Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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I've known Matt Shura since he was just a kid, and he's been a heck of a stick all that time. He started out catching bluegills at a pond at Power and Guadalupe with his dad when he was about five or six years old. That first bluegill had him hooked for life. Going to the lake? Check out the lake level at http://data.hydrometdataservice.info/dwr/ Then he started watching bass fishing on television, and he was fascinated. By age ten he had his first boat - a ten-foot jon boat with a trolling... Full story
Some good lakes to try are Bartlett, Apache, Roosevelt and Canyon. Many anglers have reported spotting huge schools of black crappie on fish-finders at lakes such as Roosevelt and Canyon. Other good lakes to try are Apache and Bartlett. (Crappie fishing at Alamo Lake reportedly is poor.) With some stable winter weather, this can be an excellent time to fish for crappie and they head into deeper waters of our desert impoundments and form large schools. But some anglers will troll jigs with grubs,... Full story
Several winter recreation sites near Roosevelt are closed for the winter. Davis Wash and Upper Burnt Corral, located at Apache Lake, will be closed until March 1. Bermuda Flat https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bermuda-Flats-Roosevelt-Lake-AZ/128491010614390 , at Roosevelt Lake is now closed but will reopen on Feb.16. This closure occurs annually, to protect the wintering goose population. To compensate for the Bermuda Flat closure, Cholla Bay shoreline area will remain open until Feb. 15. Cholla... Full story
OLYMPIA – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission today took action to further protect redband rainbow trout at Lake Roosevelt, a Columbia River reservoir in northeast Washington. The commission voted to change the daily catch limit on trout at Lake Roosevelt and extend a closure in a section of the Sanpoil River during a trout spawning period. Redband trout are a subspecies of rainbow trout found in the Columbia River and its tributaries. The modifications were approved during a c... Full story
Aug. 8, 2016 Contact: Commission Office, (360) 902-2267 OLYMPIA – Washington sport anglers soon will have two new options for fishing licenses after action taken by the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission at its August meeting. The commission, a citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), voted to establish an all-inclusive, annual fishing license at its meeting in Olympia. The Fish Washington license will allow anglers t... Full story
These memorable destinations are enough to fill a lifetime of "bucket lists". As we celebrate the centennial of the National Parks Service, many will be visiting national sites throughout the country. A good place to start is here at home as Arizona has over two dozen of these spectacular destinations within the state. National Monuments In Arizona Canyon De Chelly Chinle, Ariz. For nearly 5,000 years, people have lived in these canyons - longer than anyone has lived uninterrupted anywhere on... Full story
When the weather starts heating up in Arizona, everyone begins to long for a large body of water to dive into. In an ideal situation, this body of water would also be beautiful and have lots of things to do and to look at. This pretty much describes Saguaro Lake in a nutshell. Now before I go getting you all excited about Saguaro, let me first tell you that Saguaro is a very popular lake and if you want to find a parking place for your boat trailer, you need to get there early. Fat Bass Add To L... Full story
Fisheries managers are seeking public input through July 25 on proposals for changing the daily catch limit on trout at Lake Roosevelt, the Columbia River reservoir in northeast Washington. The proposals are available for review on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/redband_trout/. Comments can be e-mailed to Carmen.Perez-Frayne@dfw.wa.gov. Input can also be provided at a public meeting, which will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.,... Full story
Tip Of The Week From the fishing log: Around this time last year, and in similar water temperatures, the smallmouth bass bite was hot on the Parker Strip section of the Colorado River. Anglers had success on nightcrawlers and assorted soft baits. Worms were also working well for the large hybrid redears known to occupy this stretch of river. Keeping a fishing log - recording dates, times, moon phases, what bait worked (or did not work) for what species and at what water depth/temperature, etc.... Full story
Tip Alamo Lake can be a crappie hot spot this time of the year. Heavy rains might delay the great winter crappie bite, but it bodes well for the lake's productivity. Catfishing can still be excellent. These voracious channel catfish at Alamo routinely feed on shad. Try live minnows on the bottom or drop-shot style just off the bottom. The Reel Deal Water temperatures across the state have dropped to their winter standards, and rain and snow has slowed or stalled driving in the high country. Be... Full story
Whether you already live in Arizona or are planning to visit our beautiful desert from another state or even out of the country, you shouldn't miss our great marinas. jim@azbw.comClick here to email Jim and find out how to enhance your listing. Antelope Point Marina Apache Lake Resort & Marina Bartlett Lake Marina & Boat Club Bartlett Lake Marina: Click Here"borde Bartlett Lake is located in the northeast valley only 48 miles from downtown Phoenix and 17 miles northeast of Carefree and is within... Full story
Temperatures are warming, birds are singing and the lower Columbia River will soon be teeming with spring chinook salmon. Spring is still a ways off, but February offers plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. State fishery managers expect about 299,000 adult spring chinook to the Columbia River this year. The fishery is open now below the Interstate 5 Bridge, but it usually doesn’t catch fire until March when fishing expands upriver to Bonneville Dam and beyond. For information about the... Full story
