Arizona’s best fishing spots come with spectacular views and offer a great place to cool off during your summer fishing trip. Some of Arizona’s best fishing spots share something else in common…They’re located in an Arizona state park! Summer is a great time of year to catch some fish and make unforgettable memories in the parks. Check out these summer tips to help you land more fish and catch new memories!  

Regardless of fish species you’re targeting, the following two tips will help you catch more fish.

• Fish are most active during the 90-minute windows associated with the rise and fall of both the sun and moon.
• Keep an eye on barometric pressure before your trip. Plan trips to coincide with gradual rise or fall in pressure to enjoy the benefits of this often-overlooked tactic.

Summer Bass Fishing

Typically, the catch rate decreases this time of year in the parks, although informed anglers can expect the bass fishing to be almost as hot as the temps at the lake! Read on to learn about summer bass fishing tips you can use on your next trip to Arizona’s state parks.

Following the spring spawn, bass seek out deeper water to rest up and stay cool as summer sets in. Bass move into the shallows from their deeper summertime haunts early in the morning, and again in the evening to chase shad. These fish are actively feeding and respond well to topwater presentations. This exciting tactic is typically short-lived during the morning hours, but it’s definitely one of the most explosive ways to catch bass! Jerkbaits and spinnerbaits are also a good bet for early morning bass searching for shad before retreating back to cooler depths where Texas rigs, Carolina rigs and dropshot presentations are more likely to work.

Summer Catfish Tips

A great way to cool off during an Arizona summer is night catfishing, lake or riverside, especially during a full moon. Although night fishing is typically the best time to put some fillets in the cooler, early morning and evening hours can also produce. Arizona’s state parks have some amazing catfish opportunities for both channel and flathead catfish, and some very large fish are caught on a somewhat regular basis.

Like bass, catfish spend most of the daylight hours in areas of deep cover, but they too come up shallow to feed…at night! This is the perfect opportunity for shore anglers to access hungry catfish! Popular bait options for summertime catfish include worms, shrimp, live bluegills, and prepared dough bait. Rig the bait on a leader with a swivel and sliding weights above the swivel. This way the fish will not feel resistance when picking up your bait and it will hold on longer for you to set the hook.

Hot Weather Sunfish

There just isn’t a better way to get kids involved in fishing than some successful trips for bluegills and green or redear sunfish. These delicious, fun to catch fish keep kids entertained for hours while teaching fundamentals of fishing gear/tactics and a little patience.

It’s best for even experienced panfish anglers to keep it simple. Bait like earthworms, meal worms, crickets, and corn fished under a bobber usually provide some solid action. Finding the fish during hot weather months might take a little searching so if you’re not getting many bites, move a little down the shore until you start hooking up on a regular basis. For larger sunfish, use small jigs, spoons, or bait near structure in deeper water.  

A valid Arizona fishing license is required for anglers 10 years and older. Arizona fishing licenses are available on the Arizona Game and Fish website, and a variety of authorized license dealers throughout the state. Before your trip, take a look at the current AZGFD fishing report. 

 

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