Arizona Bass Fishing

That Arizona is a desert state is admitted by geographers-but not by the bass fisherman of experience. He contends, and rightly, that it is one of the best warm water game-fish-producing states in the Union. Largemouth bass coming from Arizona's waters place in all big bass contests.

Field and Stream, a nationally read hunting and fishing magazine, credited three bass taken from Lake Mead with places among the first ten caught on the North American Continent in 1942. In 1943 a nine pounder coming from San Carlos Lake took tenth place and a nine pound-eight-ounce bronzeback from Lake Havasu took fifth.

This good bass fishing is not a gift of nature. It was created entirely by man. First he dammed water on hundreds of streams, from creeks to the largest rivers in the state. These impounded waters were to be for his use: they irrigated his lands and watered his stock. And, in need of recreation he went still further. He stocked these bodies of water, ranging in size from millponds to lakes 115 miles long, with warm water game fish.

Now, when his troubles mount until they discourage all reason and logic, he has a place to go for a few hours of jes' fishin'. Then he returns, refreshed and ready for new and even greater obstacles.

The largemouth bass and bluegill stocking these lakes came from Hunt Bass Hatchery, operated by the Division of Fisheries of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. The hatchery is composed of seven lakes on the desert nine miles east of Phoenix. The area is used as a recreational ground and is known as Papago State Park. Each spring a host of parent fish of both species produce hundreds of thousands of fry for replenishing the various lakes throughout the state for stocking newly created bodies of water. These grow, in time, into prize-winning largemouth bass. More than that, lakes giving up these "big fish contest winners" suit any angler's fancy.

To start with, there are small ponds hardly more than an acre in size scattered throughout the rangeland of the state and used principally for watering stock. Many of these have been stocked with fish and forgotten by the average angler. But, to others equipped with a sensitive nose for trailing out the windings of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission's fish planting trucks, these small ponds are "private fishing holes."

Bass fishing is one of the greatest of sports. This angler is casting toward the shore of a lagoon on the Colorado River. (Charles C. Niehuis). Great feats of engineering skill were required to cut and build the roadways to Boulder Dam and the Lake Mead fishing area. (Photo by Ullom).

Some of the larger watering places have been given names and are located on state maps. J. D. Dam and White Horse deep in the forest south of Williams are secluded areas where good bass and bluegill fishing can be had. Long and Soldier Lakes lying southwest of Winslow are favorite fishing spots for people from the surrounding area. These lakes are shaded by growth of Ponderosa Pine, tall, majestic trees native to Arizona.

Willow Lake and Watson Lake, just a few miles out of Prescott, stocked with largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish, yield fine catches for the visiting anglers.

Like the large ones in the state, all these smaller lakes have a rise and fall of water level through dry and wet seasons. This influences the quality of fishing, but, contrary to popular belief, improves it and holds it at a higher level than if the amount of water is constant.

When water recedes, vegetation springs up on the shoreline. When the lake fills again the rising water covers the vegetable matter, killing it and causing it to decay. This attracts a multitude of insects which create small water life and the lake is then abundant with plankton: larvae, nymphs and other forms of water life. This is natural food for all warm water game fish, whether hatched in the lake or introduced from the state-operated Hunt Bass Hatchery.

Lake Mead's shore line is 550 miles long and extends 115 miles into rugged and highly colored canyons of the Colorado. (William Belknap, Jr.)

Lakes created on the Salt River primarily for the purpose of irrigating the valley lands are constantly fluctuating in volume over the years. Roosevelt, Apache, Canyon, Stewart Mountain or Saguaro, a chain of large lakes are continually vying with each other for first place in regard of the state's anglers. At the moment it is Roosevelt Lake, the first of the chain on Salt River and reached by three roads. One comes from the Tonto Basin area and the cattle and ranchers' town, Payson. The second comes from Globe. The third winds up from the Valley in the Phoenix area and is known as the Apache Trail. All these roads converge on the shore of Roosevelt.

Largemouth bass may be taken at Roosevelt all year long. In winter months they can be caught on live bait or deep running, artificial lures. Arizona's spring suns warm the water early and the bass begin rising for surface lures and even offer good fly fishing by March. An abundant food supply of small water iife and forage fish such as bluegills keeps Roosevelt's bass in good condition. Deep and cold water keeps them in fighting trim. Those anglers seeking thrills in matching wits and skill with fighting bronzebacks may have it at Roosevelt. Even the anglers looking for pounds of meat may have it on this lake high up the Apache Trail. Roosevelt bass weigh from one and one-half to seven and even eight pounds.

Below Roosevelt, on the Salt River, is Apache Lake. long and narrow, basking in the sun between canyon walls under the Apache Trail. Even in winter the coves and inlets are warm, attracting fishermen and bass alike.

On down the Salt River, Canyon Lake between high, sheer cliffs, and Saguaro Lake, both within a couple of hours casual driving from Phoenix, offer fishing. Largemouth bass take plugs and other artificial lures there as well as live bait. An unlimited number of pan fish: bluegill, crappie, catfish wait only for the fisherman to dangle a worm, cast a dry or wet fly.

