Ok, get ready.  The desert elevations are ready to pop!  We’ve had a warm week of weather, and we have 80’s forecasted for the next week, the fishing is about to catch fire!

Roosevelt Lake has been hot!  Great bass fishing on spinnerbaits, swimbaits, and jigs.  The rivers have been solid around brush, and the main lake is starting to put out some smallmouth as well as largemouth. 

Alamo Lake has also been hot!  Spinnerbaits, swimbaits, and jigs are also the name of the game here.  Fish are staging around brush piles, and are fat and healthy.  Look for this lake to get better and better with this warm weather.

Lake Pleasant has been hit and miss with the clear water.  The water has been struggling to get up in the upper 50’s for temperature, but that is changing quickly.  The last couple of days we’ve had largemouth boils in the afternoons and great crappie action in the creek channels.  There have also been some giant bass coming out this week as they stage for spawn.  Look for this lake to blow wide open this week!

Oak Creek Canyon is still blown out from run-off, but Deadhorse State Park has been fishing really well.  Lots of rainbows in the 12-14″ range.  Small beadhead nymphs and some small dries are the way to go.  We’ve been staying in the ponds to avoid the river runoff.

The highcountry is still covered in snow.  Over 100″ base still exists around most of the upper trout waters.  This will delay the opening of the season, but man is it going to be good when it’s ready to go.

Our good weather finally came to an end.  Good bye 80’s, hello rain and snow!  So this is how the rest of the world lives in the winter!  Ugh!

Fishing was just about breaking loose before this front.  We’ll see the affects in the next few days.  It’s always hard to judge conditions this time of year after a major front.  It’s supposed to rain for a few days in the desert, and snow quite a bit up north.

On the positive side, Alamo Lake has been fishing excellent!  Swimbaits, spinnerbaits, and jigs are all working well.  Fishing the north end and through slop piles is producing the most fish.  This is usually the first lake to get going, and then the rest follow quickly.

San Carlos is also a bright spot right now for crappie fishing.  Lots of crappie are starting to show in 15-25 feet of water on minnows and jigs.  This bite is also just beginning!

Lake Pleasant, Bartlett Lake, and Saguaro Lake have been tough.  We just need the weather to stabalize, and everything will be ok.

Trout fishing is pretty much done for the season.  There is still some good fishing on the Verde River and at Deadhorse State Park, but everything else is snowed in and runoff is starting.

Look for the next few weeks to be the turning point for our prime bass and striper fishing!