Arizona Walleye’s ?

  Huh! Walleye in Arizona? Are you nuts? That’s what I said when I heard that there were walleyes stocked in the Apache, Saguaro and Canyon lakes.  Walleye have been stocked in these lakes and populations are on the increase.  You can actually catch some pretty nice fish, especially at Apache Lake.   

Walleyes grow quickly in the warm waters of these lakes, up to 1 inch or more per month.  The main reason for the good growth rate is the abundant zooplankton, and threadfin shad found in the lakes.  Unfortunately the lakes are too warm for natural reproduction so the responsibility of maintaining the fishery falls mainly on the Arizona Game and Fish with some help from the Phoenix and Mesa chapters of Southwest Walleye Anglers.

So what is the best bait to use? There is no magic answer to this question but it is hard to beat a crankbait. These lures can be trolled at high speeds, which, enable you to cover a large area quickly and seek out the fish that are actively feeding. There are many kinds that catch fish but Rapala crank baits seem to put fish in the boat when nothing else will. The Shad Raps and Deep Husky Jerks are favorites among walleye fishermen everywhere and come in a wide variety of sizes and colors. For color selection, a good rule to follow is natural colors in clear water and bright colors in stained water.

How do ya fish for em?  Well location is the first thing to focus on, especially with the water temperatures soaring. The main body of the lake, which usually offers the greatest depths, is the first place to check out. The fish will often suspend out from points, humps, islands and other main lake structure. Use your depth finder to locate these types of structure.  Trolling is the best way to find fish as it allows you to cover a lot of territory and quickly eliminate areas that are not productive.  Walleyes will often be deep this time of year. How deep, you might ask? Well, that depends on such factors as water clarity, boat traffic, bait fish, etc..  You will caught fish as deep as 60 feet and sometimes even deeper than that. During low light periods and windy days though, walleyes will often come up quite shallow. Put out as many lines as is legal and stagger the depths of each bait. This enables you to put a lure in several target areas at the same time. Once you catch a few fish at a certain depth, run all your lines in that zone.  

There are special rules you will need to be familiar with when fishing for walleyes.  For example Anglers are asked to release any walleye under 14 inches at Saguaro and fill out a creel card and drop it into a collection slot located at each boat ramp.   You best bet is to contact the Arizona Game and Fish for slot limits and other information. 

For more information about walleye fishing or stockings, call the department's regional office at (480) 981-9400, Ext. 228. Call Nelson at (480) 946-5975 for more information about Southwest Walleye Anglers, or visit azwalleye@aol.com.