Outdoor News Daily

Alamo Lake

* A portion of upper Alamo Lake may be closed to boats from Jan. 1 to June 30. Contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Region IV, Yuma, (928) 342-0091.

Lake Pleasant

* No vehicle, watercraft or foot entry is allowed into the Lower Agua Fria Arm from Dec. 15 to June 15. Contact Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, (928) 501-1710.

Verde River

* Verde River below Sycamore Canyon Wilderness is closed to foot and vehicle entry from Dec. 1 to June 15. Floating through is allowed. Contact Coconino National Forest, Sedona Ranger District, (928) 282-4119.

* Verde River near Chasm Creek is closed to foot and vehicle entry from Dec. 1 to June 15. Floating through is allowed. Contact Prescott National Forest, Verde Ranger District, (928) 567-4121.

* Verde River upstream of the East Verde confluence is closed to vehicle and foot entry from Dec. 1 to June 30. Floating through is allowed, but no stopping in the river or landing is permitted. Contact Tonto National Forest, Cave Creek Ranger District, (480) 595-3300.

* Verde River near Mule Shoe Bend, allows watercraft to float through, but no stopping in the river or landing is allowed from Dec. 1 to June 30. Contact Tonto National Forest, Cave Creek Ranger District, (480) 595-3300.

* Verde River below Horseshoe Dam may be closed to vehicle or foot entry on the southwest side of the river from Dec. 1 to June 30. Floating through is allowed, but no stopping in the river or landing on the southwest side of the river is allowed. Contact Tonto National Forest, Cave Creek Ranger District, (480) 595-3300.

* Verde River below Bartlett Dam is closed to foot or vehicle entry from Dec. 1 to June 30. Floating through is allowed. Contact Tonto National Forest, Cave Creek Ranger District, (480) 595-3300.

* Verde River at the Needle Rock Recreation area is closed to foot and vehicle entry on the east side of the river from Dec. 1 to June 30. Floating through is allowed, but no stopping in the river or landing on the east side of the river is allowed. Contact Tonto National Forest, Cave Creek Ranger District, (480) 595-3300.

Tonto Creek
* Tonto Creek from Gisela to 76 Ranch is closed to vehicle, foot entry, and floating through from Dec. 1 to June 30. Contact Tonto National Forest, Tonto Basin Ranger District, (928) 467-3200.
* Tonto Creek inlet to Roosevelt Lake is closed to vehicle and foot entry within 1,000 feet of the nest on land, and to watercraft within 300 feet on water, from Dec. 1 to June 30. Contact Tonto National Forest, Tonto Basin Ranger District, (928) 467-3200.

Salt River

* Salt River from Horseshoe Bend to Redmond Flat allows watercraft to float through, but no stopping in the river or landing is allowed from Dec. 1 to June 30. Contact Tonto National Forest, Globe Ranger District, (928) 402-6200.
* Salt River near Meddler Point is closed to vehicle and foot entry within 1,000 feet of the nest on land, and to watercraft within 300 feet on water, from Dec. 1 to June 30. Contact Tonto National Forest, Tonto Basin Ranger District, (928) 467-3200.
* Salt River below Stewart Mountain Dam is closed to vehicle or foot entry on the south side of the river from Dec. 1 to June 30. Floating through is allowed. Contact the Tonto National Forest, Mesa Ranger District, (480) 610-3300.

Becker Lake

* A portion of the lake may be closed to watercraft and a portion of the shoreline may be closed to foot entry from Feb. 1 through June 30. Contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Region I, Pinetop, (928) 367-4281.

Luna Lake

* Luna Lake is closed to vehicle and foot traffic on the north side from Jan. 1 to June 30. Contact Apache National Forest, Alpine Ranger District, (928) 339-4384.

Lynx Lake

* Portions of the lake may be closed to vehicle or foot traffic and a portion of the shoreline may be closed to watercraft from Dec. 1 to June 30. Contact the Prescott National Forest, Bradshaw Ranger District, (928) 443-8000.

Lower Lake Mary

* There is no vehicle or foot traffic allowed on a portion of the north side of the lake from Jan. 1 to Aug. 30. Contact the Coconino National Forest, Mormon Lake Ranger District, (928) 774-1147.

Greer Lakes

* A portion of the lake may be closed to watercraft and a portion of the shoreline may be closed to foot entry from March 1 through July 31. Contact the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Springerville Ranger District, (928) 333-4372.

Woods Canyon Lake

* A portion of the lake may be closed to watercraft and a portion of the shoreline may be closed to foot entry from April 1 through August 31. Contact the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Black Mesa Ranger District, (928) 535-7300.

URBAN LAKES — Rainbow trout stockings are underway and will continue all winter long at two week intervals. Trout range in size from 11-12 inches in length, with some recently stocked fish in the 13-15 inch range.

Fishing is good to excellent for anglers using scented dough baits (such as Power Bait), worms or salmon eggs. Successful bait anglers are switching bait types or colors every 20-30 minutes to trigger more action. Small spinners such as Roostertails and Panther Martins, or spoons such as Kastmasters and Super Dupers work well for trout in the early morning. Good trout fishing is continuing 7-10 days after stockings.

