Fishing

HI - Im interviewing for a job in phoenix and have never been to the area. I currently live in Florida and fish the flats in my kayak. I was just wondering what kind of fishing opportunities are there in that area? Does anyone kayak fish. PS Im just getting into flyfishing, the new rod and reel are at the post office waiting to be picked up. Happy Friday to me:)

Thanks for any info.

Hi Kayakfisher,
Well, needless to say, but the Phoenix area and Arizona are quite different then Florida, but there are plenty of fishing opportunities. I would venture to say that on average, fishing in Florida is more productive then here, but you never know. I don't fish out of a kayak but fish out of a bass boat, float tube and canoe. There are a number of desert lakes in the Phoenix area that hold a variety of fish (largemouth, small mouth, walleye, white bass, yellow bass, crappie, etc). In southern Az, there are a number of smaller lakes that are in high desert surroundings and perfect for a kayak. In the mountains (Mogollon Rim and White Mtns) there are a number of lakes in a cooler climate. Depending on the elevation 6000-8000ft, you will find largemouth, smallmouth, walleye and a variety of trout species. Folks will kayak a number of areas along the Colorado river on the western side of the state as well. Then of course, there is lake Powell on the Az, Utah border. For me, I think that Canyon lake is a nice local kayaking lake and you can get back into Boulder Canyon, which is non motorized only and fish for some nice LM. Hope this helps.
Mark

Thanks for your reply Bassnut. Don't know if I have the job yet, but it sounds like I'll have plenty of fishing to do if I get it

+1 to what was said above, my I started kayak fishing in AZ, I used to float the upper Salt river a lot, for Bass and Trout, best times is in the early spring, fall and winter. In the summer months the river turns into a party fest and tubers pretty much make fishing useless, unless your after beer cans and swimsuits. Lots of eye candy and while I didn't fish I was often one of many in participating in the debauchery/fun! AZ is a great place to live.

I hope you get the job. You will love living and fishing in arizona. I live in the white mountains and purchased a kayak a few months back. I have had great success trolling for trout with a pistol Pete or a rebel crick hopper. There are fishing holes in arizona that are as good as anywhere on earth. this summer I went on a smallmouth fishing trip to a very seldomly fished spot and pulled in 130 fish from 7am to 4:30pm. There are fishin holes like that around the state you just have to talk to someone who knows them. Maybe ill see you on the water if you ever get up to show low.

I don't suppose you would PM me your secret smallmouth spot? ;)
I've been in Mesa about a year now and haven't been out much but I've made a promise to my boys to get out more this year and I'm always looking for a new spot to fish. I've only really tried saguaro in my boat and its just too darn crowded.

Ha that sure is asking a lot for me to give up my secret spot. I would actually love to share it with you but it's not a spot I could really explain how to get to. The best way would be for me to take you one day. It'll be good again in the spring. Keep in touch and ill take you on the smallmouth trip of your life. It's a pretty good hike but it's more than worth it.

I've never fished any lakes down in the valley area. You're right they're just too crowded. I like to fish show low lake at night for walleye when nobody else is around. If you look on the Azgfd website under the big fish of the year I'm the one with the walleye. That's another fishing trip worth doing. Your pole will build up ice on it at 2am but it's worth it to pull in a monster walleye.

Sounds like a plan. I hear you about the cold. It sure warms up when you feel that tug on the end if your line. I moved down from northern Utah so I know about fishing in the cold. When your out at night drilling a hole in the ice to fish you know you must be crazy.

I just checked out the walleye. Great fish! In my experience they aren't the fightingest fish in the world but they sure are tasty!

I would say that's crazy but I've been there. We decided it would be a good idea to try for trout on the ice at night. The midnight snow storm had other plans for us. We gave it all we had with no luck. Have you ever tried for trout at night? Is that what you fished for up there on the ice at night? I've heard people catch them at night but I never really bother. Night time is for catfish and walleye in my mind but if I hear its possible to kill it fishing for trout on the ice at night I'll be there every chance I get.

Yeah you're right. They don't fight like a brown trout but that one did make a run for deep water before it got to the boat and it ran a long way since I was only using 6lb line

I've tried fishing for lots of things at night mostly without any luck. I can honestly say I've never caught a trout at night even though I've tried many times. I've had mixed luck with panifish at night but at some point it isn't about the fishing it's just about getting outside after being cooped up in the house all winter.

Well I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one getting skunked night fishing for trout. I've got a friend from Mesa that comes on almost every fishing trip with me and him and I think just like you. When you get tire of sitting around on a winter night what's better than fishing. Ill be moving to Mesa this spring or summer to go to flight school so you better figure out some urban lake secrets so you can tell me all of the hot spots when I get there. I'm not a fan of fishing in the urban lakes in the middle of the city but if its the only fishing I can do I'm sure as hell gonna do it.

The problem I've found with the urban lakes I've gone to is after the first day most of the stockers are gone. I know they don't release the exact day they're stocking but somehow everyone finds out and the fish get hammered. I've seen people leaving with more than their limits and when you say something to them they say its their kids limit or some other BS. I have hit the river a few times and it has produced some decent catfishing. I just didn't get out this past yet like I should have. Hopefully this year I can get back to fishing a little more regular. Keep posting and let me know when you get down this way.

We have the same problem in certain lakes and streams in the mountains too. So many people catch and keep tons of small fish so they never maintain a population or get very big. I prefer to fish where they are not stocked. Wild fish meat is so much better than that farm raised stuff. I have friends that fish the salt river near Roosevelt and catch around 30 fish a night and they always have some around 30 pounds. Not huge for a flathead but tons of fun anyway. Ill definitely keep in touch and hopefully meet you out fishing one of these days. Come up to show low when it gets cold and we'll do an ice fishing trip. I had a day last year that I caught 55 trout before noon. All catch and release of course.