Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Early in February it can seem like the fish are on strike," says local resident and ournament angler Debbie Blanchard, "but before long the big smallmouth start to move in and you can catch a lot of really big fish." The smallmouth begin to spawn when the water reaches about 58 degrees, and they spawn deeper than largemouth do. Easy To Spot Debbie looks for beds in at least ten feet of water. They're easy to spot, she says, because smallmouth nests are as much as three times as big as... Full story
Conrad was in the left seat of the vintage Twin Bonanza pointed West on the Deer Valley, Arizona runway. Sitting in the right seat was his date Virginia. In the spacious cabin behind were Jack, Lynn, Jim and his date. Virginia had not been in the airplane before. Jack and Lynn had taken numerous trips with Conrad and Jim. Jim had flown hundreds of hours with Conrad to all sorts of destinations. This trip began the night before when Jack had called Conrad and Jim and suggested they make a trip to... Full story
Dixie Belle, the official "hostess" for Lake Havasu City, would be happy to have you aboard during the holidays. In fact, a ticket to get a tour on the lady would make an excellent Christmas gift, or a party on her decks would be a perfect way to celebrate the holidays. Dixie Belle, originally built in 1983, is a replica of an 1800's paddle wheeler. She has recently undergone a 10-year restoration project and is opening for business late November/ early December 2021. She's a beauty, just... Full story
Oh, the views: spectacular! Thank you, Margie Anderson, for some fantastic photos of vistas here in Arizona, and on our "Western Wildlife" page, we salute another incredible photographer, George Andrejko, Arizona Game & Fish Department, who has some tips for taking pictures of wildlife. With so many negatives confronting us, usually from the media, there is such good news to celebrate here in the Southwest — We have family outings to enjoy as outdoor fans cut their own Christmas trees. We h... Full story
John and I have known fishing legend Fred Ward for many years, but we actually met him in Florida. At that time I was writing for a tiny publication (now defunct) called Arizona Fishing News. My day job, The New Times, sent me to Denver for a week, then to Miami for a week, and as a reward, they gave me a guided fishing trip on Lake Okeechobee and even flew John out there to join me. Fred was guiding for the Roland Martin resort, and when he found out I was a writer, he comped our stay! We got... Full story
The Outdoor Hall of Fame annually recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions toward Arizona's wildlife, the welfare of its natural resources, and the state's outdoor heritage. The 2021 Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame Inductees are Becoming an Outdoors Woman, Bill Hardy, Margie Anderson, Charlie Kelly and Randy Babb. The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation invites you to join us and the Arizona Game and Fish Department in honoring these deserving and...
Daniel Elias found out about the Free Rig in early 2019 from Japanese bass fishermen on Instagram, in posts that weren't even in English. The rig is fairly simple – you use a cylindrical drop shot weight, but instead of a clip, there is just a small loop at the end – a pencil weight with an eye at the top. You simply slide it onto the line before tying on the hook, and it slides freely up and down the line: Free Rig. The Hook Up Tackle (www.thehookuptackle.com) has weights for this technique; ju... Full story
Concert and Fireworks Planned for July 3 – 4, 2021 LAKE HAVASU CITY, Arizona (June 24, 2021) – The megadrought in the Southwest has lead to epic water shortages, but there is one bright side. While Lakes Powell and Mead are both under 40 percent of their reservoir storage capacity, the water level of the Colorado River's 45-mile long Lake Havasu, on the border between California and Arizona, remains consistent-as much as 98 percent full in the summer. In fact, the elevation of Lake Havasu typ... Full story
This is where the birds and fish, burros and deer roam. According to vacation experts, the latest travel trend is the toe-dip trip: a shorter getaway to help rebuild confidence in traveling. "We may be dreaming of that big-bucket-list trip, but what travelers are actually planning so far this year are visits to familiar destinations nearby, weekend getaways or road trips and beach trips," says Melissa Dohmen, travel expert from Travelocity. Travelocity's most popular destinations for families... Full story
Mark Kile was the guy to watch at any local tournament a few years back. We were lucky enough to go out with him several times at his home lake, Roosevelt, and he just flat knows how to catch them. This time of year, Kile would be catching forty-plus bass in half a day at Roosevelt, usually with at least one kicker over five pounds. "The fish are moving into the shallows," he'd say, "and some of them are spawning." Kile says that throwing a worm in a channel three to five feet deep will often... Full story
The legend is that an angler eating lunch on the lake accidently dropped a spoon overboard. As he watched the silver spoon drift downward, sun glinting off the handle and bowl, he saw a fish dart out and try to eat it. A typical angler, this guy was inventive and always looking for a new bait, so he went home, sawed up some spoons, and put hooks and a place to tie the line on them. Voila! A new killer lure is born! All Designed To Do Same Thing Today's spoons are usually store-bought, and they... Full story
The Eleventh Hour of The Eleventh Day of The Eleventh Month: At this time, we give thanks to our veterans, past and present. There are many events recognizing these special Americans and honoring their service -- from parades to programs to individuals' flying flags, wearing poppies, and remembering service members they know or have known. It is a time to be reminded that our freedoms do not come "free", but rather, they come at great cost to many. "Thank you for your service" may sound... Full story
