It's a GREAT time to get out fishing in Arizona. Read this month's Arizona Fishing Report to see what's working.
Lee’s Ferry - Good
Looking to beat the heat in the Valley? Lee's Ferry water temps are sitting around 55 degrees; the cool tailwater continues to produce solid summer fishing.
Midge hatches are still plentiful. Try fishing dry droppers in the riffles or drifting indicator rigs with two nymphs down deep. You can always swing streamers or buggers through the bottom of riffles. This is most productive with a sink-tip line that can get the fly deeper into moving water and into the strike zone.
In July, keep an eye out for the cicadas! The appearance of these large bugs makes for excellent dry fly fishing.
Best Bets:
#18 Bead Head Biot Midge Emerger
Rim Creeks - Excellent
Fishing remains great on the Rim, but anglers should start to monitor water temperatures in July. During weeks without monsoon activity, lower sections of the Rim streams will likely warm up and should be monitored before fishing. As a general rule of thumb, temperatures above 65 degrees are very stressful on fish and anglers should avoid catch-and-release fishing in these conditions.
There are plenty of caddis coming off the Rim, and dry fly fishing is hot. For general prospecting, try dry dropper rigs using hares ears, pheasant tails, and scuds. Observe the water carefully; this time of year, you can spot feeding fish and sight fish to rising trout with dry flies.
Best Bets:
#16 Bead Head Flashback Pheasant Tail
Oak Creek - Excellent
Expect similar conditions to the Rim creeks. Plenty of BWOs present in this system.
When water levels rise after a monsoon, throw streamers at any cut bank and through deeper pools. When fish are being finicky, leech patterns are always a safe bet!
Summer crowds in Sedona can make this a crowded fishery. Try fishing up the canyon for a bit more solitude but don't expect to be the only person around if you head up on a weekend.
Best Bets:
Silver Creek - Poor
The winter catch-and-release season on Silver Creek has closed as of March 31. The creek is now open to barbed hooks and bait fishing.
The action is probably better at nearby White Mountains lakes.
Best Bets:
Verde River - Average
In the summer, the Verde is much more of a warm water fishery. While the water can be muddy, you can still find plenty of bass in this system.
Try stripping and swinging small streamers across the edges of seams and around structure. In low light hours, work poppers near shore.
Trout stocking does not take place over the summer. Bookmark this page to stay up to date on the AZGFD fish stocking schedule.
Best Bets:
San Juan - HOT
Our neighboring tailwater continues to fish great right now. Bug activity is abundant and dry fly fishing is really starting to get going. Midge clusters, BWOs, and terrestrials are all producing fish on the surface.
Don't forget - the fish in this system are large and will take an articulated streamer. Swing streamers through riffles and tailouts during low-lights hours to switch things up from the nymph fishing during the day.
Best Bets:
Salt River - Average
There are still fish here, but be warned - the tube hatch has arrived! If you plan to fish, try going very early or late and avoid the weekend altogether.
Bass fishing with poppers and leeches can be productive right on the banks under overgrowth.
Best Bets:
Dead Horse Ranch- Average
This state park has great access and is an awesome spot to learn how to fly fish or hone your casting skills. Catch a variety of species, from rainbow trout to channel catfish and largemouth bass.
The water is getting warm. If you're planning to fish, go early or late to find the fish most active. Topwater poppers and small streamers are the best bets for bass.
Best Bets:
White Mountains Lakes - Excellent
As Rim creek water temps climb, now is an excellent time to focus your efforts on stillwater fishing.
Jig leeches remain a deadly rig in the Whites. Try stripping them on an intermediate sinking line. You can also fish a double nymph rig under an indicator; if the surface is choppy, that movement provides plenty of action for a bite.
Best Bets:
Black River - Excellent
Brown trout and smallmouth action are hot right now on the Black. As we move into July, water temperatures up here should stay cool a bit longer than the Rim streams.
Try fishing dry droppers with terrestrials for trout. Plenty of caddis and mayflies are also present.
If you're going after smallmouth, bring a box filled with poppers. These fish fight hard for their size and are aggressively eating surface flies.
Best Bets:
Canals - Excellent
Now that the summer heat has set in, fish are most active in the mornings and evenings. When fishing during a low sun angle, be mindful of your shadow.
Fish are actively feeding on the surface and in the water column. Throw on some sunscreen and hit the pavement!
Best Bets:
That's a wrap on the July Arizona Fishing Report. Stop by the shop to get set up for your next outing!