Crater Lake, Arizona: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Coconino County, Arizona, this is Crater Lake. The setting is rolling hill on every side. At 19 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The full circuit measures close to 1.2 miles on foot. The closest town, LeChee, is 29 miles distant. The big place round here is Deer Valley, 96 miles distant. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Crater Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for Coconino County include brown trout, common carp, flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker and green sunfish. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Crater Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 31°F in January. Some winters cap it and some do not. It is not guaranteed even in a cold spell, so check yourself. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. On Crater Lake that shapes the whole year. Autumn cools the shallows first, so work deeper as it goes on.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Pratt Tank sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Crater Lake may have changed since it was mapped.