Years go by and fishermen change, but the bass sure don't. We went fishing at Roosevelt one November many years ago with an AllStar Bass angler named Dave Prothe, and he schooled us on spinnerbaits and crankbaits in cold weather. Baits To Start We started out with spinnerbaits and crankbaits on a rocky bank where the channel swings in close to shore – in the Tonto end across from Cholla on the edge of Goose Flats. The boat was sitting in just three feet of water. Dave says that when the water s... Full story
Bass Pro Brett Hite has won over $1.6 million fishing tournaments. We got to go out with him on Bartlett a couple of years ago, and he gave us some great fall fishing tips. He's a cool guy. Keep It Basic Brett says keep it basic in the fall. He likes topwater, jigs, and drop shot rigs for the most part this time of year. He took us into the river at Bartlett and fished rocky banks that pretty much no one else fished, targeting banks on the deeper side of the river channel where it swings close... Full story
In Memory We express our sincere sympathy to the families and friends of three good friends: the Rev. Dr. Cecil Corbett, Nez Perce, past president of Cook College in Tempe; Henri Hurrier, past wild-game food editor for Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times, and Sylvia Hurrier, his wife. All have contributed so much to their communities and will be greatly missed.... Full story
Do you have a story about you or your family that has appeared in one of our publications? Or, an article that was of special interest to you? Chances are if it appeared in our print version it will also be available in our glossy print version. You may find your favorite story here . Clicking on the MagCloud button will take you to a list of our glossy print issues. Take a look. There have been many great stories and pictures of our great outdoors. Clicking on the covers will take you to the... Full story
This online-publication software makes publishing easy. By Jim Allen, Publisher Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western OutdoorTimes It dawned on me today while I was putting up stories on our website how much simpler the process has become since we started using ROAR. ROAR is online-publication software provided by Lions Light Corporation. This is a personal thank you to Dan and Lea Wilcox from my wife Carol and me. I thank them for having taken a task that was awkward and time consuming and... Full story
During these times of heightened worry and isolation, we at Arizona Boating & Watersports/Western Outdoor Times wish you good health, safety, hope, and peaceful spirits. All of you who love the outdoors already know of the calm that can surround us when we are there, whether at a water side or in a forest, or in a beautiful desert-scape - whether we are watching the swaying trees, the soaring birds, or the budding cactus blossoms. It is in these places where our senses can be calmed and Mother... Full story
Spring is bursting with great events for outdoors enthusiasts. Whether you are a kid or a senior, as long as you enjoy outdoor activities, there is something wonderful ahead for you. The International Sportsmen's Expo comes again to West World of Scottsdale on March 13-15 with a plethora of free activities, adventure destinations, gear, and services. A sincere thank you to George Andrejko, AZGFD photographer, for the cover photo that illustrates the joy youngsters can experience at the family fr... Full story
There are two big outdoor events in Arizona this month, plus two fantastic new holsters I wanted to tell you about. Also, dove seasons, quail season, and waterfowl seasons may all be over, but that doesn't mean you can't still do some great bird hunting. Read on for details! Alien Gear Grip Tuck Holster This holster is different from the other Alien Gear holsters in a couple of ways – it's designed to fit an entire class of firearms instead of a single model like their hard polymer holsters, a... Full story
Publishers Note - VFW 3513 Auxiliary has officially adopted this project naming it VFW Alley Cats - Operation Paws. Our purpose is to humanely control the population and condition of the colony that currently exists as Post 3513. Our goal is to connect the spayed/neutered animals with a veteran who will give it a good home. This can be good for the animals as well as the veterans. Donations for this project can be made to VFW Post 3513 or directly to Arizona Spay And Neuter Clinic. We are... Full story
Welcome to 2020! It's hard to believe it has been 20 years since the century change. My, how time flies! As we begin another new year, outdoor folk can fill their 2020 calendars with many exciting events. One of the first is Arizona Yacht Club's Birthday Regatta & Leukemia Cup, and we thank Mike Ferring for the cover photo. Also ahead is the Arizona Game & Fish Department's annual awards banquet that recognizes many who have been excellent stewards of our state's incredible outdoor treasures.... Full story
The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Boating Safety Education courses include instruction on the basic skills required to safely operate a boat or personal watercraft, trailering your vessel, navigational rules, buoys, anchoring, legal requirements, boating emergencies, watersports and paddling. Take a boating education course now! Most insurance companies offer a discount on your boat or PWC insurance rate for completing one of our courses. Courses are offered in three formats: classroom... Full story
You already know our "cover girl", Margie Anderson (and thanks, John Anderson, for this great photo). She is the ultimate outdoors woman and an expert on fishing, hunting/shooting, hiking, wildlife (including birds), wild flowers, Arizona destinations — you name it. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have Margie as a regular contributor. Besides our appreciation of her knowledge and talent, others have recognized her as well: three times "Outdoor Writer of the Year" from Arizona Game & F... Full story
This is the 40th year the San Diego Sportfishing Council has sponsored its special showcase of San Diego sportfishing. We hope you’ll take this opportunity to join us and discover a bit more of what the Port of San Diego holds for you. Arizona Boating And Watersports will be there. Stop by our booth and say hello.... 
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