Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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As Arizona Game and Fish public information officer Nick Walter found out, the Boulder Creek area of Canyon Lake, because of its no-wake restrictions, is an excellent spot for beginning and expert kayak anglers. Undulating water that rippled across Canyon Lake in November, gently rocking the kayak, was felt from head to hips. Paddling a new Ocean Kayak Tetra 10 Angler for the first time, and during what was this angler's first time fishing this desert dandy, made for excitement that filled the... Full story
Striped bass annual migration is now almost complete. Fish movement begins in the spring as stripers react to warming water by leaving the backs of the canyons and heading toward the main channel to spawn. Then in summer they pursue forage in open water wherever they can find it whether on the surface or at great depths. As temperature declines in fall, stripers move toward the backs of canyons where they will spend the winter with shad schools that descend to 60-90 feet where water temperature... Full story
Tip Of The Week For rainbow trout in the high country, PowerBait and worms are still the best baits, but trout are also more willing to chase down a lure in these cooler water temperatures than they would during the warm summer months. You can cover a lot of ground by casting a Panther Martin spinner or Kastmaster. Some anglers choose to fish bait on one rod while casting a lure with a second rod to find what the fish are hitting. The new license structure allows the use of two rods with any... Full story
Even native Arizonans tend to overlook the southern bass lakes when they get the urge to bass fish. The biggest lakes are in the central part of the state and along the Colorado River, and those areas are also quicker and easier to get to for a majority of the population. For those who live closer to the border, and for those willing to take the time to get there, four smaller more peaceful lakes beckon. Although you could do a drive-by of all four in a single day, each of them is different... Full story
Tip Of The Week Fishing for largemouth bass is excellent at Bartlett Lake. Crankbaits are hot, and here's a tried-and-true bass-snatcher: the Rapala Shad Rap. Get a 3-inch version. Then tie it to 8-pound test line, fish islands, points and rocky shorelines, and if conditions are favorable, anglers could have a good shot at some bass strikes. Have fun! The Reel Deal In the desert impoundments, predatory fish have become more active. Crankbaits and buzzbaits and jigs are drawing increasingly more... Full story
The Community Fishing Program resumed stocking catfish in the core waters in mid-September. Two trucks serviced the Phoenix and Tucson areas from two separate ponds in Arkansas. Unfortunately, one of those ponds had weaker-than-normal fish, and following the stocking, we had reports of mortalities from almost all of the Phoenix-area waters at various levels. Rest assured we're working with our municipal partners to remove the dead fish and get them replaced as we continue October catfish... Full story
October is hunting season. It's time to put on the blaze-orange sweatshirt, load some weapons and get in the boat. The weapons should be transported fully loaded because the game appears quickly and then runs off even faster. If fully ready and very observant, there is time to get one shot off before the game slips out of range. This is not a road hunt but rather a very exciting fishing trip. The critters being pursued are surface-feeding striped bass and smallmouth bass. The weapons are... Full story
The Lake Havasu City Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has announced that a nationally televised Bassmaster Elite Series fishing tournament is coming to Lake Havasu State Park on May 7-10, 2015. It will be the largest, most prestigious fishing tournament ever held in the State of Arizona with crowds of 5,000 spectators anticipated each day and a projected local economic impact exceeding $1.5 million. "We can all be proud that our prime fishery will be put in front of fishing fanatics all over t... Full story
More than 200 leaders in the recreational fishing and boating industries are asking Senate and House members by way of a letter, to support key policy changes to saltwater recreational fisheries management in the upcoming Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) reauthorization. The MSA is the primary law governing federal saltwater fisheries management. The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) spearheaded this... Full story
Lake levels at the Salt River chain lakes did not rise as much as some anglers might expect, but there was enough rain to cool the water temperatures. Many anglers are reporting the bite at desert lakes had been slowing considerably after the sun comes up -- get out early. If you do brave the high sun, find the depth the fish are at, then see what color is hot. Be persistent when finding the right color - a simple change from a morning dawn Powerworm to a red crawler, for example, can make a... Full story
Editor's Note: We were so sorry to hear of the Sept. 11 fire above Bartlett Lake Marina but join the Church family in emphasizing that the lower facilities are all open and waiting for you. Also, on your way in, please take note of the new restaurant that will soon welcome guests to a beautiful dining experience. I've been visiting Bartlett Lake since before the road was paved all the way in. Back then, we'd go out at night many times during the summer because the night fishing at Bartlett was... Full story
Two of the fishing reels that helped launch the popularity and success of WaveSpin tangle-free spinning reels have been being offered as a closeout special. “We are making way for new models to include higher end metal bodied reels,” said WaveSpin’s Russ Riley. The special for the DH 4000 and DH 5000, each priced at $29.95 plus S&H, is available only online at WaveSpinReel.com and is not available at other outlets. Both reels have 8+1 stainless steel ball bearings, come with a two-year warra... Full story
