| White Mountain Lakes |
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| Arizona's The Rim Country &
White Mountains Lakes. Use the Letters Below - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z For Other Lakes in Arizona Use This Link ! |
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A-1 Lake: |
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24 acres. Elev. 8,900 ft. 22 miles east of Pinetop off AZ 260. Named after an Apache chief who was given the name by U.S. Army officials who thought Apache names were too difficult to pronounce. | |
| A-1 Lake has
easy access from the highway, but the parking area may be muddy in the
snow or rainy seasons. Many fishermen use their waders and tubes, or
rafts and canoes, to catch the Rainbows and Brookies. The shoreline is
usually clear for casting. A-1 is popular for ice fishing when weather
permits and is known for beautiful scenery. A few campsites are
available at the south end. Open mid-May to mid-September Click here for the current fishing report! Click on picture for full view. Return using your browser's Back button |
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Ackre Lake Lake: |
2 acres. Elev.
8,600 ft. Two miles south of Hannagan Meadow, off U.S. 191 on Forest
Service 24. This fly-and-lure-only lake provides dedicated anglers
with Apache Trout and Grayling, usually in early spring and late fall.
It's a pleasant location for a picnic lunch while driving along the
Coronado Trail. Douglas Fir and Blue Spruce around the lake provide an
excellent photo backdrop. Only "catch and release" fishing at this
lake.
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Becker Lake: |
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85 acres. Elev. 6,900 ft. Two miles northwest of Springerville, off U. S. 60. The lake is known for large rainbow trout, but no special regulations are in effect except for a season that runs from the first Friday in April to Nov. 30. Rest rooms are on-site: other facilities are available in Springerville-Eager. Named for Gustav and Julius Becker, Becker Lake is the oldest man-made lake in Arizona. Several outlaws reportedly are buried at the bottom. | |
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Big Lake: |
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400 acres. Elev. 9,000 ft. 19 miles southwest of Eager using Arizona 260 and U.S. 273 either approaching from the east near Eagar or the west near Sunrise Resort. Open May to November, with snowmobile access in the winter. Big Lake is very popular among campers and families. To accommodate the numbers, it is stocked each spring and fall with more than 30,000 trout. Rainbow is the best yield with good catches of brookies and cutthroat trout. Facilities include a grocery store, boat rental, minor auto service repair and plenty of campsites in Brookchar, Cutthroat, Grayling, or Rainbow campgrounds. | |
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Bills Lakes at Cedar Valley: |
8 acres divided
into five ponds. Elev. 6,000 ft. Access from White Mountain Lake Road
off Arizona 77 north of Show Low. Rainbow Trout are the main
attraction at this pay-by-the-pound lake. When these catfish are
hitting, you can expect some biggies and a lot of action. This is a
great place to take the family for a picnic. |
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Black Canyon Lake : |
Located 18 miles Southwest of Heber on
Arizona 260, FR300 & FR86 at an elevation of 7100 feet.
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Bog Tank: |
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12 acres. Elev. 8,000 ft. 18 miles east of Pinetop off Arizona 260, across from Horseshoe Cienega Lake. Small boats and canoes are used to fish the pan- sized Rainbows from Bog Tank. Shore fishing is good from the dam, east shore and northwest corner, especially late afternoon. Picnic facilities are limited, but camping is available at Horseshoe Cienega sites across the highway. Large 15-inch Apaches are stocked the first week of June for a free fishing derby for children. | |
Click here for the current fishing report! Click on picture for full view. Return using your browser's Back button |
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Bootleg Lake: |
10 Acres. Elev.6,800 ft. Three miles south of
Hon-Dah, off Arizona 73. Use northeast access, but be advised the
road may be rough, especially during the off-season. Fish for
catfish, trout, and sunfish. Big largemouth bass have been stocked
in the lake on a catch-and-release basis only. Open year-round for
fishing with a special Bootleg Lake permit. No camping is allowed. |
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Bunch Reservoirs: |
44 acres. Elev,
8,200 ft. One mile north of Greer. One of the "Greer" lakes. Rainbow
and brown trout are the main catches, but whether you catch a bunch at
Bunch depends on your skill. Early spring fishing is best, after ice
and snow thaw. Camping is allowed here, with complete visitor
facilities in Greer.
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Chevelon Canyon Lake: |
One of the
finest Brown trout fisheries in the state of Arizona. It is located
approximately 60 miles from Payson in the apache Sitgreaves
National Forest at an elevation of 6400 feet. It is fairly hard to
reach, as there are only two walk-in access points that require
about a one mile hike down to the lake. It offers 6 miles of
accessible shoreline for the shore fisherman. Fishing by a float
tube is your best bet as hauling a small boat or canoe down the
steep access trail can be quite difficult. If you do put a boat on
the lake, motors cannot exceed 8 horsepower. Anglers fishing this
lake are restricted to the use of artificial lures and flies only.
