Central lakes
Roosevelt
Lots of action here last week what with the FLW National Guard bass tournament and the college bass championship. New River angler Keith Espe won it using dropshots, but some of the top finishers did well on buzzbaits, signaling the start of the top-water season. Nothing really big, but the winner had a four-day catch (20 fish) weighing 47.4 pounds. Information: (928) 467-2245.
Pleasant
Ben at HookUp Outfitters says the current top-water largemouth bite is as good as it has been in 10 years. The fish are answering walking baits tossed outside of coves and along the banks. If the wind blows, switch to dropshots. Use purple tailed morning dawn worms for best results, but most worms will work. If you can't find the bass on the surface, check your graf and skink any chrome spoon after them. Information: (623) 412-3474.
Bartlett
An excellent Senko bite is being reported here on bass. Work the dropoffs off of the flats. The fish are starting to push the bait into the coves, but they aren't quite there yet, so stick with the mouths of the coves. Information: (602) 316-3378.
Alamo
Top-water action has been excellent here, but the bite is on and off. Information: (928) 669-2088.
Saguaro/Canyon
Pleasant
Ben at HookUp Outfitters says the current top-water largemouth bite is as good as it has been in 10 years. The fish are answering walking baits tossed outside of coves and along the banks. If the wind blows, switch to dropshots. Use purple tailed morning dawn worms for best results, but most worms will work. If you can't find the bass on the surface, check your graf and skink any chrome spoon after them. Information: (623) 412-3474.
Bartlett
An excellent Senko bite is being reported here on bass. Work the dropoffs off of the flats. The fish are starting to push the bait into the coves, but they aren't quite there yet, so stick with the mouths of the coves. Information: (602) 316-3378.
Alamo
Top-water action has been excellent here, but the bite is on and off. Information: (928) 669-2088.
Saguaro/Canyon
Anglers are hooking up with dropshot rigs. There has been some top-water action in the mornings. Try Ricos on top early at Canyon Lake. Robo worms are working well. In the evenings use nightcrawlers and anchovies for catfish. Information: (480) 986-2515. North central
For some hefty brown trout, try Dogtown Lake near Williams. At Flagstaff, some anglers are picking up trout on flies and lures in Lower Lake Mary, while anglers who are fishing Upper Mary are doing well on perch and an occasional northern pike. Power Bait fished below a bobber is taking newly stocked trout at Goldwater Lake near Prescott. Also stocked recently was Lynx Lake outside of Prescott. Information: (928) 774-5045. Mogollon Rim
Trout continue to be stocked at Woods Canyon and Willow Springs lakes, the top two lakes of the region. Be mindful that with the fall coming on the big brown trout will become more active at most of the Rim lakes. Chevelon Canyon Lake is a good bet for a big brown, but anglers must hike in and are restricted to the use of artificial lures and flies. Trout between 10 and 14 inches long may not be kept. Information: (928) 367-4281. White Mountains
Stream fishing has been excellent. Christopher Tom of Phoenix caught a 13-pound brown trout out of the East Fork of the Black River recently. He caught it on a small crayfish Rebel lure. The trout stocking season has ended, but there should be plenty of leftover
Apache trout. Try drifting worms through pools for stocked trout, but use spinners, streamer flies and small crankbaits for the browns. (928) 367-4281. Southeast
Patagonia Lake has been serving up some good bass fishing in the evening between 4 p.m. and dark. Frog-style lures in rain forest yellow colors are working well, according to Chris at Fisherman's Choice. He says anglers flipping with 6-inch brown cinnamon Senkos are also catching lots of fish. A 7-pounder was caught recently. At Arivaca Lake, bass have been eating dragonflies off the surface indicating a good top-water bite. All bass caught must be returned to the lake which is undergoing an algae bloom. Worms and crankbaits have been catching bass at Parker Canyon Lake. Also being caught are black bullheads and other panfish, plus a few trout. Information: (520) 388-4451. Colorado River
Excellent walleye fishing is being reported for anglers making the trip to the Hite Marina area in upper Lake Powell. Use grubs along the bottom at the ends of points that drop into deep water and the fish are hanging out at depths of 15 to 30 feet. In the lower lake, troll lures just above submerged trees. Information:wayneswords.com.
Saltwater
San Diego: Longer trips have been finding some decent yellowtail action and one boat got into some bluefin tuna. Most of the shorter trips were bringing in lots of rockfish, barracuda, skipjack and whitefish. Information: (619) 222-1144. Elsewhere
East Cape: This area is looking for its late summer yellowfin tuna fix. The fish are often a short distance from shore and are small, but larger ones lurk under porpoise schools farther offshore. Dorado also are in the vicinity.
Magdalena Bay: Not many anglers down this way. Charter captains are looking closer to shore for small yellowfin and yellowtail and are finding schools about 10 miles outside the Boca. Reports persist about decent groupers, pargo and a few snook.Zihuatanejo: The bluewater has been pushed out to about 32 miles and fishing has been slow. A few yellowfin, dorado and striped marlin are being caught.
Cabo San Lucas: Most boats have been releasing one billfish per day with most of the catches striped marlin. Lots of small blue marlin are also being caught and a few up to 500 pounds have been reported. Tuna action has been inconsistent, but lots of dorado averaging 10 pounds being caught. Inshore roosterfish action has been good and catches of snapper, small skipjack and baby yellow fin are being reported.
Magdalena Bay: Not many anglers down this way. Charter captains are looking closer to shore for small yellowfin and yellowtail and are finding schools about 10 miles outside the Boca. Reports persist about decent groupers, pargo and a few snook.Zihuatanejo: The bluewater has been pushed out to about 32 miles and fishing has been slow. A few yellowfin, dorado and striped marlin are being caught.
Cabo San Lucas: Most boats have been releasing one billfish per day with most of the catches striped marlin. Lots of small blue marlin are also being caught and a few up to 500 pounds have been reported. Tuna action has been inconsistent, but lots of dorado averaging 10 pounds being caught. Inshore roosterfish action has been good and catches of snapper, small skipjack and baby yellow fin are being reported.
Information:bajafly.com. Lake levels
Alamo: 3,656 surface acres, 15% full; Apache: 2,549 acres, 93%; Bartlett: 2,725 acres, 95%; Canyon: 930 acres, 94%; Havasu: 19,500 acres, 94%; Horseshoe: 896 acres, 7%; Mead: 84,300 acres, 38% (not including flood control volume adjustment); Mohave: 27,100 acres, 92%; Pleasant: 6,796 acres, 53%; Powell: 114,400 acres, 63%; Roosevelt: 20,738 acres, 94%; Saguaro: 1,197 acres, 91%; San Carlos: 5,988 acres, 14%. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Geological Survey, Salt River Project, Central Arizona Project and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Information for the Fishing Report is provided by the experts at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Pro Bass Adventures, Hook Up Outfitters at Lake Pleasant, Fisherman's Choice Pro Shop in Phoenix, Phoenix Fishing Supply, Liar's Korner in Mesa, Pinetop Sporting Goods, Orvis fly fishing in Scottsdale, White Mountain Apache Tribe, Lake Mary Country Store, Parker Canyon Lake Store, H&M Landing in San Diego.
Information for the Fishing Report is provided by the experts at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Pro Bass Adventures, Hook Up Outfitters at Lake Pleasant, Fisherman's Choice Pro Shop in Phoenix, Phoenix Fishing Supply, Liar's Korner in Mesa, Pinetop Sporting Goods, Orvis fly fishing in Scottsdale, White Mountain Apache Tribe, Lake Mary Country Store, Parker Canyon Lake Store, H&M Landing in San Diego.