Deer Lake Fishing near Star Valley, Arizona

• Overview

  Within Coconino County, Arizona, you have Deer Lake. It sits in farm and woodlot. This is a pocket water of some 11 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The town to know is Star Valley, 20 miles out. Scottsdale is the closest city, 82 miles away. Other water within reach: 3.5 miles away is Carr Lake, Bear Canyon Lake about 3.5 miles, 3.9 miles away is Woods Canyon Lake Three about 6.4 miles and 7 miles away is Lake One. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open occurrence data for the surrounding area lists bluehead sucker, brook trout and brown trout. That is what has been logged nearby, not a stocking list, so check local rules before you plan around any one species. Read Deer Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 65°F on average, January about 28°F. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Deer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It is recorded as intermittent, which means the basin empties in dry spells. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Carr Lake, 3.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Deer Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.