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 to target. And, they taste great.

Get ready for a possible brown trout bonanza at Lynx Lake. For the first since 2012, 742 brown trout were stocked the week of May 5. Get out to the Prescott area and try spinners and flies as well as your trout bait of choice.

Browns rely heavily on insect larvae and pupae, both nymphs and adults. So fly fishing is a great option. Try a No. 18 or 20 wooly bugger about 4 feet under a float with 4-pound test line.

Another option for brown trout is the Greer lakes. One angler (below) reported catching a few large browns to 6 pounds out of the lakes in late March. We also have stocked Perkins Tank in Flagstaff with browns.

Bass

Bass spawning activity varies across the state, although most bass seem to be in post-spawn. At Roosevelt Lake, however, the spawn is in full swing, and many spawning fish can be seen in shallow water.

Because most bass are in the post spawn now, they'll be feeding aggressively. So top-water action is picking up statewide. When fish are out chasing bait in the morning, anglers can throw top-water baits, swim baits, even your chuggers, poppers and stick baits. At the right place and time, anglers can set personal records.

Rainbow Trout

Okay, back to rainbow trout real quick. Some excellent news for Arizona anglers who fish the Colorado River in the Willow Beach-Bullhead City area -- trout stockings are coming back!

This has been one of the heaviest stocking periods of the year in terms of numbers of fisheries.

Here's a rundown of the waters that were stocked the week of May 5:

• Show Low (Pinetop): Fools Hollow Lake, Rainbow Lake, Show Low Lake, Silver Creek.

• Greer, Alpine area: East Fork of the Black River, Bunch Reservoir, Crescent Lake, Little Colorado River-Greer, Little Colorado River-Sheep Crossing, River Reservoir.

• Payson-Mogollon Rim area: Black Canyon Lake, Canyon Creek, Christopher Creek, East Verde River, Haigler Creek, Long Tom Tank, Tonto Creek, Tonto Creek Bear Flats, Willow Springs Lake, Woods Canyon Lake.

• Flagstaff area: Ashurst Lake, Blue Ridge Reservoir (CC Cragin), Francis Short Pond, Mormon Lake Pond, Morton Lake.

• Williams area: City Reservoir, Santa Fe Lake

• Verde Valley area: Oak Creek

• Prescott area: Fain Lake, Mingus Lake, Lynx Lake (brown trout)

• Phoenix area: Lower Salt River

Angler Reports

Send your fishing reports and photos to Bfishing@AZGFD.gov.