Fishing in
Arizona
12,590 named waters · 11 stocked in the last 30 days
Desert reservoirs like Lake Powell, Lake Pleasant, and Roosevelt Lake carry Arizona's bass and striper fishing, while the high country around the White Mountains gets regular trout stockings that hold up through summer heat. The Colorado River corridor adds striped bass and catfish to a state most people don't associate with fishing at all.
Arizona holds 12,590 fishable waters on the books. AZGFD has logged 530 stockings in the last year, led by rainbow trout. The biggest water in the state is Lake Havasu at 18,560 acres.
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When does Arizona stock?
Stocking peaks in March and May, going by every record on the books.
Scheduled ahead
Aug 3, 2026 — Woods Canyon Lake · Rainbow Trout
Aug 3, 2026 — West Fork Black River · Rainbow Trout
Aug 3, 2026 — Show Low Creek · Rainbow Trout
Aug 3, 2026 — Willow Springs Lake · Rainbow Trout
Aug 3, 2026 — East Fork Black River · Rainbow Trout
Aug 3, 2026 — City Reservoir · Rainbow Trout
Published schedule — agencies adjust for weather and water.
What you'll catch here
- Rainbow Trout36 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Bear Canyon LakeRainbow TroutJul 27, 2026
- West Fork Black RiverRainbow TroutJul 27, 2026
- Woods Canyon LakeRainbow TroutJul 27, 2026
- East Fork Black RiverRainbow TroutJul 27, 2026
- Willow Springs LakeRainbow TroutJul 27, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- Haigler Creek19× stocked
- East Verde River18× stocked
- Christopher Creek18× stocked
- Woods Canyon Lake12× stocked
- Willow Springs Lake12× stocked
- Parker Canyon Lake11× stocked
- Cataract Lake11× stocked
- Verde River10× stocked
- Roper Lake10× stocked
- Dankworth Pond10× stocked
Biggest waters
- Lake Havasu18,560 ac
- Spednic Lake17,923 ac
- San Carlos Reservoir13,059 ac
- Theodore Roosevelt Lake9,788 ac
- Lake Pleasant9,216 ac
- Mormon Lake4,904 ac
- Alamo Lake3,058 ac
- Goose Lake2,729 ac
Major rivers
- Salt Riverorder 8 · ~2,853 cfs
- Gila Riverorder 8 · ~1,814 cfs
- Little Colorado Riverorder 8 · ~1,310 cfs
- Bill Williams Riverorder 8 · ~257 cfs
- Santa Cruz Riverorder 8 · ~254 cfs
- Saint John Riverorder 7 · ~11,268 cfs
- Verde Riverorder 7 · ~964 cfs
- San Francisco Riverorder 7 · ~447 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Coconino (3,235) · Yavapai (1,709) · Gila (1,184) · Apache (1,058) · Navajo (925) · Mohave (899) · Greenlee (621) · Pima (572) · Graham (552) · Maricopa (515) · Cochise (334) · Pinal (328) · Santa Cruz (292) · Yuma (263) · La Paz (101) · Unknown (2)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Arizona's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
Arizona fishing — FAQ
Where does Arizona stock fish?+
AZGFD logged 530 stockings across Arizona in the last year, led by rainbow trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does Arizona stock fish?+
Stocking in Arizona peaks in March and May, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in Arizona?+
Yes — Arizona requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Arizona?+
Arizona has 12,590 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.