This is the Official Arizona Fishing regulations and Information navigation page for the Arizona state rules and regulations guidebook overviews.
You can access each individual state regulation guidebook by clicking the links below.
These are just the overviews of the official state regulations.
The Actual state Arizona Fishing regulation guidebooks are accessible by clicking on the state you would like to see from the home page map then clicking on the Arizona state fishing regulations books.
They are also accessible by clicking on the Arizona reg books below and accessing the Arizona regs link in the Arizona Guidebooks listed below.
Enjoy be safe and have a great time exploring the site and remember to check back often to keep updated on all the new laws, rules, and Arizona regulations pertaining to the hunting, fishing, trapping, and wildlife sports.
Weather its Arizona Trout fishing, Arizona bass fishing, Arizona striper fishing, Arizona Salmon fishing, Arizona Catfish fishing, Arizona steelhead fishing, Arizona Panfish fishing, Arizona pike/muskie fishing, Arizona Walleye fishing  We have the Arizona state fishing regulations for your trip into the wilderness or on the water covered in one easy to location.
If you need Arizona fishing maps, Arizona state fishing maps, or just some Arizona fishing reports to tell you were the bite is hot we have that too.

Arizona Fishing Report

If you’re planning a fishing trip to Arizona, you have some excellent choices for lakes and streams throughout the state including Alamo Lake, Apache Lake, Bartlett Lake, Canyon Lake, Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Pleasant, Lake Powell, Lees Ferry, Martinez Lake, Roosevelt Lake, Saguaro Lake, San Carlos Lake, Woods Canyon Lake and others. Many of the lakes in Arizona have camping facilities as well as other accommodations nearby. Arizona is well known for excellent Bass, Crappie and Trout fishing. Additionally, in waters around the state you’ll find populations of Walleye, Catfish, Stripers, Northern Pike and sunfish including Hybrid Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Rock Bass, Tilapia, White Bass, Yellow Bass, Yellow Perch which are plentiful in some waters.

Fishing is regulated in Arizona by the Fish & Game Department. You can check their website for current fishing reports.

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass
Fishing in Arizona.

Bass are one of the most sought after of all the game fish. Its appeal spans cultures, age groups and genders to tap on the heart strings of anglers everywhere. Join us in our endeavor to offer information about bass fishing on your favorite bass lake in the Arizona area.

The state record largemouth was taken out of Canyon Lake and Roosevelt Lake produced the state record smallmouth.

Bass Lakes In Arizona.

The state offers excellent fishing waters, each with their own special appeal. Roosevelt is the largest. It is the head lake in a chain of 4 lakes and collects fresh water from the Salt River and Tonto Creek. This influx of fresh water promotes high spawn rates and provides nutrients for a healthy food chain. Roosevelt lake sports both largemouth and smallmouth populations, with plenty of each. Depending on the season and time of day one can catch largemouth's from the surface down to 40 or 50 feet deep.

Apache Lake, the second lake in the chain, offers some very fine smallmouth fishing as well as pretty decent largemouth fishing. It is a flooded river channel with awe inspiring surroundings which include wildlife refuges.

Canyon Lake, third in the chain, is another flooded river channel and offers primarily largemouth fishing. This lake is known for smaller quantities of bass yet typically higher quality. Many large fish are caught on Canyon Lake each year.

The fourth lake in the chain is Saguaro. It again offers primarily largemouth bass fishing. As the last lake in the chain it supports a much smaller population which is hindered further by the fact that the lake level is intentionally fluctuated more than 10 feet in a 24 hour period for production of electricity.

Bartlett Lake is on the Verde River northeast of Phoenix. It offers largemouth bass fishing which may vary from year to year depending on dramatic water level fluctuations.

Lake Pleasant northwest of Phoenix is a quick drive from town and offers excellent largemouth fishing. It supports a good population of bass as well as offers some lunker fishing at times.

San Carlos Lake in eastern Arizona is a haven for big bass when the water level remains beneficial for several years in a row. At times this lake can deliver a limit of bass in the six to seven pound range.

Alamo Lake on the Bill Williams River in western Arizona is another lake which offers stringers of big bass when the water levels cooperate for a few years in a row.

On the Colorado River Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu and Martinez Lake all offer fine largemouth bass fishing. These are big waters which support both quantity and quality of bass. These typically clear water reservoirs test the anglers skills and offer many ways to catch bass.

Trout Fishing in Arizona

Arizona offers a variety of trout fishing opportunities from stocked rainbow trout to native brookies and wary brown trout. With a diverse terrain and elevations there are trout fishing options for all types of anglers.

Trout Fishing Lakes In Arizona.

Take the kids fishing in Christopher Creek, Oak Creek Canyon or in Woods Canyon Lake. These waters are stocked throughout the season, they are easily accessible and have facilities for camping and picnicing.

Serious trout anglers can try their skills on Reservation Lake, White Mountains streams or go for native Apache trout in the West Fork of the Black River.On the Mogillon Rim area the best stream fishing is at Canyon Creek, Chevelon Creek and East Clear Creek.

Hurricane Lake produced the Arizona state record apache trout and the state record brook trout came from Sunrise Lake. Reservation Lake was home to the state record brown trout and the AZ state record cutthroat trout was taken out of Luna Lake. The Tempe Town lake recently served up the Arizona state record rainbow trout.

Visit the Arizona Game & Fish Department website for details ontrout stocking programs in Arizona.

The 5 primary trouts are the rainbow, brook, brown, cutthroat and lake trout. Brown trout are considered the most difficult to catch and brookies are the easiest. Pure cold water is key to survival of the trouts and the brook trout is the most sensitive to temperature.

Walleye Fishing in Arizona

Walleye
Stizostedion vitreum

Walleye Fishing Lakes in Arizona.

