Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Prespawn can be a difficult time for bass fishermen. Marty Lawrence’s advice on prespawn fishing is “don’t overthink it”. That being said, the man probably has 14 rods on the deck by the end of the day, and several of them will have a Senko tied on. He’ll throw the Senko Texas-rigged, wacky rigged with no weight, or wacky rigged with a nail weight for deeper cover. As for the Texas rigs, he’ll have one with weight pegged or with a bobber stopper, and one unpegged. The Texas rigs are for around... 
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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
When water temperatures start to go down and lake levels begin to rise, crankbait time is here again. Fish start moving up and getting more active, and one of the best ways to find them is to start cranking around the same places you found them during the summer, but shallower. Long points that have good drop-offs to deeper water are prime early-fall areas. Fishing crankbaits is easy, but still requires some effort and attention. You must learn to feel a crankbait while you're fishing it. A lot... Website
Marc Townsend is one of those guys who can catch fish just about anywhere, and Pleasant is no exception. We went out with him one September and started out fishing very shallow with Yamamoto buzzbaits, literally throwing them right on the bank and dragging them into the water. This works very well when the angler in the front of the boat is throwing the buzzbait, and the angler in the back follows up with a Yamamoto Senko. To Fish A Senko... Website
Water Is The Driving Force Of All Nature Leonardo da Vinci Although we fish in it, boat on it, swim in it, we sometimes take water for granted - not, of course, for our recreational needs but for its crucial role in life preservation for all flora and fauna. This need for our wildlife was recognized as early as 1945 when Arizona Game and Fish began its "Arizona Guzzler" program. This year, it is estimated that three million gallons will be used to fill water catchments throughout the state from... Full story
Yamamoto Pro MartyLawrence fishes a lot of night tournaments in the summer, and summer in Arizona means monsoon storms. These storms usually do roll in at night and if you're out on the water, it can mean that jigs and reaction baits can fill the boat in a hurry. He says that a fisherman's best friend in a storm is a Minnkota Ultrex because it will hold your position all night, even if water is coming over the bow. He has actually stayed on the water in those conditions – he just sets the U... Website
In addition to the thrill of having our Outdoors Editor inducted into the arizona outdoor hall of fame, we feel honored to have both Margie and John Anderson as loyal and valuable contributors to our publications. Of course we honor the other four inductees as well; our Wildlife benefits incredibly from their hard work, dedication, and commitment. Another reason to celebrate is the annual incredible fireworks display at Pleasant Harbor. We send a warm thank-you to them for honoring our... Full story
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
I'll never forget the year the All Star Super Team Championship at Lake Pleasant was won with a Carolina rig, and Rob VanderKooi and Lynton Leslie also took second place using the rig. Both before and since that tournament, many others have been won on Pleasant using the same technique. Dean Farrell and Dave Deadman are two other anglers ...... Website
Even if you have to brave the desert heat to fish, it pays to get out on your nearest lake this time of year. Warmer water means active fish, and active fish eat more. Even on the desert lakes, don't make the mistake of thinking that you have to use finesse baits in deep water to be successful – there are always some shallow fish to be had, especially early in the morning and just before dark. Fly Rods Ben Koller of www.thehookupoutfitters.com likes to go after all kinds of fish with a fly r... Website
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 names Bobby and Garry Garland will be enshrined in the fishing hall of fame for all time because of the Gitzit, the original tube bait. The brothers invented the lure to help them catch the finicky fish on Mead, and it is still one of the best finesse baits ever designed. There are tons of knock-offs, but a lot of anglers insist that the original Gitzit is the best. We met up with Garry many years ago and fished Roosevelt with him. When Conditions Are Tough ...... Website
Ben Matsubu once took sixth place in a WON Bass Tri-State Championship on Mead with a split-shot rig. He said he watched another guy fish a bank and catch nothing, then Ben went behind him with a split-shot rig and caught eleven fish off that same bank. A split-shot rig is hard to beat when fish are cold and sluggish, and won't move far or take a big bait. Set Themselves ...... Website
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
"I was thirsty and you gave me drink" (Matthew 25:35). The Arizona Game & Fish Department, along with several wildlife organizations, has trucked and airlifted over 250,000 gallons of water to volunteer-built catchments throughout the state this year. And, because of the exceptionally long, hot summer of 2020, these life-sustaining efforts have continued past their usual August finish. Water, the essence of life, is just as vital for Arizona wildlife as it is for us, and creatures large and... 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
Curt Rambo is arguably the best crappie jigger in Arizona. We've been fishing with Curt for decades, and he knows Roosevelt like the back of his hand. While bass fishermen will tell you that staying on one spot too long is a big mistake, the opposite is true with crappie, according to Rambo. A tournament angler is on the hunt for big fish. Curt, on the other hand, just wants to have a good time and put some dinner in the livewell, since he has all but given up guiding. His Te... Website
In the words of Margie and John Anderson who provided the motivating cover phone, "If you’re looking to get out of the heat and see some gorgeous country where it’s cool and green, I’ve got the perfect road trip for you. If you’ve ever been to Alpine or Springerville, you already know how pretty the Apache-Sitgreaves Forest is, and I’ve got a couple of back-road drives for you that don’t require 4WD. In fact, we saw a lot of RVs on the second part of our road trip." The rest of their story... Full story
During this frustrating (to say the least!) time of virus-terror and frightening unrest in our country, this issue is trying to stay optimistic, while urging you to get outdoors and enjoy venues that are open. The cover photo from Wayne Gustaveson pictures one of the most-welcoming activities at this time: fishing! Two writers, Margie Anderson and Jim Allen, present refreshing destinations that can take your mind off the worries that are pressing on all of us. Closer to home, Tempe Town Lake is... Full story
We went to Roosevelt one night with Clifford Pirch, and I was a bit surprised when he started throwing a spinnerbait. He explained that with a spinnerbait, you can cover quite a bit of water fairly quickly, looking for active fish, and even in the dark, a single large Colorado blade thumping along really gets attention. Spinnerbaits are also resistant to snagging on rocks and submerged trees. When you're fishing one at night, a dark color is best so it silhouettes against the sky. Hop It Up And... Website
Willow Springs Lake isn't the only lake on the Rim with bass, but it's one of the largest, and certainly one of the most popular. A lifelong resident of Pinetop, Ariz., TV host Johnny Johnson has spent countless days on Willow Springs fishing for bass. His television show, Fishing With Johnny Johnson, often features the lake as well. "My biggest bass from this lake was almost nine pounds," he says. A lot of anglers are surprised that such big largemouth are found in a lake in the high country,... Website
The key to enjoying a night fishing trip is organization. If you have all the equipment you need, and everything is kept where it should be, fishing in the dark is a real pleasure no matter what kind of fish you're after. Art Chamberlin has a lot of experience fishing at night, so he knows all the tricks that make night fishing fun and easy. Black Lights Black lights are a huge help when paired with fluorescent line at night. The black light makes the line glow, so you can see it jump or move... Full story
Television host and musician Johnny Johnson has lived in Lakeside for most of his life and knows these lakes intimately. He lives about five minutes from Rainbow Lake, and spends time on the water nearly every day. Johnny is an avid fisherman and has a good record as a tournament bass fisherman. He is probably one of the best-known bass fishermen in Arizona because of his television show Fishing with Johnny Johnson. ...... Website
