PHOENIX – For desert dwellers itching to escape the triple-digit doldrums, there's a refreshing remedy – head to the cool, pine-scented high country for some of the 500,000 "farm fresh" trout that Arizona Game and Fish Department employees and volunteers stock during May and June.
As desert temperatures consistently crack 100 degrees, visit the mountain regions before the summer heat raises lake temperatures and trout activity patterns slow down. Summer has officially started, yet great spring fishing remains – for now.
And if you don't have a license, purchase one online. They're valid for 365 days from the date of purchase and help conserve wildlife.
More than half of the money used for the AZGFD hatchery program comes from the Sport Fish Restoration Program. It was created through the Dingell-Johnson Act of 1950 (Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act) and the Wallop-Breaux amendments of 1984.
Through a federal excise tax paid by manufacturers on fishing gear and motorboat fuels, it provides grant funds for fishery conservation, boating access, and aquatic education.
For those who love the blistering heat, here are some summer bass-fishing techniques. For the desert lakes, get up early and fish at, or even just before, first light. At most large desert impoundments, anglers should be able to find aggressive bass feeding on shad at the surface, creating "boils." This provides some of the most exciting fishing of the year.
Use top-water baits, crankbaits, casting spoons or in-line spinners such as Mepps and Rooster Tails.
If you want to know what's biting and where, as well as a list of public fishing events and some of the latest big fish stories, visit the department's new fishing commentary at www.fishazblog.com.
Did you know?
Arizona hunting and fishing licenses are a great value. You can get combination hunting and fishing licenses for a family of four for less than the price of one night in a motel. Great Outdoors, Great Value! www.azgfd.gov/eservices/licenses_newFees.shtml
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD's programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.
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