Theodore Roosevelt Lake, AZ Fishing Report

Lake elevation is 2,100 feet 47 percent full). Check out Tom Hitchcock’s report (above.) Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. Word was that crappie had been hitting.

Lake elevation is 2,100 feet 47 percent full). Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. Word is that crappie have been hitting and lots of people have been having a lot of success.

Lake elevation is 2,094 feet 42 percent full). Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. Word is that crappie have been hitting and lots of people have been having a lot of success.

Lake elevation is 2,094 feet 42 percent full). Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. Word is that Crappie have been hitting and lots of people have been having a lot of success.

Lake elevation is 2,094 feet 42 percent full). Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate.

Lake elevation remains at 2,096 feet and the lake level is 43 percent. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Lake elevation is at 2,095 feet and the lake level is 42 percent. No new reports. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Lake elevation remains at 2,096 feet and the lake level is 43 percent. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Lake elevation remains at 2,096 feet and the lake level is 43 percent. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Lake elevation remains at 2,096 feet and the lake level is 43 percent. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Lake elevation is 2,097 feet and the lake level is 44 percent. No new reports. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Slow and steady or slow with little jerks or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits.

No recent reports. Lake elevation is at 2,099 feet and the lake level is 45 percent. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles.  Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water, but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive, especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is important: slow and steady, or slow with little jerks, or jerk and let it fall over and over again are some styles to play around with. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits.

Lake elevation remains at 2,100 feet and the lake level is 47 percent. Try fishing in the shallows (1 to 4 feet) with surface lures in the backs of coves and over rock piles. Drop shot works pretty well on the outside points, flats and backs of coves in 30 to 10 feet of water, but altering the drop shot technique to a Texas nose hook and whacky style setup is productive, especially when the typical setup does not hit the mark. The technique of how you reel the drop shot in is real important. Some styles you can try are slow and steady or slow with little jerks, or jerk and let it fall over and over again. Rock piles are typically productive using plastics bouncing along the substrate. This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait, chicken liver or blood baits. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Lake elevation is 2,100 feet and the lake level is 47 percent.

Fishing has been sporadic lately. Expect to find some topwater action, especially at first and last light, but be prepared to fish a little deeper off the points if there are not active fish at the top of the water column.

This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Still not hearing much on the crappie front.

Lake elevation is 2,102 feet and the lake level is 49 percent. There is a new moon Sept. 15, so fishing under submersible lights at night should be viable.

The stroms this week likely resulted in some decent runoff, especially from Tonto Creek, so it's wait-and-see for how this might impact the bite. Fishing has generally been a little slow -- the good fall bite has not really kicked in yet.

Mike McFarland with Hook Up Outfitters said bass have been holding tight to the shallow cuts along the shoreline in 10 to 12 feet of water -- it's a buzzbait and frog bite.

This is still a good time to try for channel catfish using sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Still not hearing much on the crappie front.

Lake elevation is 2,103 feet and the lake level is 50 percent. Roosevelt did get some nice inflows last week from the Salt River and Tonto Creek due to heavy rainfall in the drainage. However, the bite has been slow or at best, sporadic since then. That may change any day.

There is a full moon this week for Labor Day, which will make it more difficult to fish at night using submersible lights.

Be versatile and go prepared with everything from topwater to drop shots, then see what works best.

This is definitely prime catfish season. For channels, think sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Not hearing much on the crappie front, but the speckled beauties should be congregated in larger schools, mostly over open water. Once you find them, live minnows and mini-jigs can do the trick.

Lake elevation is 2,103 feet and the lake level is 50 percent. Roosevelt did get some nice inflows last week from the Salt River and Tonto Creek due to heavy rainfall in the drainage. However, the bite has been slow or at best, sporadic since then. That may change any day.

There is a full moon this week for Labor Day, which will make it more difficult to fish at night using submersible lights.

Be versatile and go prepared with everything from topwater to drop shots, then see what works best.

This is definitely prime catfish season. For channels, think sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Not hearing much on the crappie front, but the speckled beauties should be congregated in larger schools, mostly over open water. Once you find them, live minnows and mini-jigs can do the trick.

Lake elevation is 2,103 feet and the lake level is 50 percent.

Crescent moon right now, so this is a good time to fish at night under submersible lights.

Also starting to get some reports of topwater action at first and last light. Right now it seems like the boils are of short duration, but as a rule, the length and timing of the boils will continue increasing as we summer wains. By September, most of us will be fishing topwater off-and-on throughout the day.

Keep some flutter-down lures handy for when the boils subside. A spoon, Senk, curly tail -- any or all can work at times. Typically the larger bass are hanging on the bottom below boils, that way they don't have to expend much energy to get a meal -- body parts come floating down to them.

This is definitely prime catfish season. For channels, think sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Not hearing much on the crappie front, but the speckled beauties should be congregated in larger schools, mostly over open water. Once you find them, live minnows and mini-jigs can do the trick.

Lake elevation is 2,107 feet and the lake level is 52 percent.

A full moon this week means fishing under lights will be a challenge, but night fishing is not out of the question. Predatory bass will be cruising the shallows at night looking for a meal. For night fishing, think vibration, silouhette and smell. I like using a black popper. I actually have a Pop R spray painted black. Sometimes I'll put on a cut-down Senko as a trailer -- when I quit chugging, the minuturized Senko flutters down. If you get a 3- to 5-pound bass blasting your popper at night during a full moon, it's an experience you'll not forget in this lifetime (or maybe even after).

Also starting to get some reports of topwater action at first and last light. Right now it seems like the boils are of short duration, but as a rule, the length and timing of the boils will continue increasing as we summer wains. By September, most of us will be fishing topwater off-and-on throughout the day.

Keep some flutter-down lures handy for when the boils subside. A spoon, Senk, curly tail -- any or all can work at times. Typically the larger bass are hanging on the bottom below boils, that way they don't have to expend much energy to get a meal -- body parts come floating down to them.

This is definitely prime catfish season. For channels, think sink bait. For flatheads, live bait such as bluegills or small carp work best. For channel catfish, try any stinkbait. Although you can catch channels during the day, the prime bite has likely shifted to the nighttime hours.

Not hearing much on the crappie front, but the speckled beauties should be congregated in larger schools, mostly over open water. Once you find them, live minnows and mini-jigs can do the trick.