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Hit saguaro for the first time 6AM Friday morning. It was a little bit chilly to start things off, the water temp was higher than air temp. The water temp was about 63 degrees off the boat launch as well as the main body of the lake. The coves were about a degree warmer. It wasn't a banner day fishing but we did manage to eek out a few fish. The bass are all shallow sitting on their beds but they have all come down with lockjaw like they do at this time. It's frustrating to see so many bass, some that were real lunkers, and not have them interested in biting anything at all. The bluegill bite was just enough to keep us interested and on the lake. None were of any size but we scratched out about a dozen or so. I took home 9. They filleted out nicely but it wouldn't have bothered me to have had to spend a little more time at the sink cleaning them. All in all it wasnt a bad day. The wind did pick up a little around noon but we were pretty much done by then anyways. The only thing I wondered was that we never caught a crappie. Does anyone know if there are any numbers of them in there. I would have liked to have at least see one on the end of my line. I guess that just give me an excuse to go back again!
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Forgot the pictures.
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Thanks for the report! Sounds like a decent morning. I'm not sure about the crappie but if I had to guess I would say, yes, most of the waters that hold blue gill typically hold crappie?
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TheAngler BFT Moderator
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[cool][#0000ff]I used to live in Phoenix area and fished Saguaro a lot. Never did find a lot of crappies but did score a few back in Butcher Jones on occasion. Almost always a couple under the dock on the east side of the cove. And later there are some along the weed lines near the buoy line. A lot more yellow bass than crappies though.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Saguaro is not classic crappie water. They like some areas of trees and brushy flats. Saguaro is long, narrow and deep. But there are some coves that have the right kind of structure. You really gotta look hard to find any crappies though.[/#0000ff]
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I kinda came to the same conclusion about the cover there. A lot of weeds and tules but not trees or bushes to speak of. I'll have to hit the butcher jones area next time I go. I was going to go to lake pleasant or San Carlos but I figured for the first time out since last year and being in a new state and all I would stick a little closer to home. Thanks for the info. You always have informative and entertaining posts it just too bad there's really no one who seems to use the sight in this state. Its definitely not as popular as the Utah site. Oh well I'll just keep posting and maybe the traffic will pick up.
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Hey it's beats being at work any day
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[cool][#0000ff]San Carlos used to be the lake for BIG crappies, but the tribe sometimes got a bit difficult to deal with. Ditto for Lake Talkalai, near Peridot.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Roosevelt was always my go to lake for lots of crappies...and every year some kid seemed to catch a big bass over 10 pounds on a crappie jig and a Barbie pole.[/#0000ff]
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Yeah Roosevelt sound like the top place. I just didn't want to drive all the way there just to find out my boat didnt make the move as well as I did. I'm going to try to go in the next few weeks I'll post a report when I do. Thanks again for the info.
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Hey TubeDube sorry to bug you again I was just going out to saguaro again on Friday and I just wanted to pick your brain about the yellow bass there. I don't think I've ever caught one before and I was just wondering what you knew about them. I've read that there are good numbers in there and it would just be another species I could target there if nothing else seems to be biting. Any info you would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated. Also are yellow bass called anything else.
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[cool][#0000ff]Yellow bass are small cousins of the white bass and striper...members of the genus Morone. They seldom get much over about a foot long or weigh more than a pound, but they are fun to catch and great eating.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]This is prime time for the yellows. Mid April was always my magic marker. And Butcher Jones is one of the better places to target them. I used to do well by working just a few feet south of the buoy line...marking off the swim area. For some reason they set up feeding in that area just about every year. Best depth would usually be 12 to 14 feet. They move in schools and once you find them you can usually do pretty well. Some hang near the bottom while others suspend a few feet up. You can catch a lot by jigging deep and then bringing your lure up through the water column.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I used mostly small jigs...tipped with crawler or bits of yellow bass flesh. Yes, they are cannibals. Small jigging spoons like Kastmasters or Cleos work well too. If you have fresh shad use a whole or half shad and it is money.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just be prepared for some harder tugs while you are fishing for the yellows. I have caught lots of nice cats, some largies and even a few stray walleyes in that same area...fishing the same way.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Here's a pic of a basket of the tasty little morsels.[/#0000ff]
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Wow. Thanks again for the great info. I looked up pictures on line and I think I might have caught them before but my grandpa called them "perch". They sound like another great species to target. It is just nice to have multiple species to fish for in case one isn't biting. Now the only challenge will be waiting till Friday rolls along to get out on the water.
By the way do you ever get down this way? If you ever do let me know and we'll do some fishin.
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[cool][#0000ff]We still have family and friends in the Phoenix area. We were down for about a week last year but did not bring fishing gear. Had a lot to see and do in a short time so we were not able to get in any fishing. We did do some driving around some of the old spots and enjoyed seeing the desert in bloom. Gotta admit my rod arm was twitching.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Might be looking at a trip about this time next year. If we do we will come prepared and give you a shout.[/#0000ff]
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Definitely. It sure is a beautiful sight to see the desert in bloom. Not as pretty as a big fish on the end of your line though. Good luck fishin up in Utah this year, from some of the posts it looks like the year has gotten off to a good start.
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[cool][#0000ff]It's been on and off. Some places and times better than others. Typical Utah spring. Fair and sunny with frequent cold wind, rain and snow.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]It has been warm this past week and that has got water temps getting up into the best zone for fish activity. But another storm is coming in tomorrow. Mama Nature needs to get back on her meds.[/#0000ff]
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