AZ Fishing Info & More

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North Shore at Lynx Lake is Closed

2009-06-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

The North Shore at Lynx Lake will be closed from June 18, 2009 to August 1, 2009 for maintenance. Lakeside Trail 311 and the Lynx Lake store will remain open. No parking will be permitted along the entrance road to North Shore. Visitors should park at the Lynx Lake South Shore Day Use area.

The forest service will be making improvements to the North Shore during the closure including replacement of the flush toilet building, reconstruction of the host site and of the trail leading down to Lynx Lake.

The dam (a popular fishing spot during warmer summer months) is also located on the North shore. Folks can still fish from the South Shore. You can also still fish the cooler water by the dam if you have a boat.

For more information about the North Shore Closure at Lynx Lake, click here.

Arizona Free Fishing Days for 2009

2009-06-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Fish and Game Department has designated two days in June 2009 (6th and 13th) as FREE fishing days in Arizona. This means that you can fish without a fishing license those two days.
The goal behind these free fishing days is to encourage more people to fish.

But there's another advantage to non-trout anglers. They can fish "trout lakes" without having to worry about having a trout stamp - as long as they fish those lakes on the days designated as "free fishing days" in Arizona.

Happy fishing!

Beware of Sex Offenders at Roper Lake State Park

2009-04-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

I am posting this information because I think folks should be aware that a level-3 (high risk) sex offender will be living at Roper Lake State Park. Why a high risk sex offender is allowed to live in a state park to begin with is a mystery and outrage! It goes against all common sense. Talk about a prime target for this guy!!! Please pass this information on to others who may be visiting Roper Lake.

Cecil Terry Massey is the sex offender in question. He's a level-3 sex offender - which means he's considered high risk. He was convicted in Pima County for molestation of a child/sexual abuse and indecent exposure. After serving his sentence he advised the Graham County Sheriff’s Department that he will be living at Roper Lake State Park in Graham County. He is not wanted by the Graham County Sheriff’s office or any other law enforcement agency at this time.

Another sex offender moving to Graham county is James Darrell Vanover. James is a level-2 offender, which means he's considered an intermediate risk. James was convicted by the State of Alaska Superior Court for indecent exposure. He served his sentence and will now be moving to the BLM Sand Dunes, Tanque Road in Safford.

Once again, this makes absolutely no sense and should be illegal. Sex offenders should not be allowed to move into recreation areas. It's not good for sex offender, and it's not good for the public.

This information is posted for "informational purposes" only. It's illegal for you to use it to harass, intimidate, or threaten the sex offenders mentioned above. But in an effort to help protect the public, I wanted to spread the word so more folks were aware of the potential dangers when visiting Roper Lake State Park and the Sand Tunes in Safford.

For more information visit the links below:

http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2009/03/29/news/doc49cd622ca2eac639981070.txt

http://www.eacourier.com/articles/2009/04/06/opinion/letters/doc49d7afe89b070826298897.txt

AZ Fish & Game Fair in Kingman April 9th

2009-04-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Every year the Arizona Game & Fish Department put on little fairs to help educate folks on Arizona wildlife and sporting opportunities. This year they'll be in Kingman on April 9, 2009.

These fairs are FREE and are a great place to take the kids. The AZGFD always has interactive games set up for the kids so they can practice their casting and shooting skills. They'll also get to see some live animals and learn more about others they may or may not see while out and about in Arizona.

For more information, click here.

Fly Fishing Retreat for Women with Breast Cancer

2009-02-11T06:39:00.000-08:00

There's an organization in Arizona called, "Casting for Recovery" which is devoted to helping women with Breast Cancer enhance their lives through support and educational programs while fly fishing.

Casting for Recovery offers free fly fishing retreats for women of all ages diagnosed with Breast Cancer. The next retreat will be held May 15-17 at Greer Lodge in Greer. This retreat is open at no cost to Arizona women of all ages and in all stages of breast cancer treatment and recovery.

For more information visit the Casting for Recovery web site or call Kitty Wiemelt at 480-329-6996.

Fishing Changes on Navajo Reservation

2009-02-03T14:05:00.000-08:00

The Navajo Reservation Fish and Wildlife Department have recently changed fishing permit fees for both tribal and non-tribal members. If you're planning to fish on the Navajo Reservation this year, you'll want to be sure to check out the latest changes.