Action for catfish, bass and bluegill has slowed due to colder water temperatures. Trout fishing is consistently good to excellent at Green Valley lakes in Payson with Power Bait, corn and worms working best. Try small, flashy lures to attract the trout at this lake in the pines.

Stocking Update:
* All 21 UFP waters in Phoenix Area, Tucson Area and Payson – Last stocking, trout Dec. 4. Next stocking, trout week of Dec. 14-19.

TEMPE TOWN LAKE -Tempe Town Lake will receive 3,800 trout this week. Night crawlers might just get you trout, bass, catfish or bluegill.

Don’t forget the current bag limit for largemouth bass at Town Lake is four fish per day with a 13-inch minimum length restriction.

There are also no gas powered boats allowed on the lake and Tempe Town Lake permits are available at the City of Tempe Town Lake Operations Center, 620 N. Mill Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85281. Phone: (480) 350-8625.

LAKE PLEASANT – A bald eagle closure is in effect on the Agua Fria Arm of the lake. No vehicle, watercraft or foot entry is allowed into the Lower Agua Fria Arm from Dec. 15 to June 15. Contact Maricopa County Parks and Recreation, (928) 501-1710. Lake elevation 1,664 ft (59 percent full). Anglers who braved the windy conditions on the front end of the cold front reported good fishing, but no details given. This is the time you look to the heavens for a little help… that is… determine when the moon rises and falls especially when you are talking the full or new moon, because that can trump barometric pressure affects if it’s a full or new moon. Try fishing in that 90-minute window surrounding these events. The same goes for the rising and falling of the sun, but just about everybody is keen on that.

Our research study at Lake Pleasant shows that in winter, most of the striped bass migrate to the northern coves and can often be found over the submerged creek or river channels. Use your graph, when you spot a school, chum with anchovies, and fish your anchovy with little or no weight. Also try spoons.

ROOSEVELT LAKE — Lake Elevation is 2,131 ft (76-percent full). Tonto Creek runoff is 10 cfs while inflow from the Salt River is at 165 cfs.

Anglers are catching some bass in and over the slot using deep-diving crankbaits. Drop shot is still a good technique for the slot fish and some unders. The mid day spoon bite isn’t too shabby. Flipping worms in the brushes and submerged trees works quite well for those who have mastered the weed less rig. Worm flipping in rocky substrates are also good for smallmouth as well.

Some fishermen trolled the Salt end in the morning in 40 to 50 feet of water using jigs. They caught 7 largemouth mostly slots and one over and 3 good sized crappie. The best bite was before 10:30 am.

Another couple anglers found a jig bit in the shallows bit it was ephemeral. Drop shot over structure was a productive technique in the 20 to 35 foot range.

APACHE – Lake elevation is 1,904 ft (90 percent full). Two anglers fished Apache. The wind was howling. Water temp was about 58 F and warmed up to 62 F in the main lake, although there were some colder areas. Visibility was 8 to 10 feet in the main lake and a little murky up past Burnt Corral. They fished lots of points and flats with nearby deep water with blades, traps, cranks. The fish liked deep diving pointer crankbaits and Texas-rigged worms. They ended up catching 21 largemouth and 3 smallmouth bass. There were no overs but the slots were fat and healthy.

CANYON LAKE – Lake elevation is 1,656 ft, which is 94 percent full. This lake has been stocked with rainbow trout. There is a good fishing pier in the Boulder Creek Recreation Area. Canyon Lake is a tough lake for some. Two fishermen nearly got skunked but a jerkbait nabbed a couple small largemouth bass. They had a good brisk time on the water, but the fish could have cooperated a bit more.

SAGUARO LAKE – Lake elevation 1,525 feet at 94 percent full. Much to the angler’s joy, most pleasure boaters took some time off from the lakes thanks to the weather. Two anglers hit all parts of the lake with drop shot, topwater lures, jigs, cranks and jerkbait. The bites were soft and shy. Lake temperature was 61 to 62 F. These anglers did catch 12 largemouth bass, 1 smallmouth and a hungry bluegill.
Yellows are taking some KastMasters on the main points. Jig the spoon and they will nab it on the fall.

SALT RIVER – Salt River into Roosevelt is 153 cfs, and Salt River Canyon is 128 cfs. They are releasing 400 cfs out of Stewart Mountain dam from Saguaro.

BARTLETT — Lake elevation is 1749 ft, which is 42% full. Reservoir release is 100 cfs.
An angler noticed the crappie stacking up but no luck enticing their bite. Bass fishing is sporadic with cranks and Texas rigged plastics nabbing a few of the smaller bass. Water temperature is a nippy 51o. He fished from 9am to 4pm and boated 10 bass with three in the keeper range.

HORSESHOE – Lake elevation is at 1973 feet, 10 % full. They are releasing water at 100 cfs.

VERDE RIVER — Verde River flow at Tangle is 211 cubic feet per second. Release from Bartlett Lake is 100 cfs.

LOWER SALT RIVER — Stewart Mtn. Dam (below Saguaro Lake) release is 350 cfs. We are shifting the stocking to the Water Users and Blue Point Bridge areas, creating 11-more miles of fishing — consider it a holiday trout fishing bonus for all of you. Enjoy. Consider it an early holiday gift — don’t miss out.

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