Trout Fishing
Several Arizona State Parks offer fantastic trout fishing in rivers, lagoons and lakes throughout the state. These amazing opportunities are made possible every fall through spring with rainbow trout supplied by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. When these guys make their annual reappearance in state park waters they offer an exciting way to create new memories, learn a new skill, and put clean, organic protein on the table. Arizona trout fishing destinations are diverse and beautiful, begin your search for an Arizona rainbow by clicking the "Go Fishing" button below, then hook some unforgettable memories in a state park!
Trout fishing can be as frustrating as it is therapeutic, but there are things you can do to increase your odds of a successful trip. Take a look at these proven trout catching techniques below, then hit the water with confidence during your next Arizona trout fishing adventure!
Species Profile: Rainbow Trout
More than likely if you’ve fished Arizona trout waters for very long, you’ve experienced a rainbow trout on the end of your line, and perhaps on your table. Rainbow trout are not native to Arizona; however, they were introduced to AZ in 1898 and began to thrive in cold water lakes and streams. Over the years as Arizona Game and Fish Department stocking efforts intensified, the rainbow trout quickly became Arizona’s most common trout species.
Appearance
Rainbow trout are beautiful fish and their general color can vary somewhat from silver to olive drab. Some have a lot of black spots, some have only a few, and the hue of their lateral stripe can vary from a large stroke of neon pink to a faint, almost indiscernible faded pink stripe.
Table Quality
The firm, flaky meat of rainbow trout is considered excellent by many people. Meat color can vary from orange to pinkish-white depending on the type of diet they have been eating. Check out the recipe at the bottom of the page for culinary inspiration!
How to Catch Rainbow Trout
There’s a bunch of ways to catch a trout, but three distinct techniques seem to put fish on the stringer more often than not, and with great reliability. Bait fishing, lure fishing, and fly fishing are vastly different techniques that share the same goal. Each technique has its pros and cons, and each will resonate with people of differing personalities and skill levels. Let’s dive in a little deeper while exploring these time-tested methods of trout fishing success.
Bait Fishing
Trout can be as finicky as a two-year-old at dinner time, but just as that kid will eat macaroni and cheese every day if you allow him, a trout will have distinct preferences as well. Every trout lake in the Arizona state park system offers great shore fishing opportunities, might as well cast out, kick back, and enjoy the view! Commonly used bait options include worms, corn, salmon eggs, cheese, and other manufactured baits such as Berkley’s Power Bait. Try several options until you figure out what the majority of trout prefer on any given day. Suspend these baits at varying depths beneath a bobber and the trout will let you know at which depth they prefer. After finding the bait/depth combination that is working, repeat the process until you’ve caught your share of beautiful, delicious rainbow trout. It should be noted that Power Bait and other dough bait options are typically fished on the bottom. Check out this dough bait rig for trout and try it on your next trip but remember to try different leader lengths until you find out exactly where the fish are hanging out...
Lure Fishing
Lures stimulate a fish’s urge to feed, or cause their curiosity to get the best of them resulting in a strike. A light line in the four to six pound range will fool more Arizona trout than heavier line, and will allow lures to perform as they are designed. There are countless trout lure varieties, although small inline spinners like Rooster Tails, Mepps, Z-Ray, and Panther Martins have been hooking trout in Arizona consistently for a long time and are a good bet to use in your state parks. Just as you would select different bait options, remember to bring several colors and styles of lures on your trip to ensure you’re casting what the fish like that particular day. Fish each color at varying depths and speeds until you find the right combination, then continually replicate the process. Great colors to start with are black, brown, white, and yellow. There’s a good chance the trout will like one (or all) of them.
Fly Fishing
It's worth noting that fly fishing opportunities are available at most Arizona State Park trout lakes, the Verde River via Dead Horse Ranch, and Oak Creek upstream of Slide Rock. Flies that work well for Arizona trout are varied, yet a few seem to produce fish year after year. A statewide favorite is the Arizona Peacock Lady #14 to 16. Though variants are common, patterns with a gold bead head and red tail will help land more trout in the parks. Anglers cant go wrong with a black or olive Wooly Bugger in various sizes, or a Simi Seal Leech in black, brown or silver. If you (or more specifically the trout) prefer dry fly action and picturesque rises that disrupt a calm, cool morning, both Elk Hair Caddis and Parachute Adams are pretty popular with Arizona trout.
Winter 2022/2023 Arizona Trout Stocking Schedule
Check out the 2022-2023 winter trout stocking schedule below, then plan a trip to take advantage of awesome Arizona trout fishing!
Trout Recipe
If you decide to keep a few, take a look at this delicious trout recipe prepared by our friends at Four Peaks Brewing Company.
Reminder: All anglers 10 years of age and older must have a valid Arizona fishing license in their possession before embarking on an Arizona fishing adventure.
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