Fishing report

Fishing Report For: May 23, 2019

Water Report Recommendations / Tips

A-1 Lake

  Fair

With the recent unsettled weather, mix of cool and warm temperatures, try nightcrawlers or powerbait rigged and fished off the bottom or the top. Try lures like Mepps spinners and z-ray spoons in bright colors. A-1 Lake is accessible. 

Black River

  Fair

Special-Use Permit Is Required. Try bright, larger lures like spinners and spoons in slower moving water. Try nightcrawlers drifted downstream across stream. Pack it in-Pack it out. Store food out of reach of black bears. 
Bog Tank Fair

Try nightcrawlers or garlic powerbait, lures like bright colored spinners and spoons. No camping-Day use only. The Annual Kids Fishing Derby is on Saturday, June 1st. Bog Tank will be closed Thursday, May 30 and Friday, May 31
Bootleg Lake Fair Try nightcrawlers or topwater lures mid-day for bass. Try stinkbaits or nightcrawlers for channel catfish.
Christmas Tree Lake  

Reservations for Christmas Tree Lake can be made with the Hon-Dah Outdoor Sports Shop (928) 369-7669.  Limited to 20 anglers per day.
Cooley Lake Fair Cooley Lake is accessible. Try nightcrawlers or powerbait for trout. Try different jigs and plastic baits mid-day for largemouth bass near the aquatic vegetation in the lake. Try stinkbaits for channel catfish. Please keep Cooley Lake clean.
Cyclone Lake  

Reservations for Cyclone Lake can be made online at www.wmatoutdoor.org.
Drift Fence Lake Fair Try nightcrawlers or pink Powerbait off the bottom for trout. Try lures like spinners and spoons. Reservation Lake store is closed.

Earl Park Lake

 Good Try fishing with nightcrawlers or powerbait off the bottom. Try retrieving spinners like rooster tails or spoons like z-rays at different speeds and depths at different points around the lake.

Hawley Lake

 Good  Try nightcrawlers, different color powerbait like garlic, charteuse for cruising trout. Try spinners like panther martins, spoons like kastmasters, or small crankbaits. Hawley Lake facilities like store and marina are open. Boat launching available.

Horseshoe Lake

 Good Try powerbait in rainbow color, nightcrawlers either off the top or bottom at points and in coves around the lake. Try retrieving  spinners or spoons around Horseshoe Lake. Boat launching available. Horseshoe Lake store is closed. 
Hurricane Lake   Reservations for Hurricane Lake can be made online at www.wmatoutdoor.org.
Pacheta Lake Fair  Pacheta Lake is Catch-and-Release, artificial lures and flies with single barbless hook. Try flies in different midge patterns and lures try small crankbaits and spoons. 
Reservation Lake Good  Try nightcrawlers, different bright color powerbait off the top or bottom. Try lures like Mepps spinners or Zray spoons in silver or brass. Reservation Lake Store is closed.
Salt River Fair A Special-Use Permit Is Required. Try night crawlers and jigs. The Salt River is still flowing above normal for this time of the year and is turbid. Try stink bait for catfish. It is your responsibility to pack out what you packed in. 

Shush Be Tou Lake

(Big Bear)

 Good Try nightcrawlers or powerbait off the top or bottom. Try different lures like spinners and spoons at different depths. Boat ramp is accessible.  

Shush Be Zahze Lake

(Little Bear)

 Fair Try nightcrawlers, pink powerbait, salmon eggs or jigs. Try panther martin spinners or z-ray spoons. Little Bear Lake is accessible. Boat launching is available.

Sunrise Lake

Fair 

 Try nightcrawlers, charteuse powerbait, or salmon eggs. Try different lures like spinners or spoons for rainbow trout.   
Streams Fair Drifting nightcrawlers across pools and riffles. Try larger, brighter colored spinners and jigs in slower moving, deeper pools and riffles near structures like logs and boulders.  

Tonto Lake

(Tribal members only)

 Fair  Tonto Lake is re-opened to fishing. Try nightcrawlers, different colors of Turbo Powerbait. Try mepps spinners, kastmasters and z-rays spoons from shore and off boat. Tribal members can pick fishing permits at Game & Fish Offices in Whiteriver and Hondah
Information   Daily bag limits for trout: 15 & older is 5 fish/day; 10-14 years old is 3 fish/day; 9 & younger is 2 fish/day. A valid White Mountain Apache Tribal Permit is required and must carried at all times while fishing and other recreation activities on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Permits can be obtained online at wmatoutdoors.org or at an authorized permit vendor.  Firework possession and its use is prohibited on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Visit our website: wmatoutdoors.org or call our office at (928)338-4385 for the latest access information, ice conditions and fishing report.