Even the southern part of the state, desert land, yes, but having good lakes scattered throughout, is a haven for the man wanting to get away from the rush of the world and collect his thoughts.

San Carlos Lake on the Gila River is one of the bigger lakes in the area appealing to anglers in the southern part of the state. Here fishermen may take largemouth bass, bluegills, crappies, both channel and ordinary catfish. That it is an angler's paradise is attested to by the recent winning of a first place in the first ten of the Field and Stream 1943 Big Fish Contest.

Wherever a man lives in this desert state he can find fishing. Over on the Colorado River, which is the state's western boundary, are lagoons and other lakes; in one, Mittery Lake near Yuma, bass and channel catfish may be caught, as well as many varieties of pan fish.

On up the river is Havasu, lying between California and Arizona. Hundreds of fishermen have picked up their limits of bass and channel cat in this water. This last year the largemouth bass taking fifth place in the national contest conducted by Field and Stream was hooked and landed in Havasu. The bass weighed nine pounds and eight ounces.

The Eden of all bass fishermen the world over is on up the river from Havasu. Some sixty miles from King-man, in the northwest corner of the state is mighty Boulder San Carlos Lake is formed by mighty Coolidge Dam, and is 23 miles long. It has a capacity of over one million acre feet. (Josef Muench).

Lake Mead is one of the finest for motorboating, sailing, canoeing and aquaplaning, and is under supervision of the National Park Service.

The magnificence of Boulder Dam is matched by the great body of water impounded. Lake Mead national playground has opened a new wonderland. In a land of canyons and mountains—a lake in the desert—Canyon Lake winds through precipitous canyons whose walls reach upwards of 1000 feet.

Arizona is one of the best game fish producing states in the Union. Largemouth bass coming from Arizona's waters place in all big bass contests. For sports and recreation Arizona leaves little to be desired. Boating on the smooth waters of Lake Mead offers restful relaxation.

Dam. Behind it stretching for over a hundred miles lies Lake Mead. All of its thousands of coves, inlets, shoals and bars are not yet explored by the curious nor, tested with rod and line!

Bass fishing is the world's best on Mead. Water that is a clear blue lets the angler see his catch before he makes it. Bass, from one to nine pounds (eleven unofficially) swim in the depths or on the shoals. They may be seen easily from the boat. Bluegills, twice a large man's hands in size furnish relief from the ever-ready, hard hitting bass. They may be taken with fly rod. Enormous crappies rise for spinners, fly, minnow or cut bait. Two, three pounders tax a man's skill with split bamboo rod and delicate leader.

Should a man tire of these and like to do a little fishing, requiring no effort other than to pull one out now and then, there is excellent catfishing for his pleasure at Lake Mead. If he is of the other kind, seeking the unexpected thrill, he may have it there. Occasionally a Rainbow trout comes up out of the depths to make a slashing strike and startle the angler half out of his wits with a vicious fight.

The fishing is here in Arizona, to be enjoyed by all who come. Regardless of technique, fun may be had on the lakes in this desert land. Equipment need not be elaborate. A child with a cut willow pole, bit of line, a hook and a good wiggly worm can have the day of his life on our lakes. The oldster with his cane pole, big strawhat, basking in the sun can make his catch, too. Even the man with tackle box and an assortment of artificial lures will have luck. Every angler employs his own method, which is developed to satisfy his own desire.

Children are content with a fish, regardless of length, fight, weight or kind. They use an unorthodox but often productive approach. A little shallow cove sheltering young, inexperienced fish is the pint-sized Izaac Walton's delight.

The old one selects a point of land, takes the lee side, selects a comfortable spot and rests a day, fishing in deeper water. On quiet days his boat will be anchored off the point and he smiles benignly as a younger and more impatient angler goes by in a powered boat. He can remember his own days of restlessness, but now he is content with the fish on his stringer. Their number is not all the law allows him, but the gentle tugging, gurgling of the water and the occasional sight of waving fin or tail has already made his day on an Arizona lake complete.

That impatient angler is apt to be a working fisherman with tackle box filled with plugs, spinners, spoons, bucktails, go-deepers. He employs skill and knowledge to his catches. His trolling motor is slow and steady. It has the purr and smoothness of a machine well cared-for, and it is as clean and well-oiled as his shiny reel. His rod, a light, tapered, tempered steel or match split-bamboo is poised as he goes by the point. His gaze, even though intent in studying the shoreline doesn't miss the light, hard cord, stretching taut over the side of the old one's boat. It requires practice to cast properly and the man in the boat has had plenty of it. He can place the lure anywhere he wishes: under an overhanging ledge or bush, he drops it into a pocket between two rocks, he slips it alongside a log. Wherever a bass might lurk, the working fisherman makes his offering. He makes his catches, too. At Lake Mead, with its exceptionally clear water, the plug-caster may even see the bass contesting with each other their right to satisfy this fisherman with their fighting spirit. Doubles have been taken on Lake Mead, that is, two on one plug equipped with gangs of hooks. So, whatever a man desires in the way of warm water game fish and enjoys in the nature of water that holds them he may find it in Arizona, traditionally a desert state, but actually and amazingly a fisherman's paradise.