Fishing here is best suited for the experienced angler. It is not
recommend for the beginning or inexperienced fisherman. This
location is very remote with no developed campsites and there are
no trasxh receptacles at this lake. PACK IT IN ~ PACK IT OUT. To
arrive at Chevelon Canyon Lake, Take Highway 260 approximately 30
miles east of Payson to FR300. Follow FR 300 for about 10 miles to
FR 169. Travel on FR 169 for 21 miles to FR 169B. Click here for map! for the current fishing report! |
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Christmas Tree Lake: |
41 acres. Elev., 8,200 ft. Five miles
south of Hawley Lake on Reservation Route 26. Apache trout is the
draw here with a few browns lurking in the shadows. Fly and lure
only. Open May to Sept. Special regulations governing and the
"Rent-a-lake Program" use of this lake, consult the White Mountain
Apache Game and Fish Department in Whiteriver. Click here for the current fishing report! |
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Concho Lake: |
60 acres. Elev., 6,300 ft. Ten miles west of St.
Johns off Arizona 61. Use your favorite bait or lure for the rainbow,
cutthroat, and brook trout here. A store and restaurant are part of
the concession. Picnic area and restrooms on premises. No tent camping
at the site, but RV'ers may stay at the trailer park nearby. More
facilities in St. Johns. Originally, Concho Lake was built as an
irrigation reservoir by early Spanish settler Ramon Candelaria to
irrigate farmland.
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Cooley Lake: |
11 acres, Elev., 7,100 ft. One mile south of
Hon-Dah, off Arizona 73. Fish for trout, bass, sunfish, and channel
catfish. Limited camping and picnicking facilities. This lake serves
various water purposes on the reservation, so check with the White
Mountain Apache Game and Fish before starting out. Click here for the current fishing report! |
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Crescent Lake: |
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130 acres, Elev. 8,900 ft. 41 miles southeast of Pinetop using Arizona 260 and 273. The road from 260 to Crescent Lake is continually being improved. Surrounded by forests and rolling meadows, Crescent Lake is known for its brookies and rainbow. If the wind stays down, it can be a good fly fishing lake. Boat rentals and small marina available: additional facilities at nearby Big Lake. | |
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Cyclone Lake: |
37 acres.
Elev., 8,100 ft. Three-and-a-half miles south of Arizona 260 off
Arizona 473 (Hawley Lake Road). This lake is well-known among anglers
for rainbow, cutthroat, and brown trout. In the past few years, White
Mountain Game and Fish has closed Cyclone to the general public but
has opened it to private groups and organizations though the
Rent-a-Lake program.. For $300 a day plus $3 a person per day, the
lake is available completely stocked. The cost includes all necessary
firewood for campfires and fishing permits. Open Memorial Day through
Labor Day. Return to Top |
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Drift Fence Lake: |
16 acres.
Elev. 8,900 ft. Three miles southwest of Reservation Lake on
Reservation Route Y20. It helps to have small boat or canoe on this
lake, which boasts Apache and brook trout. Fly fishing is good. The
forests are dense, air is cool and clean, and wildlife is
plentiful. Bring your camera with your rod and reel. Click here for the current fishing report! Return to Top |
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Earl Park Lake: |
47 acres.
Elev. 8,200 ft. Two miles east of Arizona 473 just east of at
Hawley Lake. A small boat is the best bet for fishing Earl Park, or
try fly fishing with waders. Brook trout is the main attraction.
Limited picnic and camping. Hawley Lake and Horseshoe have
facilities nearby. Click here for the current fishing report! Return to Top |
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Fool Hollow Lake: |
149
acres. Elev.6,600 ft. Four miles off Arizona 260 using Old Linden
Road and either 32nd or 22nd Street. Campgrounds, parking, lots,
and restrooms have been revamped. Plans are in the works for more
campsites, a new boat launch, visitor's center, amphitheater,
picnic ramadas, and wheelchair-accessible trails and dock. Anglers
have been pulling out trout, bass, catfish, bluegill, walleye, and
crappie. RV & Campground inquiries can be made at: (520) 537-3680.
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Fred's Lake: |
Closed | ||
George's Basin: |
78 acres. Elev. 5,600 ft. 17 miles south of
Fort Apache on Y20 and Y10. Dirt access road, channel catfish, and
sunfish. A 4X4 road goes three miles past lake to Black River.
