bass is expected to be good to excellent with fish over a pound. In addition, Redear sunfish and bluegill should also be good to excellent in the pound plus sizes. Channel and flathead catfish are always fair to good in this section of the Colorado River.

Colorado River (between I-10 bridge and Walter’s Camp)

This area should be fair for both smallmouth bass (in the channel) and largemouth bass (in the backwaters). Channel and flathead catfish are always fair to good in this section of the Colorado River. Most of the flathead catfish will be in the two to five-pound size range with an occasional 20-plus-pound fish. This year there may even be some flatheads in the 30-pound size range.

Colorado River (between Walter’s Camp and Picacho State Park)

This section of the Colorado River is relatively remote and can only be accessed by boat from either end. Fishing is expected to be good to excellent for flathead catfish with sizes approaching 70 pounds, although sizes over 50 pounds are becoming harder to find. The various backwaters will be good for largemouth bass. Other species available are smallmouth bass and striped bass, in the main channel and bluegill and redear sunfish in the backwaters.

Colorado River (between Picacho State Park and Imperial Dam)

This area is expected to be good to excellent for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and flathead catfish. The bass in excess of five pounds are present along with flathead catfish as large as 40 pounds. Bluegills are also present in the various backwaters and an occasional striped bass will be caught in the main river channel.

Colorado River (between Imperial Dam and Laguna Dam)

Access to this area is limited at best but that area is expected to be good for largemouth bass, channel catfish, and fair for flathead catfish.  The main access is in the area of the Bureau of Land Management’s Betties Kitchen day use area.

Colorado River (between Laguna and Morelos dams)

This area will be good for largemouth bass and flathead catfish. Bass in excess of five pounds can be found and flathead catfish over 20 pounds is a good bet. The river flows tend to be low and only smaller shallow draft boats will be able to work the upper portions and the larger boats will be able to get on the river on the lower end. The best areas will be from the confluence of the Gila River down to the I-8 Hwy bridge.