Arizona offers limited walleye fishing. Fools Hollow Lake Upper Lake Mary and Show Low Lake are the primary places to fish for walleye. Other lakes like Canyon Lake, Apache Lake, Roosevelt and Saguaro Lake all have occasional catches.

The Arizona state record walleye was caught out of Show Low Lake.

The walleye prefers moderately deep lakes with gravel, rock or sandy bottoms. It is found primarily in cold water lakes but has proven to survive in some warmer water impoundments.

Arizona walleye spawn in spring and when they have the option will choose to migrate from the lake up into feeder streams to spawn. If this option is not available they seek out shallow bars or shoals with clean bottom surfaces near deep water.

This toothy fish will eat virtually anything it can catch and get in its mouth. They prefer small fish and will eat crustaceans, worms and insects. They tend to be somewhat wary and prefer the safety of deeper darker water. Try fishing for walleye from sundown to midnight, particularly during the heat of summer.

Fish for Arizona walleye with live bait, crankbaits, spoons, small spinner baits as well as plastic worms and grubs.

Crappie Fishing in Arizona

Crappie are actually a member of the sunfish family and can be found in all the continental states. They are known by many different names, typically based on geographic location. Paper mouth, goggleye, bridge perch and speckled perch, just to name a few.

Crappie Fishing Lakes In Arizona.

Crappie abound in desert lakes including Roosevelt lake, Apache Lake, Canyon Lake, Saguaro Lake, San Carlos Lake, Bartlett Lake, Alamo Lake, Lake Pleasant, Horseshoe Lake and many other lakes and streams throughout the state. All Colorado River lakes offer crappie fishing as well.

Crappie can also be found in city parks and golf courses throughout the Arizona desert climate. The Arizona state record black crappie came from San Carlos Lake and Lake Pleasant produced the AZ state record white crappie.

Catfish Fishing in Arizona

Most waters in Arizona hold one or more species of catfish. The bigger cats seem to come from areas with moving water in the warmer parts of the state.

Catfish Lakes.

Most lakes in the state offer catfish opportunities. The major Arizona lakes with a healthy population of catfish include Alamo Lake, Apache Lake, Bartlett Lake, Canyon Lake, Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Pleasant, Lake Powell, Lees Ferry, Martinez Lake, Roosevelt Lake, Saguaro Lake, San Carlos Lake and Woods Canyon Lake.

Hybrid Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Rock Bass, Tilapia, White Bass, Yellow Bass, Yellow Perch and Other Sunfish.

Anywhere in Arizona that you find water you're likely to find panfish. The bluegill and common sunfish are the most prevalent but many species abound in waters around the state. From the cold water lakes and streams up north to the desert lakes and streams you can take a kid fisning for small panfish just about anywhere. Serious anglers can find harder to access areas and get some whoppers in the two-pound range.

One or more species of panfish populate virtually all warm water streams, ponds and lakes. They can survive in waters that provide their natural food source of minnows, crustaceans, insects and worms. Their competitive nature amongst themselves for food, makes them relatively easy to catch.

Sunfish & Panfish Fishing Lakes.

Alamo Lake, Apache Lake, Bartlett Lake, Canyon Lake, Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Pleasant, Lake Powell, Lees Ferry, Martinez Lake, Roosevelt Lake, Saguaro Lake, San Carlos Lake and Woods Canyon Lake are among the Arizona lakes with healthy schools of panfish.

Striper Fishing in Arizona

Striper fishing has declined over the years in the state, only as it relates to size. In years past, forty and fifty pound stripers were reported often. They have populated so fast in the warm desert lakes that they are quite abundant and swim in schools. Find a school and catch them till your arms hurt. They are likely to be in the one to five pound class most often.

Striped Bass Fishing Lakes In Arizona.

Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Havasu, Lake Mohave and Alamo Lake are your best bets with Lake Mead having the largest population. The state record was caught out of Alamo Lake.

While stripers are native to salt water, they naturally migrate into fresh water streams to spawn. Their eggs must remain in motion in order to hatch so the fresh water rivers and streams which drain into the ocean become the spawning grounds for stripers.

Northern Pike Lakes in Arizona
Lake Mary near Flagstaff offers a bit of northern pike fishing. Access is from shore on Upper Lake Mary with boating allowed on the lower lake. Also found in Mormon Lake, Stoneman Lake, and Long Lake.

Northern Pike
Esox Lucius
IFGA Record: 55.1 lbs
The northern pike is a valient fighter and prefers water temperatures from 58 to 70 degrees. Also known as jack, jackfish, great northern pike and pickerel. While they have been transplanted into most states with cold water, they are native to the northern states and are abundant in the north-eastern states. Northern pike are basically olive in color with white and/or yellow bellies. The northern pike has light-colored marking on a dark body whish is opposite that of their cousins the muskies.They are an ambushing predator that eats frogs, crayfish, birds and virtually any fish they can get into their mouth. Use spinners, fish-immitating lures, jerk-baits or cutbait and fish close to cover.

Tilapia
Tilapia, an exotic fish from Africa can be found in the Salt and Gila river systems as well as in connecting canals. They are similar in size and shape to a bluegill and can be caught on worms and crickets. Tilapia in the five pound range have been recorded.

Bigmouth Buffalo
Found primarily in Roosevelt and Apache lakes with an occasional spotting in Canyon and Saguaro, these algae eating fish are seldom caught on hook and line. When they are caught by anglers it is generally on dough balls.

Carp
Carp are plentiful in most desert lakes and some colder waters in northern parts of the state. They range in size from small to over 50 pounds and are caught mostly on dough balls.
Arizona fishing regulations info page     arizona fishing regulations guidebook