Lake Pleasant Shore Fishing

alameel · April 17th, 2012, 10:35 PM

I am a new fisherman of a couple of months. I am trying to branch out from Urban fishing places and neighborhood ones as I haven't had too much success from these places - 1 catfish and some small sunfish. I did catch a 1 1/2 bass in the local litchfield park city lake, but last wk, the parks dept did something to "clean" the water and 100s of dead fish including 2ft carp were ending up on the sides of the lake.

I am planning to go to Lake Pleasant for the first time this weekend (closest to me as I live in Litchfield Park). I have no boat, so it's only shore fishing for me in the daytime.

My questions are what to expect to catch from the shore if anything and are there are fishing spots that seem to be productive? Is a dropshot rig the way to go this time of year or can I use crankbaits? If the AZGFD reports "stripers at 60ft" is that even anything thats possible from the shore? People use frozen anchovies for bait. Where do they get this - from an Asian grocery? I have sardines and mackerel I got while fishing a pier in San Diego - can I use this for chumming?

Sorry for the amount of questions.

Any recommendations would be helpful.

AZfisherman84 · April 18th, 2012, 07:29 AM

When you head up 74 turn at Castle Hot Springs and drive all the way to the end of the road and turn left go up the dirt road to the north end of the lake and fish either from the east bank or west bank of the bridge at Castle Creek, tons of dead trees sticking out of the water, try throwing some tubes, roboworms, white rooster tails, or a bluegill imitator, keep your colors bright as they are still spawning and you want it to look as intrusive as possible to get em nice n pissed off so they attack

AZfisherman84 · April 18th, 2012, 07:30 AM

Most likely gonna catch Bass, Catfish, or Carp from the shore

desertbird · April 18th, 2012, 07:48 AM

My addiction to fishing started shore fishing plez about this time of year probably 20 years ago. From this time of year till the end of May the fish (bass, whites, stripes, cats, carp) are pretty much migrating to the back of coves. If you have a 4x4 you can get into some really good spots on the north side of the lake away from the crowds of the south part of the lake. Castle Creek, Bass Bay, Coles, and Humbug all have good access points. Humbug will be a little limited on variety of things to fish from shore. My favorite was Castle Creek and Coles. Google earth and a gps will help you on roads, having a 4x4 is not necessary but will get you to a few more spots then without. Good Luck!

Basschump · April 18th, 2012, 08:04 AM

Wow! You guys must be getting soft. 3 responses and not once did you tell this new guy to go pound sand or sit on an M-80.
Refreshing.

Bundybass · April 18th, 2012, 10:26 AM

I used to do alot of shore fishing at plez, cant go wrong with watermelon and pumpkin senkos for bass,this time last year pulled 5 to 11lb cats out of cottonwood cove, liver, live blugill, live or dead shad. At coles nightcrawlers will catch you big blugill. As for striper, much easier to catch with a boat, depth finder and a grip of chovies, you can pick these up at certain walmarts, sportmans wearhouse, and the hood up.

bigfrog789 · April 18th, 2012, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertbird

My addiction to fishing started shore fishing plez about this time of year probably 20 years ago. From this time of year till the end of May the fish (bass, whites, stripes, cats, carp) are pretty much migrating to the back of coves. If you have a 4x4 you can get into some really good spots on the north side of the lake away from the crowds of the south part of the lake. Castle Creek, Bass Bay, Coles, and Humbug all have good access points. Humbug will be a little limited on variety of things to fish from shore. My favorite was Castle Creek and Coles. Google earth and a gps will help you on roads, having a 4x4 is not necessary but will get you to a few more spots then without. Good Luck!

FYI - No 4X4 required. People go back there in Corollas and Civics. Better off if you have some ground clearance but you can make it in 2WD no problem.

desertbird · April 18th, 2012, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertbird

My addiction to fishing started shore fishing plez about this time of year probably 20 years ago. From this time of year till the end of May the fish (bass, whites, stripes, cats, carp) are pretty much migrating to the back of coves. If you have a 4x4 you can get into some really good spots on the north side of the lake away from the crowds of the south part of the lake. Castle Creek, Bass Bay, Coles, and Humbug all have good access points. Humbug will be a little limited on variety of things to fish from shore. My favorite was Castle Creek and Coles. Google earth and a gps will help you on roads, having a 4x4 is not necessary but will get you to a few more spots then without. Good Luck!