Each year the Arizona Deer Association works with the Arizona Game & Fish Department Development Branch on worthwhile projects designed to help all wildlife but in particular, deer. The photos that you see are really the culmination of years of activity prior to the actual production of this walk-in water trough. For those who are not familiar with it, this article is a primer on how things get done. Every year HPC (Habitat Partnership Committee) groups meet all across the state. Water happens... Full story
The Cholla boat ramp within Cholla Campground at Roosevelt Lake will be closed to the public Oct. 5-30 to allow completion of a pavement repair project on the boat-ramp access road. Cholla Campground will remain open during the project. The access road to the boat ramp will be closed to the public while the pavement is being repaired, however.... Full story
The West is finally getting a great tournament circuit with 100 percent payback, championships with prize boats, and television coverage of every tournament. It's about time! For years I've heard guys say that if you want to fish a decent circuit, Arizona is not the place to be. Well, they can't say that any more. The Wild West Bass Trail debuts in 2016, and per their Facebook page, "our objective is to provide anglers the ability to participate in elite bass tournaments with the highest... Full story
A Summer Favorite One summer favorite for high country anglers is Bear Canyon Lake in the Mogollon Rim. This deep canyon lake has decent shoreline access, but don't expect to fish the bottom with your PowerBait. There is a steep drop-off along most of the shoreline. There is a slight hike into this lake, which keeps most people away. There's no store, no facilities (other than a bathroom in the parking lot), and it is only dispersed camping nearby - a good thing for minimalists. The Reel Deal... Full story
Tip Of The Week At Silver Creek, Cinda Howard of Fly Fish Arizona said fishing is good but has been getting tougher. Flies of choice have been bunny leeches in tan or black, Glo Bugs, San Juan worms and zebra midges. There also has been some top-water action, especially when the sun hits the water and generates midge hatches. Water temperatures are in the 40s. The Reel Deal We call them "incentive" trout for a reason: To get you out on the water and hopefully onto some big fish. The reports of... Full story
Tip Of The Week At Apache Lake, anglers have been catching a high number of largemouth bass in the 1-2-pound range on Lucky Craft rip baits. The Reel Deal Some reported hot spots have been Bartlett Lake for largemouth bass, Lake Pleasant for flathead catfish, and Kinnikinick Lake for brown and rainbow trout. Kudos to Rich Griner of Queen Creek, who caught this 26-inch, 8.6-pound rainbow trout from Canyon Creek on a worm in mid-November. Griner said his fish was caught upstream of the hatchery... Full story
Each year as part of its nationally-recognized and highly successful program to manage and conserve bald eagles in the state, the Arizona Game and Fish Department asks outdoor recreationists and aircraft pilots to help protect important eagle breeding areas by honoring the closure of 23 areas across the state. Various land and wildlife management agencies close the breeding areas for part of the year to protect the state's 55 breeding pairs of bald eagles. Some of the closure areas are located n... Full story
Editor's Note: We were so sorry to hear of the Sept. 11 fire above Bartlett Lake Marina but join the Church family in emphasizing that the lower facilities are all open and waiting for you. Also, on your way in, please take note of the new restaurant that will soon welcome guests to a beautiful dining experience. I've been visiting Bartlett Lake since before the road was paved all the way in. Back then, we'd go out at night many times during the summer because the night fishing at Bartlett was... Full story
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... Full story
Tip Of The Week Hello, Anglers: Top-water lovers should consider setting up a variety of fishing rods with different plugs so that when the action is heated, you'll be better prepared for what they're biting. Binoculars can be used to spot boils. Boat to the side of a boil and, if possible, cast past a boil and work the lure back through it. The Reel Deal Brown Trout They often flop from the water, or twist and tangle line. Clever and elusive, brown trout are one of the state's top sport fish... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions at all department wildlife areas on April 18. The restrictions are part of the restrictions issued by the Arizona State Forestry Division on state-owned and state-managed lands outside incorporated municipalities due to the increased risk of wildfire in the state. Stage 1 restrictions mean that no open fires are allowed - including campfires and wood or charcoal-burning stoves and barbecues. Smoking is prohibited except... Full story
7‐15 New to Hunting Listing Annual Hunt Regulations Doug Burt via HAHWG solicitation 2014 (new) June – July: Outdoor Skills Summer Adventure Camps Info: Multiple 5‐day, day and overnight camps for 4‐6th graders, and 6‐8th graders: activities include kayaking, archery, air guns; travel camps includes camping, hiking, fishing, wildlife observation, survival skills, slingshots, swimming, team competitions and more. Fee required. Dates: June 9‐13, 16‐20, and 23‐27; July 7‐11 and 14‐18 Location: P... Full story
For something different, head to Lynx Lake, where some anglers reportedly are having some decent action catching brown trout. Here's the tip: Try fishing a No. 18 or 20 with wooly bugger about 4 feet under a float with a 4-pound test leader. THE REEL DEAL Hello, anglers, First, a quick fish story. On Tuesday, April 8, angler Jack Head of Phoenix was taking his wife and sister-in-law boating, fishing, and for a quick picnic. What he saw in the Agua Fria arm floating on the surface was a...
