Places to go fishing in Arizona
Fishing in Arizona should be considered as an item on every angler’s bucket list of places to fish in the United States. If you like the seclusion that comes with higher altitude fishing, you can go as high as 10,000 feet elevation in areas of the White Mountains for trout or some bass and catfish. If you’re looking for places with not such high elevations, you can hit up the Flagstaff or the Verde River areas of the North Central Region of Arizona where the elevation comes down to 2,500 – about 7,000 feet. Here, you can target Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Crappie and Roundtail Chub. Or, Maybe you want to take a short trip away from your home in California and target Southwest Arizona for excellent Flathead Catfish and trophy-sized Largemouth Bass.
Any way you look at it, the state of Arizona is a top-notch place to fish for just about any freshwater fish species you can think of. Arizona has some of the best places to fish in the US year-round due to its proximity to the equator.
For a list of licenses, fees and where to buy, see our Arizona Fishing License page.
The locations below are listed alphabetically and just a sampling of the many places to go fishing and some of the species you can catch in Arizona.
Places To Go Fishing In Arizona
Apache Lake: This lake is approximately 2,660 acres with a max depth of about 266 feet. It has 41 miles of shoreline, which is more than enough room for finding the perfect spot to catch the trout this body of water is known for. Tonto Basis is the lake’s closest town.
Popular Fish To Catch: Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Yellow Bass, Bluegill, Crappie, Walleye, Trout, Carp
Black River: This river is 114 miles long and located in the White Mountains. Many of the roads in the area are unpaved and not marked, making most of the river very wild and unpopulated. Aside from fantastic fishing opportunities, people often encounter Black Bear and trophy-size Elk.
Popular Fish To Catch: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Apache Trout, Smallmouth Bass
Fools Hollow Lake: This public lake is about 150 acres in size and is managed by the Arizona State Parks Department. It also has an average depth of only 23 feet. But don’t let that fool you. It is home to some of the best trout and bass fishing in Arizona.
Popular Fish To Catch: Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Sunfish, Channel Catfish, Walleye, Northern Pike
Lake Havasu: Definitely one of the most popular and well-know lakes in the state, Lake Havasu is more than 19,300 acres with a max depth of about 90 feet and is fed by the Colorado River. This lake can be fished year-round, but best at night March – October.
Popular Fish To Catch: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Flathead Catfish
Rainbow Lake: This is a public 116-acre man-made lake near the town of Pinetop-Lakeside in nestled in the White Mountains. Unfortunately, the land around the lake is mostly privately owned, making for few public access points. However, you can access a small area next to the dam. Rainbow Trout are stocked in the spring and early summer.
Popular Fish To Catch: Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Sunfish, Channel Catfish, Northern Pike
To see the full list of Arizona fishing licenses and prices, please visit our Arizona Fishing License page.
Many more locations to come. If you have any favorite spots or bodies of water that you think should definitely be on this page, please send us a note.
Also, if you are a private club or guide service that would like to be featured on any “Places To Fish” page, or other page within the StartFishingToday™ website, let us know.
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