Arizona <b>Fishing</b> Report - Fall Foliage &amp; Active Trout

This is it folks -- one of the two best times of year to catch fish.Arizona Fishing Report - Fall Foliage & Active Trout

Rory's Tip

The nights in the deserts are dropping into the seventies and mountain nights are sinking into the chilly 40s -- fall fishing conditions are underway. Those lowering nighttime temperatures, and the shortened daylight hours, combine to drop water temperatures into the prime activity ranges for bass in the warmwater lakes and trout in the mountain waters.

Here's an example of what is happending out there. My friend Mike McFarland, who guides for Hook Up Outfitters, called me with a great fish tale on Monday morning. One of the guides was fishing Lake Pleasant during the weekend and hooked into a decent sized striped bass. As the striper was struggling at the end of the line, a huge striper came along and swallowed it whole. The smaller striper got stuck in the larger striper's mouth, allowing the guide to land both of them together.

The smaller striper measured 18 inches. The large striper measured 40 inches long and weighed 22 pounds.

Isn't that a hoot?

McFarland pointed out that this isn't just a fishing tale, it's an object lesson: if you want to catch a giant fish, it helps to use a big fish as bait. It's one of the reasons anglers use life-sized lures called swim baits, although Mike said he isn't aware of any freshwater lure the size of the 18-inch striper.

Please keep in mind that it is not legal to use striped bass or another other sport fish as live bait to catch, well, other sportfish. However check the regulations, at Lake Pleasant, Alamo Lake and the impoundments along the Verde and Salt rivers it is okay to use live carp or sunfish as live bait (collected on site only).

Pleasant is doing great for both striped bass and largemout bass. Anglers are often finding both species of bass actively feeding at the surface, especially in the northern areas of the lake. McFarland said Alamo has a great topwater bite and the bass fishing remains great at Saguaro.

There is a pretty good spoon and topwater bite for striped bass at Lake Powell right now (see the Lake Powell report below). My friend Terry Gunn at Lees Ferry sent me an e-mail saying there is a superb bite right now for wild rainbows and the weather is near perfect.

It doesn't get much better than Big Lake for trout this time of year. There's just a hint of color in the aspens at the higher elevations right now, but according to my high country sources, the bull elk are calling like crazy right now. There's not much better than hooking into a big cutthroat trout at Big Lake while listening to a raucous chorus of hormone crazed elk.

Another one of my fall favorites for elk calling is Knoll Lake along the Mogollon Rim. It's one of our most remote trout lakes, and it's sure a pretty drive there along the famous Rim Road, which pretty much follows the General Crook Trail. It shouldn't be long before the aspens turn color along this stretch as well. This is one of those places where the journey can be as exciting as the destination.

Writing about it makes me want to jump in the Jeep and head up there.

When trout are more active like this, it's sometimes best to use lures rather than bait, especially inline spinners like Mepps, Rooster Tails and the like. Casting spoons, such as KastMasters, can be devastating at times. I also like using rainbow-colored Rapalas. The larger more voracious trout will often feed on the smaller ones.

So go catch some autumn fishing memories while you can. With any luck, maybe I'll see you out there.

Read the Full Fishing Report

By Rory Aikens, AZGFD

View the original article here

Woods &amp; Waters: Birds, butterflies and flying things active

Have you been hearing a lot of really loud racket lately — especially in the early morning? The woodpeckers in my woods have been hammering away on the loudest percussive instruments that they can find for the last month or so.

As with all birds, springtime is the mating season for woodpeckers as well. And in an effort to lay claim to their respective territories, males look for surfaces that will resonate their messages to steer clear — loud and clear. Those surfaces can include anything from metal roofs and gutters to roadside traffic signs. In my case, it’s the plywood backing on my posted signs.

I have found and photographed these birds staking their territorial claims in woodpecker Morse Code on many occasions by following the sounds. First one will hammer away and then another responds on the opposite side of my property. It seems that they have chosen my boundaries to represent theirs but they are taking a toll on my posted signs in the process.

Butterfly Invasion

My woods are also loaded with Red Admiral butterflies this year. So is my windshield. After a trip to Elmira and back one day last week, I could hardly see through the glass by the time I arrived home. And the last thing that I wanted to do on the road was turn on the washers and wipers — especially while driving into the sun.

News sources are describing a butterfly invasion in the Northeast and southern Canada, which is being blamed on the early warm weather this year. The burst is supposed to be a combination of a larger emergence of this native species and waves of migrants moving in from southern states.

All I know is that the stains on my windshield are the same color as dandelions, which is one of the blooms that the butterflies have been drawing their nectar from.

Fishing News

The fishing season for many popular warmwater sport fish, including walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskellunge opened last Saturday. This includes catch and release fishing for black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) in many waters across the state and the special trophy black bass season on Lake Erie, where anglers may keep one 20-inch or longer fish per day.

Check the current New York State Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide to make sure that the waters you want to fish are open to catch and release angling. Muskellunge fishing season and the regular harvest season for black bass both open on the third Saturday in June (June 16).

And don’t forget, you can still hunt for a tom turkey up until noon and then fish for a lunker in the afternoon for the rest of the month—unless you’ve already bagged your birds. In that case, you can simply fish all day.

Have you been hearing a lot of really loud racket lately — especially in the early morning? The woodpeckers in my woods have been hammering away on the loudest percussive instruments that they can find for the last month or so.

As with all birds, springtime is the mating season for woodpeckers as well. And in an effort to lay claim to their respective territories, males look for surfaces that will resonate their messages to steer clear — loud and clear. Those surfaces can include anything from metal roofs and gutters to roadside traffic signs. In my case, it’s the plywood backing on my posted signs.

I have found and photographed these birds staking their territorial claims in woodpecker Morse Code on many occasions by following the sounds. First one will hammer away and then another responds on the opposite side of my property. It seems that they have chosen my boundaries to represent theirs but they are taking a toll on my posted signs in the process.

Butterfly Invasion

My woods are also loaded with Red Admiral butterflies this year. So is my windshield. After a trip to Elmira and back one day last week, I could hardly see through the glass by the time I arrived home. And the last thing that I wanted to do on the road was turn on the washers and wipers — especially while driving into the sun.

News sources are describing a butterfly invasion in the Northeast and southern Canada, which is being blamed on the early warm weather this year. The burst is supposed to be a combination of a larger emergence of this native species and waves of migrants moving in from southern states.

All I know is that the stains on my windshield are the same color as dandelions, which is one of the blooms that the butterflies have been drawing their nectar from.

Fishing News

The fishing season for many popular warmwater sport fish, including walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskellunge opened last Saturday. This includes catch and release fishing for black bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass) in many waters across the state and the special trophy black bass season on Lake Erie, where anglers may keep one 20-inch or longer fish per day.

Check the current New York State Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide to make sure that the waters you want to fish are open to catch and release angling. Muskellunge fishing season and the regular harvest season for black bass both open on the third Saturday in June (June 16).

And don’t forget, you can still hunt for a tom turkey up until noon and then fish for a lunker in the afternoon for the rest of the month—unless you’ve already bagged your birds. In that case, you can simply fish all day.

View the original article here