UTERStriped bass fishing in Arizona freshwater
In Arizona freshwater, striped bass peak April–June and August–October and are around year-round, spawning in May–June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. August: Lake Pleasant, Havasu and Mead — summer boils.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Striped bass in Arizona freshwater, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchArriving
- AprilPeak
- MaySpawning
- JuneSpawning
- JulyAround
- AugustPeakLake Pleasant, Havasu and Mead — summer boils.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish striped bass near Lake Pleasant, Roosevelt Lake, Lake Havasu
Desert reservoirs on the Salt, the Verde and the Colorado, the Colorado River itself, the trout tailwater at Lees Ferry, and the cold White Mountain and Mogollon Rim lakes.
What to use for striped bass
- Live eelsHooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait.
- Menhaden (pogies)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined or slow-trolled; cut in chunks for the bottom.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- BloodwormsA piece threaded on a #2 to 2/0 hook on a hi-lo or fish-finder rig — the striper, spot, croaker and white perch bait of the Chesapeake and the surf.
- Sand eelsFree-lined or on a light jig head for stripers, fluke and bluefish; strips teased on a fluke rig.
- Minnows (fatheads, shiners)Hooked lightly through the lips or behind the dorsal on a #6 to #2 hook under a slip bobber for crappie, perch and walleye; a big golden shiner on a 2/0 to 4/0 for largemouth, pike and stripers.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 42–80°F water, best at 50–68°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch striped bass in Arizona freshwater?
Peak season is April–June and August–October, with fish spawning in May–June (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Striped bass are here year-round. August: Lake Pleasant, Havasu and Mead — summer boils.
Where do striped bass hold in Arizona freshwater?
Look on bridge, dock / pilings, river, reservoir, lake — around Lake Pleasant, Roosevelt Lake, Lake Havasu, Lake Mead, Lake Powell, Lees Ferry.
What is the best bait for striped bass in Arizona freshwater?
Live bait: live eels, menhaden (pogies), herring, bloodworms. Live eels: Hooked through the lips on a 5/0 to 7/0 circle hook and sight-cast to a cobia or dropped to a cobia on a ray — the eel is the cobia bait. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for striped bass in Arizona freshwater?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and change — read the current rule at https://www.azgfd.com/fishing-2/licenses-and-regulations/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.azgfd.com/fishing-2/licenses-and-regulations/.
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