Shoreline fishing for channel catfish and sunfish are your best bet.
however, the nearest town is 20 miles away and facilities are limited,
so come prepared. |
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Greer Lakes: |
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Greer Lakes The Greer Lakes are Bunch, River and Tunnel and are listed alphabetically by name. Click here for the current fishing report! Return to Top |
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Hawley Lake : |
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300 acres. Elev. 8,200 ft. One of the highest lakes in the state, Hawley Lake can reach near freezing nighttime temperatures even during the summer months, so come prepared. | |
| Hawley Lake is
located on the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation and a daily
fishing permit is required. Permits can be purchased at Hon Dah on the
way in, or at any of the convenience or sporting goods stores in the
area. Rainbow, cutthroat, brown and brook trout are all found here.
Ice-fishing is popular and its shoreline is quite accessible. Hawley
lake Resort offers a long list of amenities as well: grocery store,
boat rentals, cabins, numerous campsites, and laundry facilities. Take
Highway 260 east on Route 473. Click herefor the current fishing report! |
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Horseshoe Cienega Lake: |
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121 acres. Elev. 8,100 ft. 18 miles east of Pinetop off Arizona 260. The lake is visible from the highway. This horseshoe shaped "cienega"; or meadow was transformed into a lake in the mid-1960s. It has become one of the most popular reservation fishing lakes and has given up the state record for brown trout at 16 lbs. 7 oz. | |
| It was
renovated in the summer of 1990 and has more shoreline and fewer weeds
than before. The lake was restocked with large rainbow-Apache hybrids,
rainbow, browns, and Apache trout. The best time to fish Horseshoe is
early spring or late summer and fall; there's good fly fishing in the
shallow waters. Otherwise, try trolling with hardware. This lake
freezes for some good ice fishing. Facilities include store, boat
rental, campgrounds, picnic tables, and restrooms. Open May to
September. Click here for the current fishing report! |
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Hulsey Lake: |
4 acres. Elev. 8,600 ft. Seven miles north of
Alpine off U.S. 191 on FS 56 and 56A. Dirt access roads may get rough
in the snow or rainy season. Near Alpine and Nutrioso, Hulsey Lakes
best rainbow and brown trout fishing is in the early spring. Winter
may provide ice-fishing opportunities. At the foot of beautiful
Escudilla Mountain, Hulsey Lake provides excellent views, picnic
sites, and photography backdrops, even if the catches aren't breaking
any records.
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Hurricane Lake: |
19 acres. Elev. 9,000 ft. Hurricane lake is
open Memorial Day thorough Labor Day and requires a special permit
only available in White River. Weather permitting, it may be open
October 7 to November 2 as well. Twenty permits are issued each day on
a first come first serve basis. Only fly fishing and lure fishing are
permissable. Three miles west of Reservation Lake, off Reservation
Route Y20. The lake is now reserved for "Rent - a - lake " prgram
patrons. For more information call the Wildlife & out door Recreation
Division at (520) 338-4385. Click here for the current fishing report! Return to Top |
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Lee Valley Lake: |
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45 acres. Elev. 9,400 ft. One-half mile west of Arizona 273, about halfway between Sunrise and Big Lake. The main attraction here is Arctic grayling and Apache trout. Facilities include a good parking lot and restrooms for day use only. Camping facilities at nearby Winn Campground or Big Lake. Special regulations apply, including "artificial lures" only and restrictive size and bag limits. | |
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Little Mormon Lake: |
70 acres. Elev.
7,000 ft. Three-and-a-half miles northeast of Show Low, using U.S. 60
and FS 231 (Silver Creek Estates Road). Access road is kept graded
because of residential traffic to Silver Creek Estates development.
Park on the road and carry down a small boat or watch out for wet
grounds. This is a rather variable catfish lake, but it is popular
among the locals for small catfish. Water levels change periodically,
and during the summer, you may find yourself arguing with cattle for
some good shoreline.
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Luna Lake: |
120 acres. Elev. 7,900 ft. Three miles
southeast of Alpine, off U.S. 180. Close proximity to Alpine makes
Luna Lake especially popular among both locals and vacationing
fishermen. Rainbow, cut-throat, and brook trout fill up the nets here,
and although most are pan-sized, a carryover from the preceding year
sometimes brings up a few biggies on the line. Luna Lake is popular
among ice fishermen, depending on the winter freezes. Full facilities
are available at Luna: campgrounds, picnic tables, restrooms, trailer
hook-ups and boat launch.
