Mingus Lake Fishing in Yavapai County, Arizona

• Overview

  Out in Yavapai County, Arizona, sits Mingus Lake. The bank gives way to mixed woodland. A pocket of water where every cast reaches cover. It is a small entry by Yavapai County standards. Clarkdale at 6.5 miles is the nearest place to stop. For a city, Deer Valley is 70 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Mingus Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name green sunfish, desert sucker and sonora sucker. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Mingus Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 71°F and January near 36°F. A long season, with weather mattering more than the month. Some winters give nothing at all, so plan for open water. Late winter often fishes better here than midsummer does. Time your trip to Mingus Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. Public mapping marks it as seasonal water rather than permanent. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. There are picnic tables half a mile away. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Where Mingus Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.