I have links to all of the relevant information on this web site and you can view it by clicking here.

Fishing at Dead Horse Ranch

2009-02-01T08:31:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I had the opportunity to fish at Dead Horse Ranch with Prescott's Fly Caster's Club. It was a beautiful day not to mention plenty of fishing action.

The Arizona Department Game and Fish have been stocking the lagoons every couple of weeks so there was plenty of trout in the lakes. Spin fishers had great success catching trout using worms and powerbait.

Fly fishers also had a lot of success catching trout using green woolly buggers and nymphs. One angler had huge success fishing a Copper John.

Dead Horse Ranch is a great place to take the whole family and the fishing ain't bad either.

Annual Game & Fish Outdoor Expo

2009-01-28T07:27:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Game and Fish Outdoor Expo will be held on March 28 - 29, 2009 at the Ben Avery Shooting Range. This expo draws thousands of enthusiasts every year. Best of all - admission is FREE (and so is parking).

The event will run both days from 9 am til 5 pm. There will be loads of activities for everybody including hands-on demonstrations and workshops for fishing. Last year there was even a catch-and-release fish tank for kids.

This expo is a great family event. So mark your calendars!

Verde Trout in Fossil Creek

2009-01-24T07:07:00.000-08:00

You might know them as 'roundtail chub', but others call them 'verde trout'. This Arizona native fish (once nearly extinct) technically falls in the minnow family.

The past couple of years the Arizona Game and Fish Department have been working to create a special blue-ribbon catch-and-release fishery for these fish in the creek. This new fishery will open in October 2009.

Artificial lures and baits (small spinners, spoons, flies, worms and crickets) are effective in catching roundtail chubs. Fishing with ultra-light tackle can add to the excitement when catching these fish.

Trout Fishing Workshop in Pinetop

2008-09-05T06:19:00.000-07:00

The Arizona Fish and Game Department is co-sponsoring a trout fly fishing workshop at Becker Lake for anglers on October 4, 2008.

The 3 and half hour workshop is open to the public and will feature one-on-one instruction on the use of lures and artificial flies to improve angling success. It will also cover fly-fishing techniques, proper use of trout lures and presentation, use of casting bubbles with flies and trolling techniques. There will also be demonstrations on fly tying and methods of cooking and smoking fish. Resource materials and handouts will be provided, as well.

Folks are encouraged to bring their own fly fishing equipment, but equipment will be provided for those who don't have any.

There will be a morning session and and afternoon session with each session limited to 20 people. The cost is $10 per person. You must pre-register at the Pinetop Office if you want to participate. For more information, call (928) 367-4281.

Don't Let Arizona Restrict Access to Off-Road Fishing Holes

2008-08-18T11:41:00.000-07:00

Once again, folks in Arizona are trying to restrict or close access to areas on Arizona State Land. For those of us who like to go off the beaten path to fish in rivers where few people go, this is disturbing news.

It seems that legislators and others are complaining in Maricopa County and parts of Pinal County that off-roaders are stirring up too much dust by riding quads, 4x4's, motorcycles, etc. And they want to restrict or close access to many areas on Arizona State Land.

It's already getting harder and harder and to find good places away from other people to fish, shoot, ride quads, etc. Now the Arizona State Land Department wants to make it even harder!

If you live in Arizona, I urge you to sign the online petition and spread and word. You don't have have to live in Maricopa or Pinal County to care about this issue. Rulings like this have a way of spreading once they pass they pass in one area.

For more information, visit ArizonaOffRoaders.org.

Fishing at Lynx Lake in July

2008-07-30T15:02:00.001-07:00

Fishing at Lynx Lake has been slow lately - but that is to be expected during the warmer summer months. Trout are cold-blooded fish and don't like the warmer water temperatures.

Shore fishing is usually fair during the early morning and early evening hours. Although catches are still far and few between.

I took my nephews and their friend fishing at Lynx Lake this morning and we had a few bites from shore using PowerBait (various colors). Once the outdoor temps started rising though (about 10 am) we rented a boat and headed out to deeper water.

We were able to catch one rainbow trout (11.5 inches) using PowerBait while fishing on the boat. We may have only caught one fish, but it was a good day - especially since we had guest with us and we always like it when they get to experience catching a fish!

