Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

Tip Of The Week

Try Apache Lake for something different. Here, crappie and walleye are other tasty options. Fish some of Apache's heavy breaks where shallow water quickly becomes deep. It has really become a tremendous largemouth bass fishery. There are also plentiful yellow bass, which are a lot of fun to catch on light tackle.

Apache Lake also has a healthy herd of bighorns. So be sure to take a camera - this is one of our most photogenic lakes.

The Reel Deal

Summer is hot and sticky and dizzying in the daytime, but its sounds and weather rhythms can get fish whacking baits. Cicadas are singing high-Cs at Lees Ferry, anglers are reporting flurries of trout feeds at various honey holes, and more high-country weather fronts will have fish feeding aggressively as the thunder bumpers roll in.

Rigged and ready? Check the summer trout stocking schedule.

Up at the Ferry, the cicada bite is on. This should continue through August. As terrestrials such as the cicadas awaken, fish look for cicadas and other surface-drifting terrestrials by shoreline vegetation.

Nighttime Fishing

Overall, fishing can be tough in July, but with hot daytime temperatures and a weekend full moon, nighttime fishing becomes an even better, and cooler, option.

Plus, fish tend to feed better on the full moon (a universal fishing law, if there ever were one). Although submersible lights may not be as effective, they'll still help gather small bait fish, and, in turn, the predators you want peeling your line.

Some anglers load up on striped bass even though the moon phases aren't agreeable, especially at Pleasant, Mead and Powell. Not hearing much on the crappie angling right now, but Alamo, Roosevelt and Bartlett should all be decent. Also try fishing near the old river beds of these lakes.

The old summer pattern holds true: Fish are most active at sunrise and sunset, or at night. At sunrise, begin in the coves and switch to main lake points, humps and islands. As the sun sinks into its hammock, try main lake points and secondary points in coves.

Fire Restrictions

The Coconino and Kaibab National forests have lifted their fire restrictions. Due to significant and widespread rain and rapidly decreasing fire danger, the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests in Northern Arizona lifted all fire restrictions on July 8.

If You Fish The East Verde

Those visiting the East Verde River (where the fishing has been exceptional) are again reminded that if a trout with an external radio tag is caught, they may keep or release the fish. Please return any tags.

If you catch a tagged fish, please call the number on the colored tag (623-236-7538) with the following information: location of the caught trout, identification number on the colored external tag, the date the fish was caught.