Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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PHOENIX - Though conditions remain very dry and several major wildfires continue to burn in our state, some lakes remain open and many have been stocked by the Arizona Game and Fish Department with trout or catfish for anglers to enjoy this weekend. Lakes that are currently accessible are: Show Low as well as Show Low Creek in the Pinetop/Show Low area Goldwater, Lynx, Granite Basin, Watson and Fain lakes in the Prescott area Mormon Lodge Pond south of Flagstaff and Frances Short Pond in... Full story
Let's Talk About Catfish By Andy Clark - AZGFD Statewide Sportfish Program Supervisor I've come to the conclusion that there are few things better as an angler than feeling "tap-tap-tap" on your line in the pitch dark. Despite the many hours half-dozing in the sweltering heat of the night, forgetting my headlamp is on and wondering why the bugs keep eating me alive, catfish remain one of my favorite fishing targets. Arizona is home to some fantastic spots to catch catfish. Let's focus on simple... Full story
From Visit Arizona.com Horseshoe Bend attracts 2 million visitors every year and is one of the most photographed sites in northern Arizona. Here, we walk you through need-to-know details for how to travel to this spectacular place as well as tips on how to engage more meaningfully with the destination. Formed when the Colorado River looped around an impassable sandstone escarpment, Horseshoe Bend is one of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area's more famous highlights. Not an easy feat,... Full story
With Live Country Music At Pleasant Harbor Pleasant Harbor at Lake Pleasant and the City of Peoria will host the Peoria Country Fest on Saturday, Oct. 9, featuring live country music from three popular country artists. The event also features food trucks, a beer garden and live bull riding. The event runs from 2 p.m. –10 p.m. Headlining this year's country fest is David Nail, a country music artist whose multiple albums have produced seven chart entries on Hot Country Songs and Country A... Full story
To Take The ‘Search’ Out Of Search And Rescue Are you making it difficult to be found in an emergency? “Do I know how to be found in an emergency?” That’s a question every boater should ask during boating season. The answer, however, is likely to go far beyond simply having a cell phone aboard. The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water offers five tips that can potentially speed a rescuer’s response to a boater in need of emergency help. 1. File a float plan: Telling a responsible... 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
Kelsee Haws shows the fish that she caught in Luna Lake; it later became part of a delicious meal. Her outdoors experience is typical of many throughout the state and one of those that we can continue to enjoy even if pandemic restrictions return. (Please, no!) In fact, a whole new group of women anglers will probably be inspired by the great program "Becoming An Outdoors Woman" to be held in Prescott, Ariz., later this month. And, fishing is just one focus of the event; it includes hiking,... Full story
Virtual and in-person women's event shares sailing secrets, camaraderie, fun with unparalleled on- and off-water learning experiences. One of the presenters is our own Debbie Huntsman of the Lake Pleasant Sailing Club. Women sailors from all over the country will be heading to Jackson Park Yacht Club, Chicago, on Saturday, September 11 for the 20th annual Women's Sailing Conference. The National Women's Sailing Association (NWSA) event sponsored by Boat Owners Association of The United States... Full story
When I was a kid, the only things I worried about when I was camping or hunting were bears and mountain lions. As it happens, I've only seen lions two or three times in my life, and each time the lion was hightailing it away from me. And sad to say, I've never seen a bear in the wild. However, I have had plenty of narrow escapes and a few times when I didn't escape some of the dangers that you might run into when you're enjoying Arizona's great outdoors. Most can be avoided if you simply pay... Full story
We Had A Delicious Dinner From Luna Lake And we salute a beautiful Arizona town nearby. By Kelsee P. Haws Kelsee Haws, Mesa, Ariz., says "I hooked roughly a 10 1/2 inch cutthroat trout using an Abu Garcia - Black Max 6'6" pole with a double Power Bait egg setup. A garlic red salmon egg was stacked on over a garlic rainbow glitter power egg. This fish was a fun fight and I was appreciative of the sacrifice made for the game and the food it provided." Haws continued, "From lake to plate in three... Full story
Over a Dozen Events Celebrate the Vision and Innovation of the late Robert P. McCulloch LAKE HAVASU CITY, Arizona (Sept. 16, 2021) – Fifty years ago, one man's audacious dream came to life when he purchased a bridge in rainy London and moved it to his new planned community in the arid Arizona desert. On October 10, 1971, the late entrepreneur and real estate developer Robert P. McCulloch presided over a lavish dedication ceremony that attracted an estimated 25,000 spectators to the London B... Full story
