Arizona Fishing Spots, Maps and Reports

To fish like a cowboy visit Arizona! With its scenic backdrops and a collection of rivers running between plateaus, some of the south’s best inland fishing can be found in Arizona. Trout, bass, and crappie are plentiful in its waters. Largemouth bass, crappie, and sunfish can be found throughout Arizona’s lakes and rivers.

Arizona is blessed with a bountiful variety of trout. Arizona’s state fish, the apache trout, is less bountiful in quantity. Lee Valley Lake and Ackre Lake are two of the few places home to the apache trout (and small Arctic grayling). Ash Creek and Grant Creek are other good apache locations.

Cutthroat trout can be found on Luna Lake, and Big Lake which is also known for rainbow, brook, and even some apache trout. Try Tonto Creek and Frye Mesa Reservoir for rainbow, brown and the occasional brook trout. The highly regulated, threatened, Gila trout is actively stocked for sporting purposes only in the Frye Mesa Reservoir.

Looking for bass? Head to the Colorado River! Largemouth and striped bass leap out of the waters of the Colorado up toward the dry desert. Lake Powell is also a popular fishing spot providing the same bass as the Colorado, along with smallmouth bass, and even walleye, crappies, and catfish! Yellow bass can sometimes be found in the upper section of Lake Mary.

For an interesting catch try tilapia fishing in Catfish Paradise, Grand Wash, Lake Mead, Pierce Ferry, Lake Pleasant, and Temple Bar. An excellent spot for diversity is Hollow Lake which has both small and largemouth bass, rainbow trout, crappie, channel catfish and walleye. Lake Havasu for a similar variety (minus the walleye but with more catfish). Known for its excellent fishing with especially large prey, Lake Havasu also offers sunfish, flathead catfish, and bluegill.

You can even take on a buffalo in Arizona – a bigmouth buffalo that is. They can surpass twenty pounds and are normally only found in two Lakes: the Apache and Roosevelt. For a strong fighter try roundtail chub, found in Fossil Creek.

Anyone with a desire for recreational fishing within Arizona needs a license if they are fourteen or older. One and five day licensing is available, along with four month and annual. Some licenses vary by the age of its user and the location it authorizes them to fish in (a trout stamp may be necessary). Some short time licensing is only available to non residents, while longer licensing, including lifetime, is only available for state residents. Family license packages are offered too!

People are considered residents when they have lived in the state’s boundaries siz months prior to applying for the license. Members of the Armed Forces stationed within Arizona may apply for residential licenses. Arizona state also offers an apprentice license, valid for two days, to encourage new fisherpersons by letting an already licensed individual take a novice out.

Arizona’s varying regulations can be followed on Facebook, Twitter, email, or online at the state website, making it one of the most modern!

Whenever you head out fishing to a new place, it's always best to speak to local anglers. Use fishing forums to ask questions and learn about the most accurate and up to date conditions.