Woods Canyon Lake, Arizona: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Arizona holds Woods Canyon Lake, in Gila County. The bank is 7,533 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 61 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. With about 1.7 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. The closest town, Star Valley, is 19 miles distant. After that come Sun Valley at 19 miles and Heber-Overgaard at 22 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Woods Canyon Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Standing timber shows when the level drops, and fish sit against it. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Biodiversity records within roughly six miles include green sunfish, smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Woods Canyon Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 28°F for January. Seasons here are moderate, and the fishing runs most of the year. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Woods Canyon Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. You can leave the car about 130 yards from the water. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. A picnic area is mapped about half a mile away. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Carr Lake is 3.3 miles off.