TUCSON URBAN — Lakeside, Kennedy, Silverbell and Sahuarita, were stocked with channel catfish last week. Try chicken liver, worms, hot dogs or prepared catfish bait. These lakes also have aggressive, fast growing, tasty, hybrid sunfish. Fishing for sunfish has been good. Use mealworms and earthworms and a small hook, size 10 or smaller, under a bobber set at 3 to 5 feet. Buy a two-pole stamp and try different baits to double your odds
An angler at Surprise Lake used spoiled deer meet to catch a two-foot-long catfish. An angler at Canal Park used shrimp to catch-and-release 15 catfish, with half of them around 3 pounds
Lakeside, Kennedy, Silverbell and Sahuarita, will be stocked with channel catfish this week. These lakes also have aggressive, fast growing, tasty, hybrid sunfish. Fishing for sunfish has been good. Use mealworms and earthworms and a small hook, size 10 or smaller, under a bobber set at 3 to 5 feet.
Fishing for catfish is rated good to excellent at the various Urban Program lakes in both the Tucson and Phoenix areas. Top baits include stink baits, shrimp, hot dogs, and worms fished on the bottom. The catfish are biting best in the evenings and early morning periods. Sunfish are biting well at most lakes using small worms or meal worms. More sunfish will be stocked the week of May 24-29, just in time for the beginning of summer vacation for the kids. Fishing at Green Valley lakes (Payson) is fair for trout, with bass, bluegill and crappie action rated as good.
excessive violations of fish limits are consistantly broken by elderly fisherman I have witnessed these violations ferquently over many years. When are you going to put a stop to this,some of them are taking as many as 30 fish per day or they pull four then leave and return in as little as one hour and do it several times a day and if that isnt bad enough they return daily to be sure that any fish that remain are also caught. I have been checked many times for my liscense, but not once has anyone checked my stringer or cooler for one I catch and release. I fish for the sport of it but Im sure many working men would enjoy catching a few at silverbell after a hard week at work, but unfortunately a few as many as 20 seem to think that they will get them all and the heck with the rest of us please some serious attention needs to be comitted to this problem Thankyou
We were there for a couple hours, just before closing. No luck, just one or two nibbles. We were using power bait, worms, and stink bait. One person nearby caught a decent sized catfish.
Silverbell has been stocked with channel catfish. There will be no further stockings until September. Try chicken liver, worms, hot dogs or prepared catfish bait. These lakes also have aggressive, fast growing, tasty, hybrid sunfish. Fishing for sunfish has been good. Use mealworms and earthworms and a small hook, size 10 or smaller, under a bobber set at 3 to 5 feet. Buy a two-pole stamp and try different baits to double your odds.
The lake looked clear, but the water level was down about two feet. It takes a good cast to get your bait out to where the deep water is. Overall nice lake, close parking, barbecues, and tables to sit on.
We fished from a boat at many different points. We tried stink bait, worms and small lures. Not one bite. We talked to many people and no one was having any luck. The lake was suppose to have been stocked between the 4th and 9th. Guess they were hiding.
the fish were as big as 2-3 pound range not great but catchable mostly just blugill{small, not 2-3 pounds}but the were ok if u like to mess around with 'em..they'er biten on enything bright and makes a splash. cat fish are ok too they bite on rotten meat{not good 4 people with short tempers or no patiants}they take awile to find it and acually take it.bass,not many of 'em @ all 1 or 2 in that whole lake i swear and not even decent sized{surpise lake u need to stock alot of bass and trout}{ya' know good fighten fish,worth catchen}any way its good fishin if ur not lookin for trophy's or fish to eat...thumbs in the middle
I went fishing today, during the day. I caught just one 1 lb. catfish. It was about 4:00 pm, when a guy down the way from me arrived. He caught about a 7-8 lb catfish in his first 20 min. of fishing. I left at 6:15pm and he caught 5 catfish from 4 lb.-8lb. I never seen anything like it before..Surprise, surprise there are some big fish in this lake. Good luck for all you anglers.
