Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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OLYMPIA - The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will take public comment on proposed changes to the state’s sportfishing rules during a public meeting Feb. 8-9 in Olympia. The commission, a nine-member citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene at 8:30 a.m. both days in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. A complete agenda for the meeting is available on the commission’s webpage at http://wdfw.wa.gov/comm... Full story
The Becoming an Outdoors Woman Deluxe (13) retreat will make an ideal gift for the discriminating woman in your life. Lots of outdoor fun without the inconveniences of camping! The Arizona Wildlife Federation will be sponsoring a winter Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop. The dates are Jan. 25-27. It will be in the Goldfield Mountain Range. This retreat will showcase the beauty and wonder of our desert. The place is Saguaro Lake Ranch, which is a historical resort-style retreat located... Full story
Rainbow trout stockings are well underway and will continue all winter long at two-week intervals. Trout range in size from 11-12 inches in length, with some fish up to 16 inches. Fishing is good to excellent for anglers using scented dough baits (such as Power Bait), worms or corn on the bottom. Tip: Anglers using 2-4 pound test line are getting 2-3 times more bites than anglers using 8-12 pound line. Small spinners such as Roostertails and Panther Martins, or spoons such as Kastmasters and... Full story
Roosevelt Lake is the upper most and largest in a series of four reservoirs on the Salt River. The Bureau of Reclamation constructed Roosevelt Dam in 1911 forming Roosevelt Lake. At full capacity it is approximately 22 miles long with 91 miles of shoreline; its maximum depth is over 300 feet and it can store 1,653,043 acre feet of water. Roosevelt Lake is also home to a variety of game fish including largemouth and smallmouth bass, black crappie, yellow bass, bluegill, channel and flathead catfish and carp. Threadfin shad, gizzard shad, and blu... Full story
This is the last 2012 fishing report from Wayne Gustaveson for 2012, and we thank him for all the excellent information he has provided us for the past 12 months. It has been an interesting year with more highs than lows. Bass and walleye fishing in the spring was awesome, followed by a great run of surface fishing for juvenile stripers in summer. Now, going into winter it’s a mixed bag with unexpected fishing opportunities occurring each day. For example, on Saturday we took a side trip into Ca... Full story
November promises to provide excellent fishing at Urban Fishing Program lakes. The Phoenix and Tucson urban lakes have been loaded with catfish all fall with one last stocking in early November. Additionally, 15,000 bluegill were stocked. And, good news: The first trout delivery for the winter season began on Nov. 15 (see below for more information on the trout and bluegill stockings). Top baits for catfish are hot dogs, shrimp, and stink baits with fish biting throughout the day. Anglers are... Full story
Arizona Game and Fish Department officials have confirmed the presence of largemouth bass virus in Lake Pleasant. Lab tests on largemouth bass tissue samples collected during a routine survey in October by Arizona Game and Fish and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel showed presence of the disease in some samples. While the virus can affect largemouth bass, it doesn’t pose a risk to people and pets, and the water is safe for drinking water supply and recreation. “Largemouth bass virus is... Full story
As always, we are planning a multitude of activities for the holidays at State Parks. "First Day" hikes on January 1, 2013 are always popular and you can start booking them now so you can be out walking on New Year's Day. We know taking your family for a holiday excursion can be daunting when you add up all the costs for meals and hotels. But did you ever think it was odd you were traveling somewhere else when your family from cold states always wants to come to warm Arizona for the holidays?... Full story
After more than 22 years and 1,200-plus weeks of producing the weekly fishing report, this is my last one. I am retiring. I am truly blessed for having had such a superb readership. And such an interactive one. I truly appreciated all the e-mails and phone calls with tips and questions. It was also gratifying to meet so many of you on the lakes, at events, or in some cases, even places like the local super market. Being just an old small-town newspaper editor, I have always looked at all of you... Full story
Fishing out of Wahweap is hot and cold. Fishing is super hot for the first hour of light in the morning. Toss a small profile surface lure like a Sammy or Sugoi splash toward the shoreline for fast action from smallmouth bass and juvenile striped bass. On one morning recently, one of the hottest spots was the Stateline ramp cove. A shad school moved under the courtesy dock at first light and was quickly surrounded by bass and stripers. Lures landing on the outer perimeter of the shad school... Full story
All lakes were stocked again with channel catfish the week of Oct. 1-6. Fishing for catfish is good to excellent now that the fall stockings have resumed. Mornings and evenings are the best times as catfish prefer to feed under dim or dark conditions. While the majority of stocked catfish are caught in the first five days of stocking, anglers are still catching cats one to two weeks later at a slower rate. Top baits for catfish have been stink baits, shrimp and worms fished on the bottom in the... Full story
Television Series Continues On NBC Sports Network Fans of collegiate bass fishing have been getting a look at the 2012 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Series when the television series debuted on NBC Sports Network Aug. 14. Programming started with the Day One coverage of the Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash and will continue to follow the anglers through the season, including the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, as well as the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, presented by... Full story
