AGFD FISHING REPORT -- Nov. 7, 2020

[Outdoor Writer]

Fishing Report

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November 2020
Arizona Game and Fish Department
 

Stocking schedules are posted 

The winter trout stocking schedule for state waters is posted in the Fishing Section of the AZGFD website.

 

The final catfish stockings of the season for Community Fishing Program waters took place last week. Rainbow trout are scheduled to be stocked in Community waters this week. The Community Fishing Program stocking schedule can be found in the Fishing Section of the AZGFD website.

If you haven’t been out yet this fall, check out our Fall Fishing Forecast for different regions of the state.

Incentivized Harvest of brown trout begins Nov. 11

Joint News Release - National Park Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department

 

MARBLE CANYON, Ariz. — The National Park Service (NPS) and Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) are working with partners and seeking the public’s help in addressing the threat of brown trout in the Colorado River. Beginning Nov. 11, 2020, the National Park Service at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area will implement an Incentivized Harvest, a pilot research program, to reduce the growing population of brown trout in the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam.

 

The Incentivized Harvest will reward anglers $25 for each brown trout over 6 inches that is caught and removed from the river. The brown trout population in the Lees Ferry Reach has steadily increased since 2014. As adults, brown trout primarily feed on other fish, potentially threatening downstream native fish species. The goal of this program is to determine if an Incentivized Harvest can help manage and reduce the number of brown trout in the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and the mouth of the Paria River. The initial research into the use of this tool is designed to last three to four years at which time the program will be evaluated for its effectiveness.

There is no limit on the number of brown trout that can be retained and turned in for a reward in the Incentivized Harvest. To be eligible for the reward, anglers must follow the guidelines available here: https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/brown-trout-harvest.htm (scroll down to the "How to Participate" section). Anglers must have a valid Arizona fishing license. Only artificial lures with barbless hooks are allowed. Details on the Arizona Game and Fish Department angling regulations for this area can be found at: https://www.azgfd.com/fishing/regulations.

 

The National Park Service reviewed this population management tool as part of the Expanded Non-native Aquatic Species Management Plan Environmental Assessment and associated Finding of No Significant Impact, which are available at the Park Planning Website. Development of the Incentivized Harvest was accomplished in close coordination with cooperating agencies and partners including the Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USGS Grand Canyon Research and Monitoring Center, several traditionally associated American Indian Tribes, angling groups, and many other stakeholders. The Glen Canyon Conservancy is assisting in managing monthly payments to anglers.

Biologists and volunteers successfully stock Gila trout in Marijilda and Frye creeks

Staff from AZGFD’s Native Trout and Chub program, along with other staff from AZGFD, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and volunteers from organizations such as Trout Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, and Arizona Wildlife Federation, successfully stocked Gila trout in both Marijilda and Frye Creeks in mid October.

 

A total of 250 Gila trout (Whiskey Creek lineage) were stocked into the upper section of Marijilda Creek, while 500 (South Diamond lineage) were stocked in the lower section of Marijilda Creek. At Frye Creek, 300 Gila trout (South Diamond) were successfully stocked. This was the second consecutive year of Gila trout stockings in Frye Creek following the Frye Fire in 2017, which eliminated the Gila trout population at that time.

Left photo: Joshua A. caught this bass at Arivaca Lake, released it, and entered it into the challenge.

Right photo: Bradley H. caught this 50-pound flathead out of the Arizona Canal, released it, and entered it into the challenge..

Participate in the Arizona HAWG Bass or Fat Cat challenges

Anglers are encouraged to participate in the Arizona HAWG Bass and Fat Cat challenges. These incentive-based, citizen-science conservation rewards programs are designed to encourage anglers to learn about and pursue large bass or catfish while emphasizing immediate live release of individual fish that exceed a designated weight or length.

 

Goals of the program include: conservation through catch-and-release of the largest, oldest fish; generation of excitement among anglers about Arizona fishing opportunities; collection of valuable information through citizen-science that can help inform bass and catfish conservation efforts; and sharing of information about fishing opportunities and destinations to make fishing more enjoyable.

 

For details on how to participate in either of these challenges, visit https://www.azgfd.com/fishing/challenge/.

Tips

The warm days of this week will give way to much cooler temperatures, with a good chance of precipitation over this weekend, especially in the high country.

With falling water temperatures, largemouth bass and flathead catfish have started feeding more heavily in preparation for winter. Top baits during early morning can include Rat-L-Traps (great for colder weather) in silver, spinnerbaits, and, during late mornings, 1/4-ounce Texas rigged brush hogs. Jigging spoons is a technique that has picked up and will continue to be an effective way to hook bass in deeper water through the winter. These spoons mimic falling shad. Bass will be feeding relatively heavily until water temperatures fall into the low 50s and bass metabolism slows.

Fall is one of the best times of year to fish for trout. Kaibab Lake near Williams is still fairly full after being stocked with 42,000 rainbow trout in the spring. Anglers are having the best success using lures, flies, PowerBait and worms. The campground is closed. 

