May is an excellent month to hit the water. Here is our monthly Arizona Fishing Report
Lee’s Ferry - Good
Fishing is picking up significantly up on the Ferry. Fish are now actively feeding in the riffles. Nymphing with midges and throwing dry dropper rigs are both working well in the riffle stretches, making wade fishing productive. If drifting, use deeper nymph rigs or a sinking line with a streamer to target the fish still holding in larger pools.
Weather continues to dictate fishing success. Focus on warmer days and water that has seen some sun!
Best Bets:
#20 Bead Head Biot Midge Emerger
Rim Creeks - Good
Rim streams continue to fish well, but increased seasonal pressure has the fish a bit skittish. Spring mayfly hatches are starting to give way to more caddis.
Make sure to load up a box of terrestrials if you're heading up to the Rim. Beetles, ants, and hoppers are excellent options for dry dropper rigs. Try throwing a terrestrial with a caddis pupa beneath!
Best Bets:
#14 Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail
Oak Creek - Good
Water temps are still in a healthy range on Oak Creek, but expect clear and low water conditions heading into the summer. There is plenty of opportunity for sight fishing the larger pools and slower moving stretches. Fish are also all over in the riffles and pocket water stretches. It's a great time to be up on Oak Creek!
Dry dropper rigs have been effective along with smaller streamers. Like the Rim creeks, Oak Creek now has plenty of terrestrials moving around. Ants, beetles, and hoppers are all in play. Expect more caddis as we get further into May
Best Bets:
Silver Creek - Average
The catch-and-release season has CLOSED on Silver Creek, and this water is now open to bait fishing. With other lakes and streams now open across the Whites, it's probably better to fish elsewhere.
Best Bets:
Verde River - Good
Stocking has wrapped up on the Verde for the spring. Check the stocking schedule here to stay up to date on the AZGFD stocking program. There may still be some stocked fish swimming around, but expect numbers to decrease as we head into the summer.
Currently, the bass bite is hot on the Verde. Work poppers near bank structure during low light hours. Fish are holding tight to the banks under overhanging brush and have been feeding aggressively.
Best Bets:
San Juan - Good
Expect dry fly action to heat up as the warmer weather continues to move in. Keep an eye out for mid-morning and late afternoon BWO and PMD activity. If water clarity is excellent, stick to more natural baetis presentations when nymphing. If clarity drops, you should start introducing attractor/junk patterns (worms, mops, eggs, etc.) to your nymphing rig.
Of course, streamer fishing remains in play. Cloudy days, low-light conditions, and bumps in CFS are all good times to throw something big.
Best Bets:
#20 Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail
White Mountains Lakes - Good
White Mountains lakes are opening up and fishing well for the early season, although water levels are low. Typical stillwater fishing rigs continue to produce fish. Balanced leeches and chironomids are the go-to. Keep an eye out for midge hatches in the evening. You'll find fish feeding in shallower areas and back bays.
Best Bets:
Black River - Good
Now that runoff has moved through, it's an excellent time to get up on the Black River.
Expect to see lots of caddis and BWOs in the early part of the month, with stoneflies showing up as we get towards June.
Target smallmouth with streamers, especially those that mimic their primary food source on the Black: crayfish.
Best Bets:
Salt River - Excellent
The tube hatch is on the horizon! Hit the river now before summer crowds take over many of the fishiest holes. Trout stocking will continue through May, providing an excellent opportunity to scratch the trout itch close to home. You can catch these fish by drifting nymphs through riffles and swinging nymphs and soft hackles through runs. On occasion, you can get these stocked fish to rise to a BWO or terrestrial, especially after they've been in the water for a few weeks.
Post-spawn bass will start moving into slightly deeper water as we get closer to June. For now, they are still plenty active on the popper bite up on the bank.
Best Bets:
Dead Horse Ranch- Good
Trout stocking wrapped up for the season earlier this spring, and most holdovers are gone from the lagoons. Bass activity should be hot throughout the month. Terrestrials, streamers, and leggy nymphs are all good tickets for getting bass in the net.
Best Bets:
Phoenix Urban Waters - Excellent
Waters across the Valley are still hot. Bass are spawning and will begin their post-spawn transition this month into deeper water. Carp are back in the canals and feeding on weightless mops and eggs subsurface and boobies on top. The usual suspects are still producing in ponds around town: damsel fly nymphs, squirrel leeches, eggs, and mops are all excellent choices.
Best Bets:
#8 MFC Chan's Las Vegas Booby Leech
That's a wrap on the May Arizona Fishing Report.