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Lyman Reservoir: |
1400 acres. Elev. 6,000 ft. 17 miles north of
Springerville, off U.S. 191. Anglers may come up with almost anything
on their line at this large lake: channel catfish, crappie, largemouth
bass, walleye, and bluegill to name a few. This is about the only lake
in the area with no motor restrictions, so be careful not to snag any
water-skiers or 150 hp Evinrudes. An exclusive waterski course on the
dam end (special permit required). A fulls ervice concession facility
offers boats for rent, grocieries, even electrical outlets. Lyman Lake
State Park has facilities for everyone - even electricity to plug in
the Nintendo and the VCR.
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McNary Millponds: |
60 fishable
acres on six ponds. Elev. 7,300 ft. South of McNary on Arizona 260.
Yellow bullheads and northern pike (some more than 15 pounds) with
largemouth bass in upper pond. Best in spring. |
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Meadow Lakes: |
3 lakes, each
3/4 acre. Elev. 8,300 ft. Located next to the Little Colorado River in
Greer. The lakes, privately owned by Clark Heaslet and family, offer
fishing without a license with a catch "em-any-way-you-can philosophy,
except no live bait or corn can be used. The lakes are stocked with
fighting trout up to three pounds. |
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Mexican Hay Lake: |
164 acres, Elev.
8,800 ft. 15 miles southwest of Springerville, using Arizona 260 and
273. Paved access on both highways. Mexican Hay is a small, weedy lake
- hence the name, but the lake has been known to yield some 15-
inchers on occasion, usually in late summer or fall. A small boat, a
tube, or waders are almost a necessity, since the shoreline is very
brushy.No camping is allowed and the closest capming away is 10 miles
southwest of Springerville using Arizona 260 and 273. Paved access is
available from both highways. Return to Top |
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Nash Tank: |
69 acres. Elev.
5,700 ft. 12 miles south of Fort Apache on Y20 and Y10. Rough access
road, but during the dry season it can be passable for a passenger
car. Channel cat and bass fishing is the big draw here, where you're
really out in the boonies. You'll pass some smaller cattle tanks on
the way. These cattle tanks were quite popular back in the '50s and
'60's, before the building of Horseshoe, Reservation, and sunrise
Lakes. A reminder: you're on land owned by the White Mountain Apache
Tribe, so stop in Whiteriver to purchase permits and inquire about
current fishing regulations. |
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Nelson Reservoir: |
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100 acres. Elev. 7,400 ft. Five miles south of Nutrioso, off U.S. 191. Easy access from the highway. Use only electric trolling motors on this long, narrow lake that is home to rainbow, cutthroat, brook and brown trout. Spring and fall are the best times for the browns, while summers supply a good yield for rainbow. Work has been finished at Nelson to provide fishing access for people with disabilities. Improvements include 300 feet of concrete ramp, two covered fishing stations that can accommodate several people, and a special access restroom. | |
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Pacheta Lake: |
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68 acres. Elev. 8,200 ft.
Six miles southwest of Reservation Lake on Y20 or Y70. This is truly a
remote backwoods area. During the week, you'll usually have the place
to yourself, and even on the weekend, there may only be a few locals
or the serious weekend angler. Road conditions vary. After summer
monsoons, the access may get just a tad muddy. Rainbow, brown, and
Apaches are the most frequent catches, with either flies or lures.
Some sections of the shore can be quite weedy, so bring the raft or
canoe. Click here for the current fishing report! Return to Top |
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Rainbow Lake: |
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80 acres. Elev. 6,800 ft. One block south of Arizona 260, using either Rainbow Lake Road or Lake View Road. Much of the area surrounding Rainbow Lake is private property, so respect other's boundaries. Much of the shoreline is weedy; a boat is almost a necessity, except for the rocky areas where it's possible to set up a perch on the slabs. Try shore fishing off the north or west ends. A new boat ramp, car-top boat launching area, courtesy dock, restrooms, and a parking area have been recently added. The lake is a popular fishing hole for bass, trout, catfish, and bluegill. During the winter, bald eagles are common around the lake. Camp-grounds in the area usually are full in summer; best bets for beds are in motels, but campsites are available at Show Low Lake or Fool Hollow Lake. | |
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Reservation Lake: |
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280 acres. Elev. 9,000 ft.
19 miles south of Arizona 260 using Arizona 273 and FS 116. The last
nine or so miles may be rough in rainy weather. The lake is open April
to November. Rainbow, brook, and brown trout abound in this beautiful
mountain lake. Every kind of fisher will be content. Shore fishing is
better than most lakes, but trolling and fly fishing is better yet.
