Fly Fishing Report for April 22, 2012

I’ve been out checking the fly fishing conditions here in Arizona. The snow is melting quickly and the fishing is picking up. The roads to Big Lake and Crescent are open and the Rim road is open all the way to Knoll lake. I visited several streams including Canyon Creek and Haigler in my travels this week. Water temperatures were around 50 degrees and the trout were starting to feed. I tried several emerger patterns with a fair degree of success. From now to the end of October fly fishing is just going to get better and better in northern Arizona.

Here is the weekly fly fishing report from the AZ Game and Fish:

With temperatures soaring into the upper 90s this weekend, you’ll be glad to know that most roads into our cool, pine-scented mountain lakes are open and the lakes are ice free.

In fact, it appears that the only popular fishery not accessible right now is Kinickinick Lake near Flagstaff.

This is a superb time for a family expedition to our sparkling trout lakes in the mountains.

Trout stockings are in high gear and there are also larger hold-over trout to catch as well. Plus the trout haven’t had much fishing pressure so far. You might even find some lingering patches of snow for that one last family snowball fight.

Highways 261 and 273 into Big Lake and Crescent Lake are now open.

The final construction on Highway 273 from Sunrise was completed last fall, so the road is paved all the way into Big Lake and is in great condition.

Sounds like the fishing is pretty good at Big Lake as well. I just chatted with the folks at the Big Lake Store on Tuesday and you will be able to rent a boat there this weekend.

The ever popular Rim Road (FR300) is open to Woods Canyon, Bear Canyon and Knoll lakes. The early fishing reports from Woods Canyon are great — it has been stocked. The store is open and boat rentals are available.

Knoll Lake won’t be stocked until the end of this month, so you can expect only larger hold-over trout at this remote fishery but possibly lower catch rates. Bear Canyon Lake won’t be stocked until next week.

The streams below the Mogollon Rim all also being stocked again this week, including Christopher Creek, Tonto Creek, Haigler Creek, the East Verde River. Canyon Creek is also being stocked this week, but keep in mind there are some special regulations for a portion of the creek — check the regulations before going (or obey the signs).

This week, we stocked Dogtown Reservoir, White Horse Lake and Cataract Lake near Williams, so a fishing expedition to this area should be worthwhile.

LOWER SALT RIVER (below Saguaro Lake) – They are releasing 942 cfs out of Stewart Mountain Dam from Saguaro. Stocked this week with 1,214 rainbow trout and the water temperature was 68F.

Trout fishing should be decent on night crawlers, small spinners, casting spoons such as KastMasters and flies. This is a unique desert river trout fishery in the Upper Sonoran Desert. It’s a great place to catch some excellent memories.

Creeks Below the Mogollon Rim

The creeks were stocked this week, including:

*Tonto Creek received 326 trout and the water temperature was 50F;

*Christopher Creek received 303 trout and the water temperature was 48F;

*Haigler Creek received 326 trout and the water temperature was 56F;

*East Verde River received 607 trout.

Try night crawlers, Power Bait, or small spinners, such as Mepps and Rooster Tails. Power Bait can also work well.

Canyon Creek is also scheduled for stocking this week.

You can read the entire report here.

Additional Fly Fishing Reports

It looks like things are heating up on the Snake River in Wyoming from the sound of this fly fishing report:

Snake River

Continued warm air temperatures are leading to continued dyr fly action on the Snake River. Runoff is yet to start and the Snake is still crystal clear for the most part. However, the forecast for temperatures in mid-70s over the next several days might put the river into runoff soon.  Get out and fish it while you can.
Hatches have been heavily dependent on the weather we have in the area on a given day.  Midges, minute caddis, and blue-winged olives are the dominant hatches on those days when we have cloudy weather with precipitation.  Riffles, flats, and shallow banks with moderate current are fishing very well in the afternoon until dusk. Pheasant Tail Emergers (size 18), Furimsky BDEs (size 18), Quigley Cripples (size 16), and Booty’s BWO Emerger (size 16 to 18) have been most productive in these water types. Larger attractors like Stimulators (size 10 to 12) and Will’s Winged Chernobyls (size 10 to 12) are working well along banks and structure.
On warm, sunny days (which we have had a lot of), Skwalas and large caddis (Brachycentrus and Hydropsyche primarily) have been emerging with a lot of consistency to the point that dry flies can be fished all day.  Kasey’s Creature (size 10), Will’s Winged Chernobyls (size 10 to 12), PMXs (size 10 to 12), and Stimulator Xs (size 10), can be fished along banks, structure, and in eddies with success.  These flies are bringing up some pretty gerthy cutthroats.
Nymphing is productive throughout the day in most types of holding water. Liver Nymphs (size 14), Hickey’s Auto Nymphs (size 16 to 18), Lightening Bugs (size 14 to 16), and Prince Nymphs (size 16 to 18) do well when fished in tandem with larger attractor nymphs.

Boots: Snake River Angler Fly Fishing Report for April 22nd, 2012 by …

bootsdaily.blogspot.com4/22/12

Snake River Angler Fly Fishing Report for April 22nd, 2012 by Boots Allen. Snake River. Continued warm air temperatures are leading to continued dyr fly action on the Snake River. Runoff is yet to start and the Snake is still …

 

And our final fly fishing report comes out of North Texas and is talking about how the fly fishing for bass is heating up there:

We have bass starting to make their way into shallow waters in North Texas NOW, and from what I’ve seen the last two outings, we could very well be looking at a bumper crop of large largemouth bass. I am sighting carp as well, but they are very green and spook at their own shadows right now.

For Lake Ray Roberts, all we need is a bit more rain to lead to rising waters on flats and foraging by a fresh crop of carp. Of course there’s a munching period in preparation for the spawn, then the spawn (where almost no carp is thinking about anything but spawning – so mannish are they), and a post spawn bite that reminds me of a cigarette in bed afterwards.

If you want to ply the newly flooded coves, right now early and late will reveal a topwater bite – small fish including crappie learning their way around the coves, and if you try deeper sandy bottoms, you may come across largemouth bass shopping for their annual bassinet – think dull colored Clouser and crustaceans like crayfish patterns — small, very small.

Texas Flycaster » Blog Archive » North Texas Fly Fishing News

texasflycaster.com3/14/12

Texas Fly Caster is a site with information about fly fishing in Texas and the United States.

 

Fly Fishing Report Summary

That about wraps up this fly fishing report. For all you fly casters in the Phoenix area get out now in the early mornings and hit the Salt River up while the fishing is still good and the temps aren’t to high yet. As soon as you get a chance visit us up here in northern AZ for some great fly fishing adventures.