 

The road to Ashurst Lake southeast of Flagstaff is open and has been stocked with 53,000 trout so far this year. As with Kaibab Lake, anglers are having success using lures, flies, PowerBait and worms to catch trout. The campground is closed.

 

Oak Creek was stocked with rainbow trout in late October. The campground and picnic areas are open. Beaver Creek and West Clear Creek were also stocked in late October. 

 

For Lake Powell information, see Wayne Gustaveson's latest report (Oct. 28).

Angler reports

For each edition of the Fishing Report, we'll select some photos and reports submitted by members of the angling public either through the Fish AZ Facebook Group or through the bfishing@azgfd.gov email address. If you'd like your photo/report considered for publication here, please indicate the species, place, date, name (we only publish first name and last initial), and any other information you'd like to provide. For more photos (including new photos each day), visit the Fish AZ Facebook Group.

Joaquin A.'s wife Brandi caught this big ol' crappie at Roper Lake near Safford earlier this week.

Daniel J. sent us this photo of a 13.8-pound flathead his wife caught. Great catch!

Mark D. shared a photo he took during a recent fishing trip. “Cool find today," he said. "Not something you see every day.”

Isis C.'s son catches his first fish ever. Good job, buddy! .

Eric Van E. posted this photo with his son on a trip to Roosevelt Lake last Saturday.

Bill A. said, "Leaving this beautiful Verde Valley. Had a great time fishing the Verde in my float tube. Will be back next fall."

Donald H. got this nice channel catfish at Canyon Lake last week.

Andrew A. caught some trout up at Silver Creek over the weekend.

Waters being stocked this week (Nov. 2-6) with rainbow trout:

Southeastern waters: Roper Lake, Dankworth Pond, Patagonia Lake

 

North Central waters – Fain Lake, Frances Short Pond, Dead Horse Lake, Oak Creek, West Clear Creek, Wet Beaver Creek.

 

Community Fishing Program waters:

• Phoenix area - Alvord Lake, Bonsall Pond, Chaparral Lake, Copper Sky Lake, Cortez Lake, Desert Breeze Lake, Desert West Lake, Encanto Lake, Evelyn Hallman Pond, Festival Fields Pond, Friendship Pond, Kiwanis Lake, Mansel Carter Oasis Lake, Pacana Pond, Paloma Lake, Papago Ponds (1, 2 and 3), Pioneer Lake, Red Mountain Lake, Rio Vista Pond, Riverview Lake, Roadrunner Pond, Steel Indian School Park, Surprise Lake, Veteran’s Oasis Lake.
• Tucson area - Silverbell Park, Kennedy Lake, Sauharita Lake, Lakeside Lake.
• Prescott area – Yavapai Lakes.
• Casa Grande area - Dave White Regional Park Pond.
• Payson area - Green Valley Lake.
• Yuma area - Council Avenue Pond, Fortuna Pond, Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex (PAAC) Pond, Yuma West Wetlands Pond.

Video: Stocking Gila trout

When stocking Gila trout into Arizona's rivers and pools, you can't just pull up a stocking truck and open the flood gates! Watch as Sam Simmons hand-stocks some beautiful, catchable-sized Gilas into the East Verde River.

 

View the video.

Save time, buy your license online

Need your fishing license or hunt/fish combo license? It’s easy to do online. Simply visit https://www.azgfd.com/license/ to view the license options and fees, then select “Buy a License Online” (or directly visit https://license.azgfd.com/). Remember, your purchase of a fishing or hunt/fish combo license helps conserve all species of fish and wildlife and provides funding that goes back into fishing opportunities.

Thank you, anglers!

Arizona fishing opportunities wouldn’t be possible without the Sport Fish Restoration Program. It was created through the Dingell-Johnson Act of 1950 (Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act) and the Wallop-Breaux amendments of 1984. Through a federal excise tax paid by manufacturers on fishing gear and motorboat fuels, it provides grant funds for fishery conservation, boating access, and aquatic education.

[trphyhntr]

Wow, that sucks! Azgfd has their head up their butt 

[Roosevelt Mark]

I got zero out of that.

[trphyhntr]

Just now, Roosevelt Mark said:

I got zero out of that.

Did you read the eradication of brown trout in lees ferry?

[Roosevelt Mark]

Ya, yawn....

[trphyhntr]

Wow.

[Roosevelt Mark]

Sounds about right for Az these days.

[trphyhntr]

The fishing here is truly poverty. San Carlos the only consistently good lake and it’s essentially in a different country. 

[WhtMtnHunter]

The addition of the large brown trout was making Lees Ferry fun again.  Haven't caught fish that size in 30+ years!  No way they are gonna be able to tell that the brown trout weren't caught at Kinnikinick.

[Roosevelt Mark]

AZGFD had the opportunity to take ownership of it and declined. Big mistake. 

I miss catching 5 lb rs on a blade all day long.

[high rise hunter]

16 minutes ago, trphyhntr said:

The fishing here is truly poverty. San Carlos the only consistently good lake and it’s essentially in a different country. 

Lately I've hitting a bunch of the streams below the rim around Payson. Poverty fishing is even too glamorous to describe.