Important notice: With the discovery of invasive quagga mussels in Mead, Mohave and Havasu, proper cleaning of all watercraft is critical to help prevent the spread of these invaders. Please drain and dry your livewell and bilge on land. Drain all the water you can from your engine. Also, inspect your vessel and trailer, removing any visible mussels, but also feel for any rough or gritty spots on the hull. These may be young mussels that can be hard to see.

For more information, go to the Arizona Game and Fish Department's web pages at azgfd.gov or visit http://100thmeridian.org/.


LAKE MEAD - The lake elevation decreased by approximately .8 inches from last week. The current elevation is 1089.1 feet above msl marking the first drop in elevation in the last several weeks. The National Park Service has improved conditions at South Cove launch ramp. Be sure to check out launch area prior to launching. Be careful boating because of low water level, many new islands and near surface rocks have appeared. The striper bite is steady on Lake Mead.

Fishing the boils with rattle traps is probably your best type of lure. Cut anchovies are still the bait of choice for stripers when anchored at night.

Check the moon phases before you go - the last new moon was Jan. 20. The next new moon will be Feb. 18. Dark nights work best when fishing under light. Fishing for stripers in 40-plus feet of water will normally find the larger fish. If they are not taking the anchovies try lures and see if you can get them to bite. If you can locate the shad, the stripers are not far behind. Trolling usually works best in areas where shad are found and best done in the early mornings and evenings. Try an assortment of plastics (lizards, grubs, worms) in coves for largemouth and smallmouth bass.

LAKE MOHAVE -The lake level today is currently 639.6 feet above msl. That elevation changes the lake a lot, so be careful of new islands and gravel bars that are not above the surface at higher elevations. Reports are that smallmouth and largemouth has slowed although my contact with our local bass fishing club told me the fishing is awesome on Mohave and he always catches nice fish. He said the winning weights for tournaments keep going up. Fishing the shoreline vegetation can be a challenge this time of year because of the lower water levels leaves shoreline vegetation to far from the water. The fishing dock at Katherine's Landing produced some nice fish. I would suggest fishing the grass beds in the coves for largemouth and catfish. Bluegills are biting night crawlers near the dam and reports of people catching both black bass species are common. Mixing up your colors with plastics is doing well on largemouth and smallmouth.

Submersible lights fished during the new moon are an effective way to catch stripers. Check the moon phases before you go - the last new moon was Jan. 20. Next new moon will be Feb. 18. Cut anchovies usually work the best for stripers.

Biologists from both Arizona Game and Fish Department and Nevada Division of Wildlife with the help of volunteers, National Park Service, Arizona State Prison-Kingman Complex and Bureau of Reclamation personnel have continued to install fish habitat in Carp Cove, Box Cove, Shoshone, Princess and Arrowhead. Prospect Cove (1st cove south of Princess Launch Ramp) is the latest addition on the Arizona side of the lake to get habitat deployed. Fish habitat consists of PVC structures, tamarisk bundles and a new type of habitat we call poly shrubs. The largemouth, smallmouth, bluegill and catfish are really utilizing the new structures. Additional habitat will be added at several locations over the next two years. These structures are fish magnets.

There is a wheelchair accessible fishing pier just south of the main launch ramp at Katherine's Landing. If you fish Mohave and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

WILLOW BEACH - Try spinner baits along with cut anchovies for stripers. If you fish Willow beach and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

COLORADO RIVER BELOW DAVIS DAM - Sunshine Peninsula and Rotary Park are probably the best spots for trout.

Catfish are biting from the Avi to the dam. The striper bite is picking up. A pencil popper from shore landed an angler a 5-7 pound striper. The bait most folks use for stripers and catfish is cut anchovies. Try spinners and if you don't get any bites, try various PowerBaits. You can check the Bureau of Reclamation Web site for flow predictions http://www.usbr.gov/lc/riverops.html before you go. If you fish the river below Davis Dam and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

TOPOCK GORGE- Smallmouth and striper bite has slowed but sunfish are still biting in the backwaters in the gorge.

TOPOCK MARSH - Bass, catfish and crappie are still active but the bite has slowed. Use night crawlers or spin/swim baits for bass. Catfish are biting on anchovies and chicken livers.

You can access the marsh by boat at the North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. For more information on the marsh, contact the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge at (760) 326-3853 or go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/havasu/index.html.


VERDE VALLEY

DEAD HORSE STATE PARK - The latest trout stocking was the week of Jan. 19. The next tentatively scheduled stocking is the week of Feb. 2. Bernadette's group found the trout were biting using PowerBait and worms. Always bring worms just in case the PowerBait does not work. Largemouth bass fishing is slow with the cold temps. Try using small plastic jigs, plastic worms, or small spinnerbaits near deep-water cover. Channel catfish fishing has slowed. If you fish Dead Horse please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

VERDE RIVER (throughout Verde Valley) - The last trout stocking was the week of Jan. 12. The next tentatively scheduled stocking is this week, the week of Jan. 26. For trout try small spinners or PowerBait after these trout stockings. Black bass fishing has slowed. Best bet throughout the Camp Verde reach is using small plastic jigs and in-line spinners.


PRESCOTT AREA

FAIN LAKE -- The lake was stocked with trout on Jan. 12. Fishing for trout should be good following this stocking. The next tentatively scheduled stocking is the week of Feb. 2. Spinners work great if you can find the trout schooled up. If not you may try PowerBait or night crawlers.

GOLDWATER LAKE -- The next tentatively scheduled stocking is the week of February 9th. Steve caught five nice rainbow trout on Yellow Power Eggs in about two hours of fishing. Chip caught his trout using dark colored rooster tails and after 2 p.m. on yellow PowerBait.

If you fish Goldwater and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

GRANITE BASIN LAKE - Bluegills are usually pretty easy to catch at this lake and are great for kids to have fun. If you fish Granite Basin Lake and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

LYNX LAKE - The next tentatively scheduled trout stocking is the week of Feb. 2. Try yellow colored power bait or power eggs for trout. Our East Sector Supervisor checked a fisherman that caught a beautiful 19-inch brown trout using "hatchery pellet" flavored PowerBait.

Lynx also can be an exciting place to fish for carp. Common carp are very strong fighters and will provide an excellent table fair. A quick search on the internet will produce tasty recipes for these robust fish. Corn and an assortment of other baits will attract these fish. Lynx can be difficult to fish, if you are not catching anything try moving to a new spot.

MINGUS LAKE - Trout were last stocked the week of Oct. 20. While the gate will be closed in November you can continue to walk in and catch fish. The best bait is white or pink PowerBait, fished under a bobber.

Someone illegally stocked yellow bullhead into Mingus several years ago. These fish compete directly with the trout and keep growth rates very low. If you witness anyone, anywhere, moving fish like bass, bluegill, catfish and stocking them, please report it to our Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-352-0700. Illegal stockings cost YOU money!

WATSON - Trout were stocked the week of Jan. 5. The next tentatively scheduled stocking is the week of Feb. 2. Look for large holdover trout from previous stockings to become active since the lake has filled and the water temperatures are dropping. Largemouth bass bite may be slowing down with the drop in temperatures.

If you fish Watson and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.

WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR - Largemouth bass are the predominant species in this lake. If you fish Willow and are having luck, please e-mail me at gcummins@azgfd.gov so I can share your successes with others.