08/17/2026
🎣 SPORTSMAN’S WAREHOUSE
NORTHERN ARIZONA FISHING REPORT
FLAGSTAFF • WILLIAMS • HIGH-COUNTRY LAKES
AUGUST 17–23, 2026
🔥 THIS WEEK’S BOTTOM LINE
Warm afternoons + cool mountain nights + daily monsoon storms = FISH EARLY!
The Northern Arizona bite is a three-ring circus right now:
🎣 TROUT: Best at first light, deeper/cooler water, and after weather changes
🐟 BASS: Active around w**ds, timber, rocky points and shade
😼 CATFISH: Increasingly the after-dark MVP
July AZGFD readings showed Williams-area lakes ranging from roughly 67°F at City Reservoir to 75°F at Dogtown, with warmwater species active. Cataract, Dogtown, Kaibab, City Reservoir and Santa Fe all offer combinations of trout, bass and/or channel catfish.
Translation: If your bait has been sitting untouched for 45 minutes, the fish may not be “finicky.” They may simply be laughing at you.
⭐ TOP 10 TACKLE PICKS
1. 🟢 BERKLEY POWERBAIT
Trout: Rainbow, chartreuse, garlic or similar
Fish it on a sliding egg-sinker rig 12–24 inches above bottom.
2. ⚪ ROOSTER TAIL / INLINE SPINNER
Trout: White, chartreuse, black or silver
Cast and retrieve slowly at first light. Great for covering shoreline water.
3. 🥄 KASTMASTER-STYLE SPOON
Trout: 1/12–1/4 oz., silver, gold or blue/silver
Long casts and a slow-to-medium retrieve. Let the spoon do the shiny stuff.
4. 🦗 JOE’S FLY / SMALL SPINNER
Trout: Excellent search bait
Add a small amount of split shot when fish are deeper.
5. 🪱 NIGHTCRAWLERS
Trout + Catfish: The Northern Arizona universal translator.
Use whole or half worms depending on target size.
6. 🟤 FINESSE WORM / SENKO-STYLE PLASTIC
Bass: Green pumpkin, watermelon, black
Texas-rig it around cover or fish weightless along w**d edges.
7. 🟣 NED RIG
Bass: Green pumpkin, brown, black
Small profile for pressured fish around rocky banks and points.
8. 🟢 SPINNERBAIT
Bass: White/chartreuse or white
Best early, late, cloudy and around wind-blown structure.
9. 🐟 SMALL CRANKBAIT / MINNOW BAIT
Bass: Natural perch, shad or trout colors
Work rocky points, timber and w**d edges.
10. 🧀 CATFISH BAIT
Catfish: Stink bait, dough bait, cut bait or nightcrawler
Fish deeper water, creek-channel edges and soft-bottom areas after sunset.
🧰 TOP TERMINAL TACKLE
TROUT KIT
[ ] 4–8 lb monofilament or light fluorocarbon leader
[ ] Size 8–14 bait-holder/single hooks
[ ] 1/8–1/4 oz. egg sinkers
[ ] Small barrel swivels
[ ] Size 10–14 treble hooks for appropriate lures
[ ] Assorted split shot
[ ] Small slip bobbers
BASS KIT
[ ] 8–12 lb fluorocarbon
[ ] 1/16–1/4 oz. worm/Ned jigheads
[ ] 1/0–3/0 EWG hooks
[ ] 1/8–3/16 oz. bullet weights
[ ] Weedless hooks
[ ] Small swivels and snaps
CATFISH KIT
[ ] 10–20 lb main line
[ ] 1/2–1 oz. egg or no-roll sinkers
[ ] Size 2–2/0 circle or bait-holder hooks
[ ] Barrel swivels
[ ] 12–24 inch leader
[ ] Glow sticks or bite indicators for the night shift
🏆 TOP LAKES & BEST BETS
🥇 DOGTOWN LAKE — WILLIAMS
BEST BET: TROUT + BASS
AZGFD reported trout, largemouth bass and black crappie being caught. The lake was around 75°F in the July report, so expect trout to favor cooler periods while bass remain comfortable in warmwater patterns. Boat launching can be challenging because of low water; only a single electric motor is permitted.
GAME PLAN:
First light → Rooster Tail/spoon for trout.
After sunrise → work bass around cover, points and shade.
Cloudy/monsoon conditions → keep the spinnerbait handy.
