All high country lakes open and accessible

Rory's Tip

by Rory Aikens

First order of fishing business, here's a link to our brand new 2011 Summer Stocking Schedule: http://www.azgfd.gov/pdfs/h_f/fishing/stocking/2011SumTroutStockSchedule.pdf. Make your plans now, it's shaping up to be a great year.

The report has me smiling and dreaming about big trout dancing on the end of the line (especially for my youngest boy and for the grandchildren).

It's turning into a big fish year. First a 60-pound carp from Apache Lake. Then a 31-inch largemouth bass from Lake Pleasant. Now it's a 34-pound striper from Lake Havasu. The angler has submitted it for big fish of the year honors (see the Havasu fishing report below).

Stay tuned, more to come. I'm sure. This might be the year when fishing records topple.

As a matter of fact, a lot of big fish records tend to topple the year after a major runoff year. If you think about it, we just had two back-to-back years of great runoff (2009 and 2010) into our interior lakes. Plus there is the cohort from another record runoff year -- 2005. The class of ought-five will likely be busting lines and scales this year.

It looks like the crappie spawn didn't come off as expected (or touted). The timing was right -- mid April. There was a full moon Sunday with the requisite high tide. We didn't have any storms, plus a high barometer. Looked pretty good for those breeding perimeters. But it seems the water temperatures (especially the nighttime ones) didn't fall into the crappie biological criteria. Then there was a strong, warm wind Sunday night pushing warn water into the shallows, and at low tide, that warm water likely moved out, taking lots of bedding fish with it (theory at least). All in all, last week's crystal ball needs to be returned to the gypsies wandering in the constellation Pisces.

Since crappie only have a short spawning window, unlike bass with their prolonged spawn, conditions have to be just right, it can't be a crappie crap shoot. So send me your crappie spawn predictions and I'll put the winner in the report (and on Facebook). Sound good?

Let's shift to the high country for lots of great news. All our high country lakes are open and accessible, save one -- Bear Canyon Lake along the Mogollon Rim. It's our one snow-drift hold out this year. Last year it as Knoll Lake, it's kissin' cousin just down the famous Rim Road (FR 300). Knoll Lake is accessible from the west -- the Coconino National Forest side. From the east (Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest), there are snow drifts blocking the way past Woods Canyon.

But if you are planning to fish Woods Canyon, keep in mind you'll have a quarter-mile walk right now, at least until they repair the final stretch of road and the parking lot next to the store.

But both Willow Springs and Black Canyon lakes are both open, and anglers are catching some larger hold-over trout, you know, those pink-fleshed rainbows that have a salmon-like ambiance wafting up from the dinner plate. Just a touch of lemon . . . I have to change subject, my mouth is watering too much (missed lunch again).

Way cool news, especially for you fly fishers -- Carnero, Crescent and Lee Valley did not fish kill this winter. Hold-over brookies at Crescent will be a treat.

All roads to Big Lake are open (sounds like an old Bing Crosby and Bob Hope movie on Netflix). The store is open, and there are boat rentals available. This might be the only place in the high country right now to rent boats, although it seems there are kayak and canoe rentals at Luna Lake. Remember, the road from Sunrise to Big Lake is now paved all the way. This can be the time to hook into one of those huge cutthroat at Big Lake. Let us know if you catch one.