Feb. 18, 2003

THIS WEEK'S STORIES
2002 was the 'Year of the Monster Urban Fish'
Bald Eagle Watchable Wildlife Workshop is Saturday
Public Meetings Set on Northern Arizona Fisheries
Drought Doest Not Mean Poor Fishing
White Mountains Fishing Forecast

2002 was the Year of the Monster Fish at Arizona's Urban Lakes

PHOENIX, AZ - 2002 could be called the year of the monster fish - at least at our urban lakes in Phoenix and Tucson.

An amazing number of large fish records were broken this past year, including a 47.1-pound white amur, which set a new Urban Fishing Program and a statewide record as well. This large member of the minnow family had a length of 46.5 inches and was caught at in July at Encanto Lake by Kevin Baylor.

Encanto Lake also produced another remarkable fish - a 30-pound common carp caught in March by Denny Noel. This carp is not only the new urban record, but it was bigger than any other statewide carp entry in 2002. In addition, a monster flathead catfish (a fish we do not stock) weighing more than 26 pounds was caught at Alvord Lake in October by Martin Maughan - setting another urban record.

In all, nine of the 11 record fish for 2002 are now new urban records. "The 2003 fishing year already looks promising," states Urban Fisheries Program Manager Eric Swanson, "A new urban record rainbow trout has been submitted by Jimmy Lopez of Tucson."

This beautiful trout was caught at Silverbell Lake in Tucson and weighed 4 pounds, with a length of 22 inches. Bonus size trout have been stocked into many of the Urban Program lakes in January and are just waiting to be caught, so check it out - you may just set a new record in Arizona.

For further information on urban fishing licenses or current and past fish records for the Urban Fishing Program, please visit the department's Web site - azgfd.com.

Watchable Bald Eagle Workshop Saturday

Want to see bald eagles with the wildlife experts?

Join the Arizona Game and Fish Department's bald eagle watchable wildlife workshop in Flagstaff on Saturday, Feb. 22.

The workshop commences at the Game and Fish Department's Flagstaff regional office at 3500 S. Lake Mary Road for a short lecture. Then participants are taken afield to see bald eagles in the wild in the Lake Mary area. Due to the high demand, there are two workshops this year - one starting at 9 a.m. and the other starting at 1 p.m.

Game and Fish Department and U.S. Forest Service bald eagle biologists are leading the eagle workshop. Remember to bring binoculars and dress warmly. Space is limited. Call 928-774-5045 to reserve a space.

Public Meetings Set On Northern Arizona Fisheries Management

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is conducting public meetings to discuss future fisheries management in northern Arizona.

The public meetings are:

• Feb. 19, 7-9 p.m., Flagstaff, Arizona Game and Fish Office, 3500 S. Lake Mary Road.
• Feb. 25, 7-9 p.m., Williams Ranger District office in the Kaibab National Forest.
• Feb. 26, 6-8 p.m., Sedona, Pushmataha Center, 360 Brewer Road.
• March 5, 7-9 p.m., Winslow, Elks Lodge, 315 W. 3rd Street (tentative).

Drought and Poor Fishing Opportunities Do Not Go Hand-in-Hand

PHOENIX, AZ - Lake Powell is at only 61 percent of capacity. Roosevelt Lake and Bartlett Lake will be threatened with extremely low summer water levels (less than 5 percent capacity) without significant winter and spring precipitation.

Some national forests may face radical, long-term closures and a tough fire season without rainfall. Overall, the Salt River Project storage system is at only 28 percent of capacity. Fishing license sales were down over 17 percent in 2002 and trout stamp sales were 26 percent lower than years past. All this must mean that fishing in Arizona will be absolutely terrible in 2003, right...wrong.

"Let's first be realistic," states Tom McMahon, Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration outreach coordinator for the department, "We absolutely need winter/spring precipitation to fill our lakes and streams, not only for the fish and wildlife, but for we humans."

In addition, McMahon says much needed precipitation could fill our lakes again and get back some of the lake bottom habitat that we have not seen in three to five years. "This in turn would be great for nutrients in the lake. Tie this all together and you have the formula for fisheries at our reservoirs to explode...and that is good news for the future."

McMahon further states, "We still need to get through our current dilemma. The perception by the angling public is low water means bad fishing...that is simply not true."

Keep these facts in mind as you decide how and where you are going to spend your recreation dollars this spring. Although forest closures may have kept you from getting to some of your favorite fishing holes in 2002, some of the best fishing (and catching) opportunities happened last year (check out last year's "big fish" records). The department fully expects this to continue through spring, 2003.

"Some of our more popular reservoirs are low on water, but that just means the fish are more concentrated. The current mild weather will also "turn the fish on" earlier than normal this year (think crappie at Roosevelt and Bartlett). So, dust off your pole, oil your reel, put new line on, and get out and fish...no better time than the present," says McMahon.

