FISHING REPORT

STAFF REPORT ~ 7/6/2011

This is a scaled down, North Valley focused, version of the weekly fishing report produced by Arizona Game and Fish. To view the complete listing go to http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/FishingReport/J30-Fishing-Report.shtml
LAKE PLEASANT - Water level is at 1,690 feet (86-percent full). There have been some reports of stripers busting shad in the morning but it sounds like it can be hit or miss. Look for the boils on the surface. Bass are generally in the post-spawn mode and have moved off points and deeper mouths of coves. Early morning topwater can be good, but generally fish have switched to the summer mode where dropshotting at night can be very productive. Drop-shotting is the technique of choice, tight lines. Power Worms, jigs, Carolina-rigs and Westy Worms are proven producers. Catfish should be biting well at night on hotdogs and shrimp.
BARTLETT – Lake level is at 1,763 feet (55-percent full). Bass fishing is good. Again early and late with night fishing should be the most productive right now. Crawdad imitations and worming rigs (drop shots and Texas-rigs) are producing. Some anglers are picking up good numbers of crappies in the 2-pound range under lights.
This is a good time to switch to night fishing for crappies: they are mostly in the post-spawn mode.
This is an excellent time to target flathead and channel catfish. Bluegills are on the beds and big flatheads can often be found raiding those nests in the backs of coves or along rocky ledges. Use live bait such as bluegill or small carp for the flatheads and shrimp, hotdogs or stink bait for the channels.
Remember the live bait most come from the lake itself (excluding minnows, water dogs or worms) not transported from another body of water! This is a good time to take the kids bluegill fishing. Mealworms and a small bobber in the backs of rocky coves can be the ticket.
SAGUARO - Lake level is 1,524 feet (92-percent full). Fishing is decent for largemouth bass. Some are being caught with drop-shot rigs as well as Texas and Carolina rigged worms. Yellow bass can be caught jigging spoons (quarter-ounce KastMaster) or cut bait. Yellows can be caught in the Butcher Jones Cove area. Another good area for yellows is near Ship Rock and the no wake buoys in the channel. Try to locate shad in 40-60 feet of water and jig through them. Catfishing should be improving. Try stink baits, hotdogs or shrimp.
There is a certified scale at the marina to get an official weight and still release your catch. Two witnesses are needed for the weight to be official.

APACHE - Lake is 91-percent full at 1,906 feet. Fishing has been good for yellow bass. Yellow bass fishing should be good on jigs and spoons. Gold KastMasters can work especially well. Fish for them around balls of shad in 20-60 feet of water. Cut bait also works well for them. There is a certified scale at the marina boathouse.
CANYON - Lake is 96-percent full at 1,656 feet. Bass fishing has transitioned to dawn/dusk and then good at night. For bass, drop shotting (fish slow, letting the worm rest on the bottom for a few seconds at a time) is still the method of choice. Senkos and Westy Worms have also been catching fish. Night fishing for bass is also good at this time. This is also a great lake for yellow bass; jig spoons in and around balls of shad. We have received several reports from anglers catching good numbers of larger bluegill. Try meal worm under a slipbobber.

VERDE RIVER – Fishing has been poor for largemouth, smallmouth and catfish. Remember that no baitfish can be transported into this part of the river (above Horseshoe). For further information concerning regulations, call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at (480) 324-3544. This morning flow was 87 cfs at Tangle Creek station above Horseshoe Lake.

LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – Rainbow trout will be stocked this week at Blue Point Bridge and Water Users Park. Try inline spinners, Power Bait or drifting night crawlers. Fly-fishing can be good with nymphs and Wooly Buggers. We have mixed angler reports: some aren’t catching many fish, others are catching limits. Some bass can be found in the portion above the Verde confluence. Fish early or late to avoid the barrage of inner tubes.
Catch any whoppers lately? Email photos of your recent catch to ffeditiorial@hotmail.com with the name of the angler, the time, date, the name of the lake, the kind of fish caught and weight and length if you know it along with the kind of bait/lure used to make the catch and you could see it on the newspaper’s Facebook page (facebook.com/TheFoothills.Focus).