Stocking live, healthy fish for anglers to enjoy can be challenging, but the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is up to the task, even in this time of widespread drought. While AZGFD places a high priority on meeting its stocking schedule found on the department's website (azgfd.com/fishing/stockschedule), all scheduled stockings are subject to change based on weather, water quality, or road conditions. With warmer water temperatures and lower water levels affecting many of the state's la... Full story
Camping is awesome, especially if you know some basics. Choosing a great spot and setting up a camp site is something I've been doing for decades. Of course, when I first started camping, my dad did most of the choosing, but we all helped set up the camp. Where and how we camp still depends a lot on the purpose of the trip. In other words, are we hunting, fishing, hiking, or just exploring and camping? How elaborate our camp becomes is largely dependent on the answer to that question, but the... 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
Celebrate America 2021 At Lake Pleasant Pleasant Harbor at Lake Pleasant will host its annual Celebrate America fireworks show on Saturday, July 3. Located on the southeastern shores of Lake Pleasant, conveniently adjacent to the Phoenix Metro area, Pleasant Harbor hosts this annual firework show, as well as food trucks, free kids activities, including water slides, bounce houses and live music. Festivities begin at 5:00 p.m. with fireworks at 9:00 p.m. and activities running through 10:30 p.m.... Full story
Lake Powell Report (6/23/21) Lake Powell is dropping. Inflowing water today is 10,000 Acre Feet less than outflow. The parched Southwest really needs Monsoon rain to fall this summer. Be careful when traveling on the lake. Stay in the middle of the main channel to ensure a safe trip. Stripers Still Hitting Bait Stripers are still hitting bait in the normal spots like Buoy 25 Cove and Wall, Rincon, and Moki Canyon. On my weekly fishing trip, we saw fewer slurping stripers in the channel between... Full story
Apache Lake Marina and Burnt Corral Campground will close to the public Friday, 8 a.m. PHOENIX, July 1, 2021 — Firefighters are responding to a wildfire, named the Painted Fire, on the Tonto National Forest east of Forest Road 80 near Horse Mesa Dam and Apache Lake. The Painted Fire was reported late Wednesday afternoon and is burning approximately 3 miles west of Apache Lake Marina. The lightning-caused fire has burned approximately 835 acres in dry thick brush and grass. Visitors to the f... 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
Editor's Note: As a courtesy, we are including the following note to Antelope Point Marina customers. "Dear Marina Customers, We are excited that the 2021 summer season is finally here! Due to the low water levels we are experiencing at Lake Powell we are working as quickly as possible to get you launched and on the water. Thank you for your continued patience. We are working hard to assure your family and friends will have a great experience despite these challenges that are beyond our... Full story
As I began to gather material for this June issue, I was noticing that there is some optimism about scheduling and re-scheduling events. Is our long wait over? Can we really recreate again? So many events were cancelled last year and some will still need to be rescheduled, but overall, with caution and care, it appears the worst may be over. We hope so! Meanwhile, before the weather really heats up, it is an excellent time to go to our waterways. Lake Pleasant with all its amenities is a... Full story
[At press time] the falling lake level is slowing down slightly, but there is still more water going out than coming in. The daily water temperature now varies between 62-68 F. This is the spawning trigger for bass in Lake Powell. Expect to find male bass building and guarding nests over the length of the lake. Check The Ledges In Side Canyons Bass fishing for both largemouth and smallmouth bass is at the springtime peak. With the crazy low water levels, expect to find bass on or under ledges in...
Compiled By Doug Burt AZGFD Hunting/Shooting Sports Manager Are you interested in going hunting, but not sure where to start? Look no further. The Arizona Game and Fish Department along with an extensive network of partnering organizations host dozens of learn how to hunt, fish, shoot, trap and other outdoor skill development events throughout the year. Most of these events offer mentoring (not guides), hands-on activities, seminars, a hot meal and campfires for sharing your story. Event types... 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
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