If you have any questions about fishing or feel the need to buy your fishing license or trout stamp, please visit us on our website - azgfd.com.

Spring fishing forecast for White Mountains and Mogollon Rim lakes

PINETOP, AZ - Once again, abnormally warm and dry winter weather is expected to result in excellent trout fishing opportunities earlier than usual this spring at most White Mountain and Mogollon Rim-area lakes, says Arizona Game and Fish Department fisheries biologists.

March and April will provide the best trout angling if ice melts from the lakes earlier than normal, as anticipated. "Once ice melts and water temperatures approach 45-55 degrees, trout will become active and offer some great fishing," says Mike Lopez, fisheries program manager in the department's Pinetop office. "Partial to complete ice coverage on the high elevation lakes is still being encountered at this time and should be considered unsafe."

A number of lakes received bonus stockings of catchable and sub-catchable trout in late winter. Late winter bonus stockings occurred at Becker Lake near Springerville, Luna Lake in Alpine, and Concho Lake in Concho. According to Lopez, these lakes, in addition to Scott's and Rainbow Lakes near Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low and Fool Hollow Lakes near Show Low and the Greer Lakes, should be the lakes on which to concentrate early.

Lopez believes Big Lake will be the hottest trout lake in the White Mountains in April and early May. He notes, "It received an extraordinary number of catchable rainbow, Apache, and brook trout last year, in addition to its normal stockings of trout. Big Lake has always been known for its numerous, large trout and this April and May should be even better."

An angler can catch four species at Big Lake on a single trip. Rainbow trout can be caught with about any tackle, lures, flies or bait. Brook trout will bite especially well on night crawlers fished on the bottom, but they will also take lures, flies and other baits like Power Bait or mealworms. Cutthroats feed heavily on crayfish and can be caught on lures bounced along the bottom. They also take flies readily. Apache trout can be best caught using flies, but they will also take lures and bait, much like rainbow trout..

There is a concessionaire at Big Lake that rents boats and sells groceries, as well as fishing and camping supplies. The U.S. Forest Service maintains campgrounds in the area, inviting anglers to stay multiple days.

A low snowmelt runoff, due to a low snow pack this year, will result in lower than normal water turbidities in the lakes, rivers and streams, which allows plankton development early in the season. "Trout feed heavily in lakes on organisms collectively called zooplankton, which is why small wet flies work so well," says Lopez. "The low spring runoff will also produce lower than normal lake levels, which seems to turn some anglers off to fishing, but, in reality, this tends to concentrate trout into a smaller area. This means a trout is more likely to encounter your bait or lure. Water quality, such as temperature, pH, oxygen and algae production, in the spring and early summer is great, and the fish should be feeding throughout the day."

In the Mogollon Rim area, late spring-early summer fishing at Chevelon Canyon Lake usually produces some large brown trout, plus large, holdover rainbow trout. Anglers should note that the lake is situated in a deep canyon, and vehicle access to the dam and water's edge is not available. A somewhat strenuous downhill, quarter-mile hike to the nearest point of water is necessary. The trout limit at Chevelon Canyon is six fish; however, trout between 10 and 14 inches may not be possessed; they must be released immediately. Fishing is with artificial lure or fly only. Other good trout waters on the rim to concentrate on this spring are Woods Canyon, Willow Springs and Bear Canyon Lakes.

Black Canyon Lake experienced a complete fish kill following the Rodeo-Chediski Fire in August 2002, however, phytoplankton growth and oxygen had returned in November, allowing the lake to be stocked with fingerling and catchable rainbow trout at that time. According to Lopez, the lake will be monitored monthly, starting in the spring, and will be stocked again in late spring if the water conditions remain good.

Trout are not the only game fish lurking in the cooler waters of the White Mountains. "Bass and catfish are most often associated with desert lakes," explains Lopez, "but fishing for these warmer water fish in the mountain lakes can be good, even in the spring."

Bass populations can be found at Willow Springs, Fool Hollow, Show Low, Rainbow and Woodland Lakes, as well as in Lyman Lake near St. Johns. Also, channel catfish are abundant at Fool Hollow, Show Low, Rainbow, and Lyman Lakes.

According to Lopez, the best fishing in the state for lunker walleye is also found in the White Mountains. "The state record for walleye has been broken each of the last three years at Show Low Lake," he says. "The current state record walleye, caught this past fall, weighed over 16 pounds. Will 2003 bring another record? The big ones are there."

Fool Hollow Lake also has a growing population of walleye, with fish recorded in the 12 to 13-pound range.

Note: The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes they have been discriminated against in any Game and Fish program or activity, including its employment practices, the individual may file a complaint alleging discrimination directly with the Game and Fish Deputy Director, 2221 W. Greenway Rd., Phx., AZ 85023, (602) 942-3000 or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr., Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. If you require this document in an alternative format, please contact the Game and Fish Deputy Director as listed above or by calling TTY at 1-800 367-8939.

Rory Aikens