Western Outdoor Times - Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!

The Reel Deal

Spring fishing is here in all its bedding-bass, crisp-morning glory.

Yet the vernal equinox, or the first day of spring when the Earth is neither inclined toward, nor away, from the sun, isn't until Friday, March 20.

And the summer trout stocking schedule just came out. Read all about where trout are being stocked in a lake near you.

This week's full moon has coincided with consistent, warm weather. The result? Springtime spawning conditions for largemouth bass have graced the desert impoundments.

So Many Great Options

So many great options can be at the end of the line. Flathead catfishing is picking up, and Arizona has become a destination for these bruisers. Crappie are a bit more active, stripers are stripping line at Lake Powell and Lake Pleasant, trout stockings will transition into those of catfish (first community waters cat stocking: March 19), and redear sunfish have already reached world-class status at Lake Havasu.

Take a deep breath for a second and appreciate all Arizona has to offer anglers and hunters. From the desert to the mountains, all such sportsmen help conserve our wildlife for future generations because, if you didn't know, the Arizona Game and Fish Department does not receive state tax dollars. We rely heavily on active hunters and anglers who are passionate about our wildlife.

So thank you.

Mr. Whiskers Returns

Spring also means Mr. Whiskers returns to the Community Fishing Program lakes – the first stocking: March 19. Get ready for the catfish, too.

Flathead Catfish

Have you heard the good news about trout stockings at Willow Beach? Read C. Douglas Nelson's Las Vegas Review-Journal article about "Rainbows Shining Again."

Okay, that's all. Nab a license online (it helps conserve wildlife), and have fun - it'll be hard not to.

Thank You, Anglers!

Arizona fishing opportunities wouldn't be possible without the Sport Fish Restoration Program. It was created through the Dingell-Johnson Act of 1950 (Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act) and the Wallop-Breaux amendments of 1984.

Through a federal excise tax paid by manufacturers on fishing gear and motorboat fuels, it provides grant funds for fishery conservation, boating access, and aquatic education.