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An Arizona Game and Fish Department fish survey at Canyon Lake netted a surprise – a monstrous 11-pound largemouth bass was collected and released in LaBarge Cove.
"The fish were sampled within 60 feet of the shoreline, putting them within casting distance for shore-bound anglers," said Jim Warnecke, Mesa regional fisheries program manager.
The survey also collected a nine-pound largemouth. "Some of the 10-pound-plus bass that have been caught at Canyon Lake in the past two months have been on Bass Assassins," Warnecke advised.
While lunker largemouths were the surprise for the survey, the sampling was accomplished to determine movements of stocked channel catfish from LaBarge Cove in the Boulder Recreation Site. That area has received stockings of two-pound catfish through the summer to increase angler catch rates.
Stocked catfish were marked by removing the small fin on their backs. The survey showed that these marked catfish remained in LaBarge Cove for extended periods (up to 60 days) after being stocked. The largest catfish of the survey were seven and eight pounds, but were unmarked. "These two fine specimens were measured weighed and released back into the water for some lucky angler to catch. Successful catfish baits include commercial stink baits, cut bait and shrimp," Warnecke said.
Other large fish collected during the survey included six walleye ranging up to six and seven pounds. The walleye were found on the outside points of the main lake.
There were 152 yellow bass caught, with 45 percent of them weighing more than ¾ pound. "The yellow bass are robust fish that rarely exceed one pound," Warnecke said.
As the smaller member of the true bass family – which includes stripers and white bass – yellow bass are most often caught by anglers using shad or cut bait while fishing the outside points. Small spinners, grubs and spoons can also be effective. Yellow bass (often called stripies in the Midwest) can be found in Canyon, Saguaro and Apache lakes.
Uploaded: 9/29/1999
Uploaded: 9/29/1999