Early one Saturday morning, a call came stating a big striper had just been caught at the mouth of Warm Creek. It took about 20 minutes to get there but we soon found a boat at the corner of Warm Creek and the main channel. Adam Jones and Deborah Williams were right there and when we got in range, Adam held up a huge striper. We got out of the wind and headed to shore where we could get the full story. Death Of A Big Fish Adam and Deborah were out at dawn fishing along Warm Creek Wall on June 14... Full story
http://www.wayneswords.com Lake Powell has topped out at 3609 MSL after rising 35 feet this year. That means Castle Rock Cut is 27 feet deep and should remain passable for the rest of 2014. Fish are more concerned about habitat. New green brush went under water at 3603 and will provide bass habitat and shad shelter for much of the summer. The shad crop is a bit above average. Adult shad continue to spawn in July when in some others years they would have finished spawning by now. That is a... Full story
Tip Of The Week Try Apache Lake for something different. Here, crappie and walleye are other tasty options. Fish some of Apache's heavy breaks where shallow water quickly becomes deep. It has really become a tremendous largemouth bass fishery. There are also plentiful yellow bass, which are a lot of fun to catch on light tackle. Apache Lake also has a healthy herd of bighorns. So be sure to take a camera - this is one of our most photogenic lakes. The Reel Deal Summer is hot and sticky and... Full story
Simply buying a hunting or fishing license can do big things for conservation. Sportsmen and women across the country want to share that message in their communities, including members of the Izaak Walton League of America, which continues its sponsorship of National Hunting and Fishing Day this year. Their support goes a long way toward fostering growth in outdoor sports. The Izaak Walton League has long supported NHF Day, which takes place each year on the fourth Saturday in September. This ye... Full story
Are catfish limits too liberal at Arizona Lakes? Would you like to see more opportunity to catch Arizona’s native trout species? In order to best manage fish populations, simplify and streamline regulations, and incorporate public request, the Arizona Game and Fish Department is evaluating these fishing regulation changes. The department is conducting a series of public meetings during July to provide information on the proposed fishing regulation changes and solicit comment. The meeting s... Full story
Lake Powell is still coming up and now breaking the 3600 MSL barrier, but stripers are the big news now. Striper slurping boils are seen lake wide. Young stripers that live in the warm surface layer are finding larval shad (less than an inch) near the surface. Young shad cannot swim fast enough to elude stripers which line up and methodically "mow" the surface area, chomping down all shad in their path. From a distance, the feeding activity looks like another boat wake, but after closer... Full story
Lynx Lake One of our favorite little hikes in the pines is the easy trail #311 that circles Lynx Lake. Most of this trail is shaded by trees, and the lake and the forest around it are gorgeous. We often see a huge variety of birds and small mammals, even in the summer. The paved part of the trail on the west side of the lake is wheelchair and stroller accessible, but once you reach the far end of the laken the trail turns to dirt. 'Bee' Prepared At this far end of the lake opposite the parking l... Full story
Alexandria, VA – June 26, 2014 - Six members of the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) were elected or re-elected to fill three regional seats and three at-large seats on the board of directors. Their terms begin October 1, 2014, and they will serve two-year terms. ASA’s board members may serve three, consecutive two-year terms. Regional seats went to: Great Lakes Region - Kirk Immens, president, Sportco Marketing, Lake in the Hills, Ill. (reelected) Northeast Region – Chris Megan, publi...
Tip Of The Week Hello, Anglers: Top-water lovers should consider setting up a variety of fishing rods with different plugs so that when the action is heated, you'll be better prepared for what they're biting. Binoculars can be used to spot boils. Boat to the side of a boil and, if possible, cast past a boil and work the lure back through it. The Reel Deal Brown Trout They often flop from the water, or twist and tangle line. Clever and elusive, brown trout are one of the state's top sport fish... Full story
May is here and water temperature is in the 60s which means spring fishing is at its best. Cold fronts will still slow down catching for a day or two but on most days fishing will be excellent. Here is the room service menu for spring fishing in order of availability. Striped Bass Bait fishing along the canyon walls is good in the normal spots. Spots close to the marinas will provide good catches for those looking for a good, close fishing trip. But, the results are sometimes long awaited and ti...
Washington, D.C. – May 29, 2014 – As Congress continues exploring reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), the primary law governing U.S. marine fisheries management, the recreational fishing and boating community continues to seek substantive legislative changes that will improve saltwater recreational fisheries management. The House Natural Resources Committee today approved a Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization bill, H.R. 474... Full story
(Phoenix, AZ - May 21, 2014) - The State Parks in Arizona provide many opportunities for Memorial Day 2014 campers. If you have not already reserved your campsite, some campsites are already full. Some State Parks such as Lyman Lake near Springerville and Alamo Lake near Wenden will have campgrounds that may not fill to capacity. Day use and historic parks have plenty of room for daytrippers and Kartchner Caverns State Park always has 100 walk-up tickets each day and good camping opportunities... Full story
OLYMPIA - Each year, thousands of Washingtonians go fishing - legally - without a license. How? By taking advantage of 'Free Fishing Weekend,' scheduled for June 7-8. During those two days, no license will be required to fish or gather shellfish in any waters open to fishing in Washington state. Also, no vehicle access pass or Discover Pass will be required during Free Fishing Weekend to park at any of the nearly 700 water-access sites maintained by the Washington Department of Fish and...