First, let me explain that the number of fish is from the last two current trips and the date is when this is being posted. The first trip was Oct. 27 and the number of fish caught was three. They were bass (to my surprise) that hit a topwater during the evening. Two were above size limit and the other was released. The last trip was Oct. 29 and I caught three catfish using small bluegill I caught and cut in half. All the fish I had were about the same size (4-5 lbs). There was one person that got a 7-8 pounder. I had also tried for cats the day I caught the bass but no luck and nobody else did either which makes me believe the good fishing came from being stocked the night before or that morning. I hope my babaling is usefull. Good Luck!
WE DROVE UP FROM SIERRA VISTA TO TRY OUR LUCK AT THIS LAKE. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS STOCKED WITH GOOD SIZED TROUT. WE TRIED POWER BAIT, SALMON EGGS, AND EVEN TRIED NIGHTCRAWLERS. WE SAW 2 FISH PULLED OUT OF THE LAKE FROM 6:30 AM TO 12:30 PM. THIS IS A VERY NICE, CLEAN PLACE TO FISH EXPECIALLY WITH YOUR KIDS. I JUST WISH THE FISHING REPORTS WERE UPDATED AND ACCURATE.........
No surprises in this lake. People around me were catching little bitty bluegill, they were using anything from cheese, corn, to small shiny lures...As for me and my fishing buddy...Nothing! We were using meal worms, and regular worms...no bites with the reg worms, but a few bites with the meal worms. I was there from about 4:30pm until 6:30 (a little before sundown and a little after sundown)...the water seems pretty clear, but around the bank beware there is a very slow decent with lots of mud, and prepare to get a little muddy. There were about 15 others there fishing in different spots, but I didn't see anything worth splashin about. Any news on the recent stocking of incentive fish???
I arrived at the lake at 1:00 Had my limit by 3:30 Fished the south bank with power bait and Bobber Cats were small but the trout were good size Good fishin'
Sunny skies and warm weather make this an ideal time to get out and fish: Be sure to get a 2005 license. will be stocked with rainbow trout this week. Try Power Bait, salmon eggs, corn or cheese. Fishing for sunfish has been good. Use mealworms and earthworms on a small hook, size 10 or smaller, under a bobber set at 3 to 5 feet. These lakes also have aggressive, fast-growing, tasty, hybrid sunfish. Buy a two-pole stamp and try different baits to double your odds
Bummer that City of Tucson won't do what it takes to get the lake back in shape in a timely basis so they can restock it. The whole summer is blown without any restocks of fish. I realize that there are other issues for City of Tucson but whomever is in charge of this issue really is inconsiderate of the many people that fish at Silverbell Lake.
Steve, when you say that there are "people that frequently violate the laws and walk away with 10 to 30 trout and hiding them in coolers in their cars or leaving for an hour or two and come back, I have seen this many times", I think that you should be reporting them. OPERATION GAME THIEF
1-800-352-0700 would likely take your report or tell you who to call.
Art
I like to go to this lake. It is somewhat stinky and I never catch anything, however, it is nice, well-kept and safe. Beautiful birds, mature trees, easy access make it a blast.
I wish there was more fish and the water was not so yellow.
catfishing is nice keep it simple with worms for some reason it was preferred over my homemade stink bait and no need to cast far i got my fish near shore.
Silverbell lake is scenic and a pretty good place for family fun. I fish the lake regularly because it is close to home, but I really consider it more casting practice than fishing. Rarely do I catch anything here. I have heard that there are bass in the lake, but I am not sure I believe it. I have seen folks do pretty well with trout right after stocking. And cats seems to be popular with many of the folks who fish the lake. Personally I don't care to fish for cats; if I wanted to sit and stare into space for hours, I would do it a home in comfort. Even though the fishing is usually hopless, Silverbell is still a nice place to spend a few hours.
This lake is in dyer need of a aeration system. I have been fishing here for 14 years and I have never caught my limit (4 trout)in one day. More times than less I have sat there all day without even getting a nibble and I have used all different kinds of bait. What bothers me the most are the people that frequently violate the laws and walk away with 10 to 30 trout and hiding them in coolers in their cars or leaving for an hour or two and come back, I have seen this many times. I love this lake, please do something about the law breakers.
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