PHOENIX — Arizona is more than cacti-filled desert landscapes, sunburns, hiking trails, and cowboy hats.
We do have lakes, streams, ponds and rivers like our Midwestern neighbors, and they're stocked with fish that you can either catch and release or take home for supper.
To fish in Arizona, you have to obtain a fishing license. There are multiple different options that range from $5 to $57, depending on who's fishing, where you're fishing, and if you want to combine with a hunting license. (Youth under the age of 10 and blind residents do not need to purchase a state fishing license to fish in Arizona, officials say.)
In the Valley, there are more than 30 places where you can take your tackle box and fishing pole.
Below is a quick look at the various lakes around the Valley and the types of fish you can potentially catch.
WHERE ARE THE LAKES AND PONDS?
SO, WHAT CAN YOU CATCH?
Throughout the year, the Arizona Game and Fish stocks the lakes with Rainbow trout, catfish, tilapia, sunfish, crappie, and largemouth bass. See when the lakes will be stocked. However, keep in mind, Game and Fish does not stock community lakes and ponds between June 25 and September 15 due to extreme heat.
PHOENIX
Alvord Lake (Cesar Chavez Park)
Cortez Lake (Cortez Park)
Desert West Lake (Desert West Park and Sports Complex)
Encanto Lake (Encanto Park)
Steele Indian School Pond (Steele Indian School Park)
Roadrunner Pond (Roadrunner Park)
Papago Ponds (Papago Park)
CHANDLER
Desert Breeze Lake (Desert Breeze Park)
Veterans Oasis Lake (Veterans Oasis Park)
TEMPE
Evelyn Hallman Pond (Evelyn Hallman Park)
Kiwanis Lake (Kiwanis Park)
Tempe Town Lake (Tempe Town Beach Park)
GILBERT
Water Ranch Lake (Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch)
Freestone Lake (Freestone Park)
McQueen Pond (McQueen Park)
Discovery Ponds (Discovery Park)
SCOTTSDALE
Chaparral Lake (Chaparral Park)
Eldorado Pond (Eldorado Park)
GLENDALE
Bonsall Pond (Bonsall Park)
PEORIA
Rio Vista Pond (Rio Vista Community Park)
Pioneer Lake (Pioneer Community Park)
MESA
Red Mountain Lake (Red Mountain Lake)
Riverview Lake (Riverview Park)
SURPRISE
Surprise Lake (Surprise Community Park)
AVONDALE
Friendship Pond (Friendship Park)
MARICOPA
Pacana Pond (Pacana Park)
Copper Sky Lake (Copper Sky Recreation Complex)
QUEEN CREEK
CASA GRANDE
Dave White Regional Park Pond (Dave White Regional Park)
TONTO NATIONAL FOREST
Apache Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, flathead catfish, rainbow trout, walleye, yellow bass, bluegill, green sunfish and carp.
Bartlett Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, flathead catfish, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill, green sunfish
Canyon Lake – largemouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, carp, yellow bass, bluegill, green sunfish, rainbow trout
Horseshoe Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish
Roosevelt Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, catfish, carp, bluegill
Saguaro Lake – Rainbow trout, catfish, carp, bluegill, sunfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, tilapia, perch
MARICOPA COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION
Lake Pleasant – white bass, striped bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, bigmouth buffalo fish, catfish, sunfish, tilapia
HELPFUL LINKS:
- Game and Fish Weekly fishing report
- State fishing rules and regulations
- Where to fish in Arizona and outside the Phoenix metro
Sources: Arizona Department of Game and Fish, U.S.D.A. Forest Service (Tonto National Forest, Prescott National Forest), Maricopa County Parks and Recreation
