| Bluegill-Short,deep-bodied
fish usually with parallel vertical bars on the sids. Has a small mouth.
Source of its name is the distinctive black or dark blue gill flap. Bluegill
occasionally reach large size ( Arizona record: 3 lbs. 5 oz. ), but overpopulate
and become stunted. Anglers can help prevent this by keeping all they
catch.Bluegill are easily caught by using earth worms, meal worms or bread
on No. 10 or smaller hook with a bobber. Will strike small jigs or flies.
.......No creel limit Average size: 4-8 inches |
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| Largemouth
Bass- Longer and not as deep-bodied as other sunfish.
Dark green on top shading to white on the belly. There is a wide, dark
mottled bar along the side. Feeds almost entirely on other fish. Can be
caught using lures that imitate natural prey - flies, poppers, plugs,
spoons, plastic worms - or natural bait - crayfish, worms, minnows. Fish
around rock piles, points and sumerged objects at dawn or dusk. Lunkersfrom
3-8 pounds are sometimes taken. Largemouth bass help control overpopulated,
stunted sunfish. Hardy, they may be caught and released many times. ...
Daily bag limit is 4 fish that must be a minimum of 13 inches, except
for Papago Ponds # 1-3 were the limit is 1 fish that must be a minimum
of 13 inches. Average size 10-15 inches. |
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| Crappie
- Flat - bodied fish with large dorsal and anal fins. Crappie mouths are
large and the head lengths are grater than other sunfish. Body is silvery
white and speckled with dark spots across the sids and fins.Feeds mostly
on threadfin shad and other small fish. Often caught on small minnows,
worms and jigs. Average size: 6-11 inches. No creel limit. |
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Tilapia
- Similar to bluegill and sunfish, execpt no dark
gill flap, large - headed, large mouth, with "broken" lateral
line on sides. Coloration highly variable, but body tending to be olivaceous
and red or iridescent blue tinges helpful in their control. Intolerant
of cold water temperatures - large nimbers may die during cold winter
months. Tilapia occasionally reach sizes from 1-2 pounds, but are very
prolific and overpopulate and become stunted. Higly competitive with bluegill
and largemouth bass. Anglers can help prevent this by keeping all they
catch.Good tasting. Tilapia are caught by using small earth worms or meal
worms on # 8 or smaller hook with a bobber. Will strike small jigs or
flies. Average size: 5-10 inches. No creel limite. |
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White
Amur ( grass carp ) - Similar to common carp only in color
( brassy yellow ) and large scales, Notable differences include no barbels
on bony mouth, no spine on a short dorsal fin or anal fin, more elongated,
tail darher and more deeply forked. These fish are highly effective biological
controls of nuisance weed and algae problems and were stocked for these
purposes. Lakes containing white amur are posted with advisory signs.
White amur can consume more than their body weight in aquatic weeds each
day. Although vegetarians, white amur will occasionally tahe various baits.Good
fighters. Anglers should exercise care to ensuresafe release of these
fish. A state record 40 pounder was caught in 1998 from Encanto Lake.
Average size: 15-30 inches. Daily creel limit is 1 fish that must be
a minimum of 30 inches. |
| Carp
- Anoften overlooked food and sport fish. Carp have large scales, two
small barbels on each side of fleshy mouth, and a large sawtoothed spine
at the front of a long, single dorsal fin and the anal fin. Color is brassy
yellow or gold. Use worms, corn or dough balls made with bread, cornmeal
or Wheaties with various flavors ( such as liver or anise ) added, and
fish on bottom. Catches of 8-15 pounders not uncommon. Good fighters.
Tasty when smoked. Average size 15-22 inches. No creel limite. |
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| Channel
Catfish - These fish have spines in the dorsal and pectoral
fins, long barbels about the mouth, and an adipose fin. Body is scaleless
amd the tail is deeply forked. Younger fish are silvery with black spots.
Older fish are blue-black above wiyh white bellies. Most offten caught
with worms, liver, shrimp, hot dogs or prepared "stink" baits
fished on the bottom at dusk, at night, or at dawn. Use sliding sinker,
No.2-6 hook. "Cats" stocked in Designated Urban Lakes average
1 1/2lbs., but 3-6 lb. lunkers are not uncommon. Bag and possession
limit 4 |
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| Rainbow Trout
- Arizona's most popular trout has very fine scales, an adipose fine and
a silvery body that goes from dark olive to black on top to silvery white
on the belly. Body and fins are spotted. Sides often have a horizontal
pink streak, hence its name. A coldwater fish, the rainbow trout does
not survive through the hot summer months in urban lakes. Can be caught
on salmon eggs, Power Bait, corn, worms and cheese using No.10 or 12 hook
and small weight or with a bobber. Also strikes small spinners and other
flashing lures as well as dry flies and nymph patterns. Designated Urban
Lakes are stocked with rainbow trout averaging over 1/3 pounds each. Occasional
catches of 2 -3 lb. fish occur. Stocked every other week from November
- March Average size: 9 - 14 inches. Bag and possession limit 4 for licensed
anglers and 2 for unlicensed juveniles and blind residents. |
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