Fishing in the summer of Arizona can be tough, to say the least. In the high country, fishing can be pretty spectacular, but it’s not every day that I have the opportunity to drive hours north. Lower elevation lakes can also provide with good fishing, such as Lake Pleasant, but 105 degree weather can be difficult to deal with.
In town, community waters can actually provide with pretty spectacular fishing if you’re willing to deal with the 10,000 degree heat. The Arizona Game and Fish Department delays stocking community waters in the Phoenix area through the summer, but if you fish the right lake/pond, some holdover fish can still be found. What I like about these summer months is that it keeps the weekend warriors away (not saying there's anything wrong with them), as only the serious anglers are willing to deal with the heat.
The biggest hurdle is, as I said, dealing with the heat. Even fishing early mornings or late nights can prove hot, and the humidity only increases as the summer moves forth. I, personally, wear all long clothes, including pants and a long sleeved shirt to shield my skin and keep me cool. I bring a cold HYDRATING liquid to keep me cool, along with maybe a snack. The most important part, however, is your mindset; just remember, you’re fishing. You’re not at work, you’re not vacuuming dog hair off your sofa, you’re not mowing the tall grass that has erupted from the monsoon rain, and you’re not folding the dreaded laundry. You’re fishing, so embrace the heat and catch some lunks.
I will mention that, because of the heat, be careful with the fish caught. Use single hooks for a quick unhook (unless keeping the fish), and handle the fish as little as possible. If you cant get the hook out quickly or if the fish swallowed it, cut the hook off and let it be. Hooks will dissolve, and the fish can usually still eat.
I recently went out to one of my favorite spots and threw some lines. I was there at 5:15 PM, and the sun was absolutely beating down on me, but I proceeded. Within 20 minutes, I had already landed 4 cats, one of which was about a 3 pounder, another a 2 pounder, and the rest smaller.
I ended up staying until about 9 PM, and landed 9 fish. The action was on and off – I couldn’t reel fast enough before my other rod was getting bit, and couldn’t catch a fish if my life depended on it at other times. Overall, I had a good time, and that’s what it’s all about. Did I mention that there was only 1 other person on the lake?
