Fishing in Arizona
Before deciding on your next sport fishing or family vacation destination, Arizona is certainly worth taking a look at. On the family vacation side Arizona has everything to offer from the Grand Canyon to the London Bridge. Literally, the real London Bridge that was falling down is now located in Lake Havasu City in Western Arizona. Coincidentally, Lake Havasu is one of the premier bass fishing locations in the National and the venue for many pro tournaments.
Bring the family down to Phoenix or Scottsdale for 5 star luxuries at one of the many resorts that sport world class golf courses. You will be within 50 miles of a string of canyon reservoirs that produce trophy size bass on a daily basis. Bass fishing in Arizona is always a pleasure not only because of the fish, but also the year round sunny weather.
If your vacation plans only include fishing in Arizona, then you are in luck. The canyon reservoirs consistently produce very high quality catches like no other locations and there are accommodation and boat rentals available at many of the lakes.
The largest of the reservoir lakes is of course Lake Powell. This lake was created when the Glenn Canyon Dam was built on the Colorado River. This lake is so big that it has a coastline longer than the west coast from Mexico to Canada.
It is a premier location for all types of bass and it is one of the most luxurious places to go fishing in Arizona. Accommodations range from renting tents to resorts and even houseboat rentals. You can fish all day and all night without missing a shower, meal or even your favorite show.
When you are done with your time at Lake Powell, another nice place to go is Lake Havasu. This is also a big lake on the Colorado River, just quite a bit south. If you are looking consistent 5 pound fish with a few 10 + ones thrown in, this is a great place. They also have accommodations for every budget as well as boat and house boat rentals.
Lake Havasu is not a good location to go to during spring break if you need to rent a boat or a room because they are booked solid.
When you get back into the Phoenix / Scottsdale area you will see why so many people choose to go fishing in Arizona. A short drive from the city are 8 lakes that offer some of the best trophy bass fishing you have probably ever experienced and it you have never fished a canyon reservoir, be sure to bring a camera.
Most of the lakes are quite deep with walls that go straight up and never seen to stop. The water is deep, warm and clear which is the perfect sanctuary for really big bass.
Roosevelt Lake is the farthest out of town, but it is the largest. The accommodations are very nice and they have boat rentals, including house boats. If you prefer to not drive back to the city each day they have a fully equipped resort.
Bartlett Lake is the second largest and it is the closest to the city. They offer a few boats to rent and the only accommodations are camping. The location is so close to the city that everyone just brings their own boat and normally just goes home or to their hotel for the night (if their not night fishing that is).
The size of Bartlett Lake has recently been increased significantly. Because of this the fish population, especially the bass has just exploded. I have not experienced levels like this myself, but there are reliable reports of people catching more than 50 bass per day. Because of the proximity to the sixth largest city in America, Bartlett Lake has a high level of traffic in some areas but there is definitely room for everyone.
The six lakes in between Roosevelt Lake and Bartlett Lake are smaller but very popular locations for trophy bass fishing in Arizona and each one has produced State records for game fish.
The next time you are planning an intense bass fishing experience put a little note in your planner “go fishing in Arizona”.