Try gang spinners or casting with flies or lures in the coves. Even in
summer, early morning and evening trolling on Reservation Lake is
worthwhile. Facilities include a store, campgrounds, cabin rental, and
boat rental. Click here for the current fishing report! |
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River Reservoir: |
120 acres. Elev.
8,200 ft. One mile north of Greer, off FS 245. River Reservoir, one of
the three Greer lakes, produced the largest brown trout in the state
and still has a lot of big browns. Rainbow trout is another abundant
catch. Best fishing is in the shallow areas on the southern side.
There's a boat launch and restrooms. Full facilities at Greer.
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Scott's Reservoir: |
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Show Low Lake: |
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100 acres. Elev. 6,500 ft. One mile off Arizona 260 in Show Low on Show Low Lake Road. Early spring is the best time to fish trout here. Other species include walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. Show Low Lake turned up the state record walleye - a whopping 12-pounder. Shoreline fishing is better than most, making Show Low a great place to take the family. Small bait shop, with boat rentals and launch. Campgrounds at Show Low Lake are maintained by Navajo County Parks and Recreation Department. Recent improvements have been made to the grounds and facilities. | |
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Sierra Blanca Lake |
5 acres. Elev.
8,500 ft. Six miles northwest of Alpine using U.S. 191 and FS 249.
Unpaved on last five miles of Forest Service road. Walk-in last
quarter-mile. Primitive launch area. Late fall is the best time to
fish this small lake, but the rainbow trout may get as long as 16
inches. Because it is often weedy, fly fishing is the recommendation.
No camping. Facilities at nearby Alpine.
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Shush Be Tou: |
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15 acres. Elev. 7,800 ft. 15
miles southeast in Pinetop: access road is just west of Hawley Lake
Road (Arizona 473). As with many other White Mountain Lakes, trolling
for rainbow, Apache, and brown in the early spring and fall are the
best bets. There are also a fair number of bluegills. Picnic tables
and tent camping only. The name is Apache for "Big Bear Lake." Special
limits apply and a fee is required for fishing. Click here for the current fishing report! |
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Shush Be Zahze: |
18 acres. Elev. 7,900 ft. Shush Be Tou and
Shush Be Zahze are next to each other, just north of Arizona 260. Use
a boat for better casting, fishing along the coves where the creek
flows into the lake. Rainbow, brown, and Apache trout. Also known as
"Little Bear Lake." Special limits and fee pply. Click here for the current fishing report! |
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Sunrise Lake: |
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900 acres. Elev. 9,100 ft.
30 miles east of Pinetop using Arizona 260 and 273. Paved roads for
easy access. Sunrise is one of the largest and best trout lakes and,
with A-1, Horseshoe, Big, and Reservation close by, there's never a
dull day fishing. Some of the fish grow into the 15-20-inch range.
Both trolling and shore fishing are excellent. Sunrise may get a bit
breezy because it doesn't have the wooded areas to break the wind.
Campgrounds, stores, gas stations, boat rentals.
Click here for the current fishing report! Return to Top |
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Tonto Lake: |
82 acres. Elev. 7,800 ft.,
33 miles south-east of Fort Apache using Y70 and Y40 or access from
Pacheta Lake using Y40. Fast-growing rainbow and Apache trout. Check
White Mountain Apache Game and Fish for special regulations.
Facilities include picnic tables and tent camping. Click here for the current fishing report! |
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Tunnel Reservoir: |
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44 acres. Elev. 8,200 ft. One mile north of Greer off FS 245. One of three Greer Lakes. Known for its large brown trout, Tunnel Reservoir also offers rainbow. Clear shoreline makes casting easy. Fly fishing is also recommended, especially in the late fall. Boat launch at the lake. Other facilities on Greer. | |
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Whipple Lake: |
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Willow Springs Lake |
Located 22 miles Southwest of Heber on
Arizona 260 & FR 149 at an elevation of 7500 feet.
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Woodland Lake: |
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23 acres. Elev. 6,800 ft. Woodland is in the middle of Pinetop, about a quarter-mile southwest of Arizona 260. A few years ago, the area was improved as a community park and fishing lake. The park now has plenty of restrooms, picnic tables, ramadas, and grills. The paved roads and parking lots make access easy. There's a launch for boats with electric motors. The lake, which is a popular lure for families, is home to rainbow trout, largemouth bass, channel catfish, and bluegill. | |
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Woods Canyon Lake |
Located 27 miles Southwest of Heber on AZ
260 & FR300 & 105 at an elevation of 7500 feet.
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Information courtesy Pinetop-Lakeside Chamber of Commerce & Arizona Department of Game & Fish |
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