Fishing at Victory Lake, Coconino County, Arizona

• Overview

  Coconino County, Arizona, is where Victory Lake sits. Height above sea level is 6,253 feet. Start from Parks, 24 miles down the road. After that come Flagstaff at 25 miles and Kachina Village at 32 miles. If this one is busy: Babbitt Lake (4.5 miles), Crater Lake lies 10 miles on, Walker Lake (11 miles), Bismarck Lake lies 13 miles on and Dog Knobs Lake (14 miles). It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Victory Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Coconino County cover brown trout, common carp, flannelmouth sucker and bluehead sucker. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Victory Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 70°F and January near 30°F on the long-run figures. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Victory Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records show it does not hold water year-round. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. 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. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Babbitt Lake at 4.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Victory Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.