Fishing at Hole Reservoir, Coconino County, Arizona

• Overview

  Hole Reservoir lies within the bounds of Coconino County, Arizona. It sits in dry open country. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Some 19 miles away sits Tuba City, the nearest settlement. Deer Valley sits 185 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Hole Reservoir

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Points where the flooded channel swings in are the reliable ones. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Open biodiversity records for Coconino County list brown trout, common carp and flannelmouth sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. The shape of Hole Reservoir rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 75°F on average, January about 33°F. A lid forms in a hard winter only. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. April and May are the settled weeks, with October close behind. Plan any trip to Hole Reservoir around it. A cold snap sets things back for several days.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Big Reservoir, 9 miles out. Ask locally about Hole Reservoir if anything is unclear.