Walker Lake, Arizona: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Coconino County, Arizona, is where Walker Lake sits. It sits at 8,199 feet above sea level. It sits higher than most water we list in Arizona. Some 14 miles away sits Flagstaff, the nearest settlement. The nearest city of size is Deer Valley, 121 miles away. Within a short drive: Bismarck Lake 2.1 miles off, Crater Lake about 4.8 miles, Crater Lake 5.3 miles off, Flagstaff City Reservoirs about 11 miles and Victory Lake 11 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Walker Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Records held for Coconino County cover brown trout, common carp, flannelmouth sucker, bluehead sucker and green sunfish. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Walker Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 58°F and January near 25°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from late April until about early December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Walker Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A camping area sits within 0.9 miles of here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Bismarck Lake, 2.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Walker Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.