Zeolites - An Alternative Approach to Saving Pena Blanca Lake

2008-07-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

In May there was a news story about Pena Blanca Lake near Rio Rico and the problem that they are having with mercury contamination in the lake sediment and the fish.

The report said that the Forest Service was getting ready to address this problem by draining the lake, removing and destroying the fish and taking about 10' of sediment out of the lake bottom. They would then allow mother nature to refill the lake and then restock it with fish.

Several questions immediately came to mind: What were they going to do with all that water and where were they going to 'dump' the mercury laden sediment?

The mercury that has accumulated in the lake and fish probably got there from water run off to start with, so by letting the lake refill itself from run off wouldn't it re-contaminate itself upon self filling? To remove 10’ of sediment out of the bottom of the lake, wouldn't you be causing damage to the fragile lake ecosystem?

Additionally, a more recent article discussed the use of a chemical to euthanize the fish and then allow the lake to dry before sediment removal. What other environmental effects will this process have on the ecosystem, the invertebrates, the reptiles and the birds and mammals that use the lake?

Current proposal estimates to remove water, fish and sediment have been estimated between $11 Million to $14 Million, the proposed method of using zeolites on the lake would reduce that cost by more than 70% and could enable the Forest Service to remediate several contaminated lakes in the area instead of just one.

A recent proposal was submitted by ECOMIN Remediation Technologies, LLC, a North Carolina Company, to the USFS Coronado Nogales District on an alternative method of cleaning up the mercury contamination in fish and sediment of Pena Blanca Lake.

This alternative remediation uses an all natural mineral, an activated zeolite slurry disbursed into the water to remove mercury as well as other heavy metals, chemicals and toxins naturally and safely that may be present in the lake, zeolites are non-toxics and safe for this remediation process.

Zeolite lake remediation has proven successful in many parts of the world and we hope that Pena Blanca Lake zeolite remediation will set the stage so that we can also clean up Arivaca Lake, Patagonia Lake, Parker Canyon Lake and some 40 other contaminated lakes across Arizona.

In New Zealand, the heavily contaminated Rotorua Lakes were remediated with zeolites with tremendous success. An added benefit of this method of lake remediation is that there is absolutely no possible damage to the fragile lake ecosystem.

WHAT ARE ZEOLITES?

Zeolites are a naturally occurring minerals that are formed when lava contacts fresh or salt water lakes . There are several types of zeolites, but the ones that we use are called clinoptilolite or cage-like zeolites.

This unique mineral created from the 4 elements: air, water, earth and fire has very unique properties that have been proven to detoxify and balance the pH of human, animal and water bodies.

Zeolites are negatively charged minerals, actually one of the few negatively charged minerals in nature, and when they come into contact with positively charged particles such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, pesticides and chemicals they actually pull them into their 'cage-like' structure .

In nature, zeolites draw these positively charges particles to it, so that when you mine zeolite minerals they are already quite full of heavy metals, etc., Our zeolites are put through an activation process that actually cleans out the cages of the zeolites and creates a surface area for absorption of metals of approximately 90 square feet per gram of zeolite which is actually more than double the absorptive capacity of raw mined zeolite.

In humans and animals the zeolites that are full of heavy metals and toxins are released naturally through urine output. In lakes, the zeolite will settle at the bottom of the body of water where it will continue to collect additional contaminants and will never re-release them into the ecosystem.

One of the most positive aspects of using the activated zeolites in lakes is that the contaminated water, fish and sediment do not have to be removed from the lake, they all will be remediated by the zeolites and therefore will not destroy the fragile ecosystem of lakes.

500,000 tons of zeolite were used successfully in the clean-up after the nuclear power plant disaster at Chernobyl which involved cohesive efforts by virtually every zeolite production facility in the entire former U.S.S.R.

Zeolites were fed to cattle in an effort to keep radioactive ions out of the milk, and were baked into bread and cookies for children in an effort to minimize the radioactive contamination in humans.

Zeolites were also used at ‘Three Mile Island’ a decade or so before Chernobyl. Contaminated land, such as Brown Field near Three Mile Island was rendered fit for building and agriculture after treating the soil with sufficient quantities of zeolites.

