September 26, 2013
The heavy rains last week have caused some muddy runoff into some of the lakes, but with the cooler weather, trout fishing should stay decent. Warmwater fish such as bass and yellow perch, bluegill and crappie are still active on the lakes around Williams and are being caught on microjigs, small bead-head flies and worms fished under a bobber or on a fly rod. Fossil Creek is closed to fishing.
Previous reports:
WILLIAMS LAKES:
KAIBAB LAKE - Scheduled to be stocked this week (week of Sept. 16). The campground is open. Fish with worms and PowerBait on the bottom to catch trout. They were also catching fish on micro jigs fished under a bobber. Some crappie, bluegill and bass were being caught on worms fished about 3 feet under a bobber.
Previous reports:
CATARACT LAKE - Campground is closed. Try bead headed flies or microjigs for the crappie and bluegill in the lake.
CITY RESERVOIR - Open. No report.
DOGTOWN LAKE - Campground is open. Was scheduled to be stocked last week.
JD DAM - No report. The lake is full. Remember, the lake is managed as a catch and release fishery.
SANTA FE - Fishing is good on the upper end of the lake for yellow perch and crappie. Most of the fish were being caught on worms fished about 3 feet under a bobber.
WHITEHORSE LAKE - Campground is open. Lake Level is low. No report. Scheduled stocking was cancelled.
FLAGSTAFF LAKES:
OAK CREEK - Scheduled to be stocked this week. Anglers were reporting catching stocked trout over the weekend.
LOWER LAKE MARY - Lower Lake Mary is pretty weedy and no one has been fishing it.
UPPER LAKE MARY - No recent reports but this is a good time to fish on Upper Lake Mary.
ASHURST LAKE - Campground is open. No recent reports. Stocked two weeks ago.
FRANCIS SHORT POND - There has been a fish kill on Frances Short Pond caused by recent runoff from rain storms. Last week’s scheduled stocking has been postponed due to wet weather.
KINNIKINICK LAKE - Fishing for catfish can be good this time of year as the water warms. The lake has a good-sized population of brown trout with some being very large. Try using small crawdad colored crankbaits fished deep or nightcrawlers early in the morning or just about dusk for brown trout. A grasshopper kicking around on the surface in the evening might also work.
LONG LAKE - We have had a few reports that the pike fishing has been good on Long Lake.
BEAVER CREEK - Trout stocking has stopped for the summer season. No report.
WEST CLEAR CREEK - Trout stocking has stopped for the summer season. No report.
STONEMAN LAKE - NO FISH.
BLUE RIDGE - Road is open and SRP has begun to draw the lake down for necessary repairs to the dam and associated piping. We’ve heard reports of a some nice holdover trout being caught. Will not be stocked this year due to plans to draw down the lake for repairs to the dam.
KNOLL LAKE - The road is open. No report.
