Riggs Flat 2012

[steraser]

Anyone been up there yet this year? I was thinking about going Sunday but haven't been able to find any info.

[Newby]

Be sure to let us know how it goes. This past fall the pH was high, the fish were lethargic and not eating much, and they hadn't stocked any rainbhows despite the stocking schedule- the pH was too high to introduce full size fish to that environment. There were quite a few browns, and some bigger ones, that had been stocked as fingerlings previously and were adapted to the water. The worst part was you could often see them swimming around in clear pockets near the numerous weed, just taunting me.....

I caught a few, but I saw some bigger fish in the 16" range, one I was certain would go 20", never even got a nibble from one over 14" (my biggest trout to date). Not certain how the snowpack was this year, it would require a pretty decent one to get that lake back in shape for stocking.

[steraser]

The AZGFD weekly report still lists the lake as closed for the winter (but there really aren't any Southern reports) and it is not scheduled for stocking for a few more weeks. I am probably going to go ahead and head up there with no expectations ;-) and see what happens. Maybe I can beat the crowds. I'll post a report.

[Big Tub]

I found out it opened up last Sunday on the 15th which is the earliest it is allowed to open by law. I called Fish Manager and he told me the pH = 8 now and the water situation was bad last fall so they did not stock; i.e., don't expect a lot of hold over fish. Consequently, I am not up there today and am using the time to get ready to go up to the White Mts the 1st week of May. I have tried to get up to Riggs Flat as soon as the gate opens for the last 25 years. The last time I went up when they did not fall stock, all we caught were fingerling -- very disappointing. But then again, Carl the camp host up there has said the fishing was great in the fall when G&F listed it as poor. Give us a report!

[herefishy]

What makes the PH high?

[Big Tub]

I think it has to do with decaying stuff. Where's those fish biologists when you need them?

[steraser]

Not a bad day. Only a couple baitchuckers and I caught a few nice brownies. Dropper/Dropper was the ticket. Dark Zebra Midges below a CJ seemed to be the trick. Best fish was on a black zebra midge. Lost the fly, my last one, a couple casts later. I tried some lighter colors with not much luck. The darkest ZM I had was a red. Worked nicely. The last fish of the day went for the CJ. Another fish was following the ZM for about 10'. I thought I was going to pull in two at once! Lots of snakes in the water today.

[dbaer70]

Great report! How was the road? I dont have a high clearance vehicle.

[steraser]

Originally Posted by dbaer70

Great report! How was the road? I dont have a high clearance vehicle.

Little bumpy but I think it would be doable in car. Just check your spare before you head up!

[Fish Manager]

The pH problem is caused by the high amount of vegetation and the lack of decent run off into the lake. The small watershed that relies mainly on snow pack for runoff can't be fixed. However we are going to begin to address the vegetation this year by introducing grass carp into the lake. It will take a season or two due to the short cycles at that altitude but they will eventually eat most of that veg getting it under control and we expect conditions to improve over time.

As for the lack of fishing reports for S. Az. Send them to me when you have them. While I'm responsible for writing the fishing report I rarely have time to fish myself and the report is only as good as the reports I get from the anglers. If you send me your reports I'll make sure they get in the fishing report and out to the public otherwise I generally don't have much unless I make it up and that just wouldn't be right!