There is a lot of concern and discussion currently going on in southern Arizona regarding mining and it’s affect on the quality of groundwater. Activated zeolites can be applied in powdered form directly to open pit mine lakes to pull out the heavy metals, chemicals and toxins in the water and prevent them from entering the local groundwater and aquifers. Activated zeolites can also be used to remediate contaminated soils and sediments that have been impacted negatively by mining, industrial releases and antiquated fertilization practices.

BENEFITS OF USING ZEOLITES

People and animals across the world are benefiting from incorporating zeolites into their lives. It is clearly evident that we live in a toxic world and it has been reported that the average American takes in over 150 chemicals, toxins, carcinogens and/or heavy metals each and everyday.

After time, this intake of toxins builds up in the body and creates what is called a 'body burden' which can and usually does result in chronic disease. By adding liquid activated zeolites to you and your pets daily regime you can remove these toxins from the body naturally and also balance the body’s pH to a normal alkaline state.

Disease thrives in an acidic body but does not do well in an alkaline body. Most people who have integrated activated zeolites into their lives have noticed increased energy and stamina as well as the disappearance of many chronic health problems.

Zeolites seem to address many issues that are of great concern to Americans across the country. With just one naturally occurring mineral we can remove toxins and carcinogens from our body, clean up our water and our land.

Hopefully, the USFS Nogales District will recognize the tremendous benefits of treating Pena Blanca Lake and remediation by zeolites of water, sediment and fish and this will set the precedence for cleaning up lakes across Arizona and around the country. Safely and with no adherent side effects.

If you would like more information on remediating waters in your area, the use of zeolites in people and animals, or if you would like an interview, contact ECOMIN Remediation Technologies at 1-800-232-9549.

This press release was submitted by Darcy Fisher. For more information you can contact Darcy at (520) 401-9515.

Catching Trout at Wheatfields Lake

2008-07-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

Catching trout during the warm summer months may be challenging - but it can be done.
One of our readers sent me an email saying he fished Wheatfields lake in a float tube on Thursday July 17th in the afternoon and caught 4 rainbows ranging in size from 14 inches to 18 inches. He was using a size 12 mohair green blue leech with number 3 sinking line in about 12 feet of water. He also had success using size 12 blood leeches. He fished from 2:00 to 5:00.

Thanks for sharing the information!

Fish Deaths in Urban Lakes Prompt Investigation

2008-04-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

There has been some reports of catfish and sunfish mysteriously dying at Chaparel Lake in Scottsdale. The water is being tested to determine why.

Eric Swanson, urban-fishing-program manager for the Department of Game and Fish, said that as long as the fish are caught alive, look healthy and have no sores or bruising, they should be safe to eat, provided they are cleaned and cooked properly. But many local residents aren't taking any chances.

Water temperature, oxygen and acidity levels have all tested fine. Tests are now checking for golden algae as well as a few other things. Golden algae secretes toxins that affect fish and other animals with gills. Although the algae does not pose a health risk to humans, you don't want to touch or eat any dead fish found in the lakes.

Golden algae had caused recent problems (and fish deaths) at Cortez Lake (Phoenix) and Water Ranch Lake (Gilbert). Recent Fish deaths have also been reported at Desert Breeze Lake (Chandler) and Surprise Lake (Surprise).

Because of the recent die-offs, Game and Fish last week stocked only 50 to 60 percent of the usual number of fish at Chaparral Lake.

Take the Kids to the Rainbow Trout Farm

2008-02-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

Teaching kids to trout fish can be challenging due to the sometimes difficulty in catching trout. But lucky for Arizonan's, we have one of the best rainbow trout farms in the country! It's located in Sedona off Highway 89A between Slide Rock State Park and Sedona's tourist's district in the heart of Oak Creek Canyon.

First opened in the 1950's, the Rainbow Trout Farm is open year-round, seven days a week and is the perfect place to introduce kids to trout fishing. If you just want to come in and look around, admission is FREE! But if you wish to fish, you will have to pay some fees.

Kids are pretty much guaranteed success when fishing at a trout farm. So not only will get to experience the joy of catching a nice trout, they'll also get to learn how the pole feels with a trout at the other end of it.

