Tip Of The Week

Trout stocking in our mountain streams has begun and will continue every week until September. In the White Mountains region, big holdover trout have been caught at Big Lake, Luna Lake, Carnero Lake, and Becker Lake (there are special regulations at Carnero and Becker.)

The Reel Deal

The recent full moon helped trigger a heavy wave of spawn activity in the Phoenix/Tucson-area desert lakes. Although largemouth bass spawn through June, this will likely be the final such apex of spawn activity for some time. Please release bedding bass (especially those younger, 4-5 pounders) to help keep future bass populations robust.

In many desert lakes such as Lake Pleasant, shad are spawning. Anglers can grab a four-foot throw net and snatch shad that tend to race along the shoreline. One accurate netting can scoop up enough bait for the day.

Remember The Record Bartlett Flat?

This is also one of the best times of the year to fish for flathead catfish (they tend not to move as much at night during the full moon, however.) About this time two years ago, "Flathead" Ed Wilcoxson caught a state-record flathead at Bartlett Lake. In doing so, he allowed AZGFD to get on his boat and grab video of some of his secrets. Have fun!

If you plan on fishing the lower Colorado River or the East Fork of the Black River, you just might catch a tagged trout. If you choose to keep a trout, please return the tags to AZGFD.

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.