Do people not read an entire post before they quote and reply

Yes, you can get to a lot of places on the northern access points in a car, but "having a 4x4 will get you to a few more spots then without."

bigfrog789 · April 18th, 2012, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertbird

Do people not read an entire post before they quote and reply

Yes, you can get to a lot of places on the northern access points in a car, but "having a 4x4 will get you to a few more spots then without."

Sorry dude I missed that part. My bad. I have yet to find anywhere on the north end of that lake that you cant get to with a 2wd truck with some ground clearance though unless its when the water is WAY low. Verde river is a WHOLE different story though (got my STUPID truck stuck out there once...).

alameel · April 18th, 2012, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basschump

Wow! You guys must be getting soft. 3 responses and not once did you tell this new guy to go pound sand or sit on an M-80.
Refreshing.

Thanks for the advice. I might try castle creek. I will try the explosives as well, but is this legal at Pleasant?

April 17th, 2012, 10:35 PM	#1
alameel Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 9	Lake Pleasant Shore Fishing I am a new fisherman of a couple of months. I am trying to branch out from Urban fishing places and neighborhood ones as I haven't had too much success from these places - 1 catfish and some small sunfish. I did catch a 1 1/2 bass in the local litchfield park city lake, but last wk, the parks dept did something to "clean" the water and 100s of dead fish including 2ft carp were ending up on the sides of the lake. I am planning to go to Lake Pleasant for the first time this weekend (closest to me as I live in Litchfield Park). I have no boat, so it's only shore fishing for me in the daytime. My questions are what to expect to catch from the shore if anything and are there are fishing spots that seem to be productive? Is a dropshot rig the way to go this time of year or can I use crankbaits? If the AZGFD reports "stripers at 60ft" is that even anything thats possible from the shore? People use frozen anchovies for bait. Where do they get this - from an Asian grocery? I have sardines and mackerel I got while fishing a pier in San Diego - can I use this for chumming? Sorry for the amount of questions. Any recommendations would be helpful.

April 18th, 2012, 07:29 AM	#2
AZfisherman84 Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: N.Phoenix Posts: 118	When you head up 74 turn at Castle Hot Springs and drive all the way to the end of the road and turn left go up the dirt road to the north end of the lake and fish either from the east bank or west bank of the bridge at Castle Creek, tons of dead trees sticking out of the water, try throwing some tubes, roboworms, white rooster tails, or a bluegill imitator, keep your colors bright as they are still spawning and you want it to look as intrusive as possible to get em nice n pissed off so they attack

April 18th, 2012, 07:30 AM	#3
AZfisherman84 Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: N.Phoenix Posts: 118	Most likely gonna catch Bass, Catfish, or Carp from the shore

April 18th, 2012, 07:48 AM	#4
desertbird Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 769	My addiction to fishing started shore fishing plez about this time of year probably 20 years ago. From this time of year till the end of May the fish (bass, whites, stripes, cats, carp) are pretty much migrating to the back of coves. If you have a 4x4 you can get into some really good spots on the north side of the lake away from the crowds of the south part of the lake. Castle Creek, Bass Bay, Coles, and Humbug all have good access points. Humbug will be a little limited on variety of things to fish from shore. My favorite was Castle Creek and Coles. Google earth and a gps will help you on roads, having a 4x4 is not necessary but will get you to a few more spots then without. Good Luck!

April 18th, 2012, 08:04 AM	#5
Basschump Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Finally.... Mesa Arizona Posts: 1,291	Wow! You guys must be getting soft. 3 responses and not once did you tell this new guy to go pound sand or sit on an M-80. Refreshing.

April 18th, 2012, 10:26 AM	#6
Bundybass Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 171	I used to do alot of shore fishing at plez, cant go wrong with watermelon and pumpkin senkos for bass,this time last year pulled 5 to 11lb cats out of cottonwood cove, liver, live blugill, live or dead shad. At coles nightcrawlers will catch you big blugill. As for striper, much easier to catch with a boat, depth finder and a grip of chovies, you can pick these up at certain walmarts, sportmans wearhouse, and the hood up.