The Fishing equipment and bait is provided for you at the Rainbow Trout Farm. Don't bring your own - it's not allowed! You don't even need a fishing license! The fishing fee is only $1 per person - but be forewarned, there is NO CATCH AND RELEASE! You'll pay $8-$12 for every fish you catch depending on size. The average trout size is 11 to 12 inches. So you might want to keep a close eye on the kids! The trout farm makes their own dough bait which is used for fishing and it consists of fish food mixed with flour and water. They even sell it if you'd like to try it in your local trout waters.

In addition to being able to see rainbow trout up close, the trout farm also has BBQ and picnic tables for folks to enjoy. In order for the maximum number of folks to enjoy the trout farm, people are asked to limit their stay to 2 hours.

Folks at the at the trout farm will even clean your fish for you at a cost of 50 cents per fish (no filleting). Once your fish is cleaned, you can cook it on the BBQ grills at the park or pack it on ice and take it home (the trout farm does sell ice for this purpose).

Another option is to take your trout to the Heartland Cafe in Sedona and have them cook it for you. Then you and the family can either enjoy it there or take the cooked trout home. This is a great option for folks visiting and camping in Oak Creek Canyon.

For more information about the Rainbow Trout Farm, call (928) 282-5799.

Litchfield Park Winter Trout Derby - Jan.19

2008-01-07T12:21:00.000-08:00

This year's Winter Trout Derby will take place on January 19, 2008 in Litchfield Park, Arizona. The derby will begin at 7 a.m. at Tierra Verde Lake Park and run til 3 p.m.

The trout derby is open to everybody, so bring the whole family. They'll be food, prizes, and giveaways. Bring your own pole and tackle.

No fishing licenses are required for the day, but there is a small fee per person wishing to participate in the derby. Fees are $4 for kids 15 years of age and under; $6 for folks 16 and older. No pre-registration is required.

For more information about the Winter Trout Derby, you can all (623) 935-9040.

Trout Fishing at Lynx Lake

2007-11-19T07:10:00.001-08:00

Lynx Lake is one of Prescott's premier trout lakes. And since it's practically in my backyard, it's one of the lakes I fish a lot.

Although the lake levels are the lowest I've seen in 30 years (rumor has it water was drained from Lynx and put in Fain Lake) - Fall trout fishing continues to be excellent! I've taken my nephews, their friends and others there several times this Fall season and each time, we've walked away with a decent amount of trout (usually our bag limit).

Although we've had no problem catching trout at Lynx Lake, we've watched others struggle. Many of these folks have come up to us to check our rig and ask what our secret weapon was. I'm always happy to share my fishing secrets (especially when kids are involved).

Most of our trout have been caught using the same rig - an 18 inch leader with a size 12 treble hook attached to a snap swivel with an egg sinker (or slip sinker) above it. I like to use the 1/2 oz sinkers because they give me greater casting distance. Most of the time we use PowerBait (all colors), but sometimes we use nightcrawlers and mealworms.

Spinners work well too - especially in the morning hours.

Here are some pics from recent trips to Lynx Lake.

Fall Trout Fishing 2007

For more information about trout fishing, visit TroutFishingHelp.com!

How to Find Fishing Information on this Blog

2007-11-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

The goal is to provide the information and tools you need enjoy the sport more. As part of this effort, I try and share new fishing tips, news, and other information about happenings in the Arizona.

As time goes on, and more and more articles are added, they get pushed farther down the page and then eventually archived into a monthly folder. If you've come to the site looking for specific information, it can take a while to weed through the articles until you find what you're looking for.

That's too time consuming for many of us. So to make this much easier for you, I've included a search toolbar at the top of the window. Have you noticed it? It's a dark blue bar with an orange "B" next to it. You'll also notice a white box that you can use to type the info you're searching for. When done, just click the "Search this blog" button next to it.

If there is information relating to your search request, it will be found and displayed for you. Some times several articles will show with a brief description of each - that way you can click on the one you're interested in.

This toolbar makes it much easier to find the information you need to much more quickly. So use it as often as you like to find specific information. It's there to make things easier for you!

Welcome to the Arizona Fishing Holes Blog!

2007-11-15T09:50:00.000-08:00

Soon you'll be able to find the latest fishing information about Arizona's best fishing spots right here on this blog.

So stay tuned ......