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Trout, largemouth bass, striped bass and a host of other fish species are feeding more aggressively right now to put on fat before winter arrives; this is the time to fish for them, advised Arizona Game and Fish Department biologists.
"From now through ice-up, trout in the high country will continue feeding more aggressively. We are already getting great reports from Big Lake in the White Mountains, and other mountain waters will have great action any time now," said Information Branch Chief Joe Janisch.
Janisch said that at many lakes the trout are already starting to feed at the surface. "As fall progresses, the shallow-water bite will last longer and longer until you can literally fish at any time of day and expect to catch trout."
Small spinners, Z-rays, trout-looking lures, and flies are all good baits for this type of action. Spin anglers can even use flies. Tie on a sink float with a one- or two-pound leader and a fly. Once you cast out, slowly retrieve, then slop, then retrieve again.
Trolling Cowbells, trout-like lures and small spinners near the surface can also produce excellent action.
But trout are not the only aggressive species in the fall, so are largemouth bass.
Hungry largemouth bass can often be caught right now in the lower elevation lakes as they pursue balls of shad at the surface. Some anglers at lakes Pleasant, Roosevelt and Bartlett are catching and releasing 50 bass or more in a single morning. "In clear water reservoirs like Lake Pleasant, the clear Zara Puppy and any clear, sparkly jerkbait often produces the most action. There are some mornings when a few surface acres are erupting with bass chasing shad. It’s pretty dramatic," said Public Information Officer Rory Aikens.
Another technique to use when bass are boiling is spooning. "Quite often the larger bass will feed beneath the boils, picking up wounded or dead shad. A small spoon fluttering down can sometimes get you the lunkers," Aikens advised.
If it is windy, try buzz baits or crankbaits with small spinners like Heddon’s Torpedo. "The really good buzz-bait bite may be just starting. It can work on open-water boils, but also try working it next to shore around major points and the edges of shallow reefs," Aikens said.
This is also the time for classic topwater striper fishing at Colorado River Lakes. "Striped bass hit like runaway freight trains. Catching them on topwater is a blast," Aikens said.
Good lures to try are Pencil Poppers, Zara Spooks and AC Plugs. Spoons cast near or into boils can also be effective.
Lakes Mead, Mohave and Havasu are good bets. "My favorite fall striper fishery is Lake Powell. Not only are there stripers hitting topwater, but smallmouth and largemouth bass as well. In addition, you always have the opportunity to pick up some hungry walleye," Aikens said.
The best fall topwater fishing at Lake Powell will probably be up lake from the San Juan Arm to Hite.
Smallmouth anglers will also want to try Roosevelt and Apache lakes. "I’ve had some tremendous fall expeditions to Apache Lake using topwater lures, jigs and even live minnows. Apache Lake becomes even more attractive once quail season starts Oct. 8 and we can do a fin-and-feathers expedition," Aikens said.
Uploaded: 9/22/1999
Uploaded: 9/22/1999