September 5, 2013
Previous reports:
Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your live well and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see. For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's web pages at www.azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.
LAKE MEAD - The elevation has actually risen a little to 1,106.9 feet above msl. Be careful boating because of fluctuating water levels and watch for floating debris dislodged from rising water levels. There seems to be an abundance of shad currently which may be the reason for the lack of bite. Cut anchovies are still the bait of choice for stripers. Check the moon phases before you go -- last new moon was Sept. 5. The next new moon will be Oct. 4. Dark nights work best when fishing under light. Fishing for stripers in 50 plus feet of water will normally find the larger fish. If they are not taking the anchovies try swimming baits and see if you can get them to bite. Jigging in 40-60 feet deep has been doing well on Mead. If you can locate the shad, the stripers are not far behind. Trolling usually works best in areas were shad are found and best done in the early mornings and evenings. Topwater plugs or lures are doing well for largemouth.
LAKE MOHAVE - The lake level has risen to around 644 feet above msl. The latest report states that the lake bite is picking up a bit. Report is that smallmouth and largemouth are hitting on the lake but that stripers are much harder to find. Submersible lights fished during the new moon are an effective way to catch stripers. Next new moon will be Oct. 4. Cut anchovies usually work the best for stripers.
Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove, Shoshone, and Arrowhead. Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, wood pallet structures, tamarisk bundles, and some Christmas trees. The largemouth, smallmouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures. Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years.
These structures are fish magnets.
There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine's Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
Angler’s report -- Ron B. had success with smallmouth bass on Mohave Lake: Here is just one of the smallmouth bass I caught and released on my buddy and my weekly trip to this beautiful lake. Lake is getting low and will continue to drop now that Labor Day weekend has come and gone. So any boaters should take caution.
Fishing right now is fun is all I can say!
WILLOW BEACH - Willow Beach is stocked every Friday with 3,000 13-inch rainbow trout. Rainbow, peach, garlic and yellow Power Baits and Power Worms were being used most for trout. Jakes original and Jakes Juniors, Panther Martin and Rooster Tails are also usually effective. Willow Beach can be hit or miss bait fishing.
Try different baits including swim baits when nobody seems to be hooking anything. Haven’t heard much from the area. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM - The striper bite has picked up along the river in the Big Bend area. The occasional large stripers are still being caught from the dam down to the Gorge. Many of these fish are in the 3- to 12-pound range. Anchovies seem to the bait of choice for stripers. Reports are that pencil poppers are working well for stripers in the mornings from the casinos to the Big Bend area. Catfish are being caught in the Big Bend area and are reported to average 3-5 pounds. Water levels on the river fluctuate, so be careful. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions (http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html) before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
TOPOCK GORGE - No recent report. In a previous report, Captain Doyle’s Fun Fishing service sent in a report of catfish being caught in the Monsoon rain caused muddy water. Mark and Laura from California hooked two stout channels that weighed in at 12 and 8 pounds, respectively. They were using night crawlers flipped into the tulles. The Williams clan landed 4 exceptional cats weighing 11.5, 7, 5 and 4 pounds each. Thanks again to Capt. Doyle’s Fishing Service for the report.
TOPOCK MARSH - Topock is producing some largemouth and stripers. In a previous report, Dayton and Gene brought in to Rusty’s a couple of just under 2-pound largemouth and a whopping 10.14-pound. Remember, the minimum of 13 inches for largemouth bass in the Marsh. If you notice illegal activities please call the Operation Game Thief hotline at 1-800-352-0700 or online at www.azgfd.gov/thief. Please refer to our regulations booklet on how to be a good witness. You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. All three also provide plenty of area for shoreline fishing too. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.
VERDE VALLEY
DEAD HORSE STATE PARK - Catfish were stocked for the Verde River Days event and were last stocked for Free Fishing Day on June 1. Catfish and bass bite should increase because of warmer temperatures.
VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) - Always check your regulations before fishing this area with live bait. Game and Fish Commission Rule requires anglers to only use live bait that has been caught in the river. No transporting of live baitfish or crayfish is allowed.
PRESCOTT AREA
FAIN LAKE - The lake is due to be stocked with trout this week (week of Sept. 16). High water temperatures and low oxygen levels will make the bite less than what it should be. Cooler temps will help this.
GOLDWATER LAKE - The lake was stocked last week. Reports are that some trout are being caught but it can be hit and miss. If you fish Goldwater and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
MINGUS LAKE - The lake is scheduled to be stocked with trout this week (week of Sept. 16). For trout the best bait is usually orange, pink, or white Power Bait, fished on the bottom with a treble hook and an egg sinker.
Fishing can be really good at times, because angler use is lower than other lakes in the area. Yellow bullhead catfish are active and easy to catch with nightcrawlers on the bottom. This lake is more remote than the other Prescott area lakes and not very big. The lake is open as weather permits. Forest Road 104 is relatively impassable when wet. The lake is still open to foot traffic. Someone illegally stocked yellow bullhead into Mingus several years ago. These fish compete directly with the trout and keep growth rates very low. If you witness anyone, anywhere, moving fish like bass, bluegill, catfish and stocking them, please report it to our Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-352-0700. Illegal stockings cost YOU money!
GRANITE BASIN LAKE - Reports of bluegill and largemouth being caught.
LYNX LAKE - The last scheduled trout stocking was the week of Sept. 2. Reports are that the lake level is extremely low, so be careful if you venture to the lake. The fishing dock was removed due to the low water levels but shore access is basically unlimited. Cut anchovies, night crawlers or hot dog are your best bet for catfish. Lynx also can be an exciting place to fish for carp. Common carp are very strong fighters and will provide an excellent table fair. A quick search on the internet will produce tasty recipes for these robust fish.
Corn and an assortment of other baits will attract these fish. Lynx can be difficult to fish, if you are not catching anything try moving to a new spot. There are some good spots on the north end of the lake that don’t get fished as heavily as the south end does.
WATSON - Trout were last stocked the week of March 18. If you fish Watson and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR - Arizona Game and Fish Department completed a fish survey using gillnets and Electrofishing on April 17, with the help of Prescott Parks and Recreation personnel. We caught several largemouth bass in the 2-3 pound range. Largemouth bass are the predominant species in this lake. If you fish Willow and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.
OTHER
WAYS TO GET THE FISHING REPORT:
Internet Home Page www.azgfd.com
