Lake Pleasant near Anthem: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lake Pleasant is a Yavapai County water, in Arizona. Elevation runs to 1,683 feet. Surface area runs to some 14.4 sq miles, so a boat and a plan are both worth having. Around 53 miles of margin, so directions matter more than a general plan. Among the waters listed for Yavapai County, none is wider. 7.9 miles away sits Anthem, the nearest town. New River is 8.5 miles away, with Black Canyon City at 14 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lake Pleasant

  The books put it at 170 ft. Levels move with the draw rather than the rain on water like this. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Records collected within a few miles name striped bass, green sunfish, channel catfish, bluegill and white bass. Reported species tell you what lives around here, nothing more. At Lake Pleasant the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 89°F; by January the average is down near 52°F. Heat, not cold, shapes the year here. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. Plan around that when you fish Lake Pleasant. Falling water concentrates fish into the deeper parts.

• Tackle & Baits

  State or federal ownership covers this water. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Lower Lake, 3.8 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Lake Pleasant are worth checking on the day.