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Looking for something to do on these warm summer evenings? Take the family to your nearest lake for sunfish at twilight time, advised Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists.
"Bluegill and other sunfish usually get very active around sunset. You can often catch one right after the other at this time of day using corn, mealworms, night crawlers or live minnows," said Andy Clark, Mesa regional fisheries specialist.
Clark said bluegill and green sunfish are fun to catch for both adults and youngsters. "Adults or youth with good casting skills may also want to try small spinners, such as Mepps and Rooster Tails. This technique can provide you a lot of action on a summer evening, especially in the backs of coves or around rocky shorelines. You might catch all kinds of sunfish and maybe an occasional bass as well. It can be a blast using an ultra-light pole."
Be sure to use light line, such as 4-pound test. "The typical trout-fishing rig usually works well for sunfish. For the youngsters, it’s often best to set them up with a bobber, with the bait about three feet down," Clark advised.
The urban lakes can provide lots of sunset action for sunfish, as can places like Saguaro, Canyon, Bartlett and Pleasant. "At Canyon, LaBarge Cove is a popular spot to catch sunfish, especially along the shore opposite the fishing pier," he said.
Uploaded: 7/24/1999
Uploaded: 7/24/1999