Ruby Lakes Fishing in Santa Cruz County, Arizona

• Overview

  The Santa Cruz County entry here is Ruby Lakes, in Arizona. The water sits 3,957 feet up. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. Our Santa Cruz County list holds plenty of bigger water. The nearest town is Rio Rico, 16 miles away. Further out sit Tubac (16 miles) and Nogales (19 miles). It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Ruby Lakes

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public wildlife records from this area list green sunfish, desert sucker, rainbow trout, sonora chub and longfin dace. Check the state or provincial list before planning around one species. Ruby Lakes fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 78°F, while January sits near 48°F. Heat sets the pattern from late spring onward. Late winter and spring fish steadiest here. Spring and autumn carry the year; summer squeezes it into the ends of the day. Ruby Lakes runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records show it does not hold water year-round. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Oro Blanco Reservoir at 4.5 miles is the sensible second choice. For Ruby Lakes in particular, ask before you travel.