Wayne Gustaveson http://www.wayneswords.com Good fishing success we have enjoyed for a while continues and is perhaps even better than last week. The main factor is falling lake level. Shad have been hiding in the brush line surrounding the lake all summer long. Now water level is declining, leaving the brush high and dry and shad without a good hiding spot. Shad are exposed and all game fish are taking a swipe at them every chance they get. Scattered splashes mark the action punctuated by... Full story
The North American Fishing Club is set to sponsor National Hunting and Fishing Day, the official federal commemoration of hunters, anglers and conservation. The club is a part of North American Membership Group, the premier special-interest lifestyle membership club. “Our contributions each year to National Hunting and Fishing Day represent our efforts to get members more involved in the outdoors,” said Kurt Beckstrom of North American Fisherman. “Our members attend the various NHF Day event... Full story
CHICAGO – September 11, 2012 – The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) today recognized recipients of the 2012 Marine Industry CSI Awards for the award period from April 2011 through March 2012. A total of 41 boat and engine manufacturers were recognized for excellence in customer satisfaction as part of NMMA’s Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) program. Award recipients will be acknowledged during the annual Industry Breakfast at the 2012 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition and Conference (IBEX) in Louisville, Kentucky. The Mar... Full story
Lake Powell Report Fishing Success Continues With Attention To Details By Wayne Gustaveson Fishing success in the main lake, particularly for stripers, requires attention to a few small details. Timing Is Critical Visible action from surface feeding fish consistently occurs at morning and evening twilight. Finding surface feeding fish provides the first opportunity to catch fish. Juvenile stripers that break the surface in groups of three or more are extremely aggressive and will hit most lures... Full story
Urban Fishing Report Best Hope In Summer Are Larger Lakes Monsoon storms trigger some good fishing periods. From AZGFD Fishing for catfish is slow at all Urban Fishing Program waters statewide through the summer (no stocking period). For holdover catfish, try the larger lakes over five acres in size. Some catfish and bass are being caught, but it takes persistence and some good timing in the early morning and evening hours. Fishing has been good all summer for the plentiful bluegills that... Full story
For a little while longer, Lake Powell's water level is stable and temperature remains in the low 60s, which is ideal for excellent bass, walleye and crappie fishing. With day length and ambient temperature increasing, the best tip is to fish in the shade. That includes the shady side of an individual rock or the shady side of a canyon. Seek shade to increase catch. Bass Spawning Near Completion Bass nests are still seen in the clear water and some have male guards cruising in the vicinity.... Full story
Hey, with temperatures in the deserts expected to soar into the triple digits, it might be time for a cool dose of scented pine air. Especially since we are getting great fishing reports from most of the mountain lakes. Woods Canyon Lake Big Lake and Woods Canyon Lake are both hot spots right now. Both of those waters have stores and boat rentals, making them even more attractive. I have been getting lots of reports of anglers catching limits of trout — even some larger holdover ones. Ironically... Full story
Christian Borucki and Brandon Koon of the Bad Bass Fishing Club in Phoenix won the second-ever Arizona High School Fishing State Championship at Lake Pleasant on Saturday, April 6 by weighing-in five bass totaling 12.08 pounds. These two talented high school anglers targeted mostly post-spawn bass on what started out as a windy day at Lake Pleasant. Their coach and mentor for the event was Mike McFarland, a veteran tournament angler and guide. Borucki and Koon will advance to the FLW... Full story
Fishing is fantastic as long as you are fishing for bass in the afternoon. Bass spawning is imminent. It may take a little while longer due to unsettled weather, but fishing will remain very good for bass for the rest of the month. Water temperature still declines into the mid 50s overnight, but by afternoon, water in the backs of the canyons and coves warms to the mid 60s. This warming and cooling cycle produces the best bass fishing of the year. Sight Fishing Sight fishing for very big bass... Full story
One of the biggest and best fishing and family events of Arizona’s Centennial year is coming soon to Pleasant Harbor, Lake Pleasant, Ariz. Save March 16 through 18 for three fun-packed days of fishing, outdoor competitions, and activities for everyone, young and old (and in between). The list for this event (no, make it these events) just keeps growing and growing, thanks to Kim Carter, general manager of Bill Luke Chrysler Jeep Dodge RAM; Don McDowell, event director of Bill Luke Bass Days a... Full story
Imagine getting a rebate for fishing? Well, guess what? You can now get a rebate for having or buying a 2012 Arizona Fishing License, thanks to a promotion by Shakespeare. Here’s the deal. Buy any two Shakespeare products (such as the Ugly Stick) that total $40 and a 2012 Arizona Fishing License (or show proof that you have one), submit the documentation by mail, and get $10 back by mail. It’s as simple as all that. For more information, visit the Recreation and Boating and Fishing Foundation at www.rbff.org. “We are already stocking trout... Full story
Just recently, we just stocked a bonus 3,000 rainbow trout into the Lower Salt River below Saguaro Lake near Phoenix at the Waters Users (where the tubers put in) and Blue Point Bridge. Despite our late winter temperatures soaring up just as spring approaches, the water in the Lower Salt comes from the bottom of Saguaro Lake, so it is in the low 50s, making it a superb riverine trout fishery in the Upper Sonoran Desert. Basically, it's a one-of-a-kind fishery. So, give it a try. Be sure to get y...
Lake Powell water temperature still hovers between 49 and 54. Not much change will occur in fishing conditions until significant warming of air and water comes toward the end of March. The good news is that stripers, walleye, largemouth and crappie can be caught now with specific effort directed in the small areas of vulnerability these species exhibit. Here is the pattern for success. Look for water that is murky green instead of blue and clear. Most fish are holding in the back of canyons... Full story