🥈 CATARACT LAKE — WILLIAMS
BEST BET: MULTI-SPECIES
One of the best “something should bite” choices. AZGFD reported trout, largemouth bass and other warmwater species active, with rainbow trout stocked in July.
GAME PLAN:
Morning trout on worms/spinners.
As the sun climbs, switch to bass plastics around structure.
After dark, try deeper water for channel cats.
🥉 KAIBAB LAKE — WILLIAMS
BEST BET: TROUT + BASS + CATFISH
AZGFD lists limits of 2 bass, 4 channel catfish and 4 trout, with a 13-inch minimum for bass. The lake is very low, making boat launching difficult. Only a single ≤10-hp motor or single electric motor is allowed.
GAME PLAN:
Fish accessible shoreline first. Work deeper water with bait for trout/cats and rocky/covered areas for bass.
🎯 CITY RESERVOIR — WILLIAMS
BEST BET: EASY MULTI-SPECIES OPTION
July conditions showed cooler water than several Williams lakes, at about 67°F. AZGFD lists trout, bass, channel catfish and sunfish opportunities.
GAME PLAN:
PowerBait/worms for trout.
Plastic worms for bass.
Bottom bait near deeper water for cats.
🌲 FLAGSTAFF AREA
UPPER LAKE MARY
BEST BET: BIG VARIETY
Upper Lake Mary is the area's unusual multi-species card: northern pike, walleye, trout, perch and catfish are all possibilities. Summer patterns generally favor early morning for trout and low-light periods for predators.
GAME PLAN:
🎣 Dawn: trout around deeper/cooler water
🐊 Low light: work w**d edges and structure for predators
😼 Evening: try deeper channels for catfish
BONUS: Low lake levels can concentrate fish, but launching can be difficult.
ASHURST LAKE
BEST BET: TROUT
Ashurst remains primarily a trout play. AZGFD reported that warming water had slowed trout fishing and recommended early morning and roughly 6–12 feet of water.
GAME PLAN:
Be there before breakfast.
Try PowerBait, worms, small spinners and spoons.
Move deeper as the sun rises.
KINNIKINICK LAKE
BEST BET: TROUT
A strong choice when the goal is simply “I would like a trout to ruin my perfectly good fishing story.”
Kinnikinick received tiger trout stocking in July according to AZGFD's stocking report.
GAME PLAN:
Small spinners, spoons, worms and flies. Fish moving water/inlets and work different depths before abandoning a productive-looking area.
⛈️ MONSOON GAME PLAN
AUG. 17–23
Expect a classic late-summer Northern Arizona pattern:
MORNING: Cooler + more stable → ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
MIDDAY: Warmer + slower → ⭐⭐⭐
AFTERNOON: Clouds/storm potential → ⭐⭐⭐⭐
EVENING: Cooling + predator activity → ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Flagstaff forecast calls for repeated afternoon/evening thunderstorm chances through the week, with temperatures gradually easing toward the weekend.
⚠️ WEATHER RULE
When thunder is close: rods down, boat off the water, angler under shelter.
Lightning is a much better way to get “charged up” than catching a bass.
🎯 THE BEST 4-HOUR GAME PLAN
5:30–7:30 AM — TROUT TIME
Start with:
PowerBait • worm • Rooster Tail • Kastmaster
Fish cooler water, points, inlets and deeper edges.
7:30–10:00 AM — BASS TIME
Switch to:
Texas-rigged worm • Senko-style plastic • Ned rig • spinnerbait
Target:
shade • w**ds • timber • rocks • drop-offs
10:00 AM–SUNSET — ADJUST
If trout activity fades, don't keep throwing the same lure at the same fish like you're trying to negotiate with them.
Move deeper, slow down or change species.
SUNSET–MIDNIGHT — CATFISH TIME
Break out:
nightcrawler • stink bait • dough bait • cut bait
Fish bottom structure, channels and deeper soft-bottom areas.
🥇 IF I COULD PACK ONLY 5 THINGS…
1. PowerBait
2. Rooster Tail
3. Kastmaster spoon
4. Green-pumpkin finesse worm
5. Nightcrawler + catfish rig
That little pile can cover a ridiculous amount of Northern Arizona water.
📍 QUICK-PICK CHART
WATER TROUT BASS CATFISH BEST WINDOW
Dogtown ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Dawn / Evening
Cataract ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dawn / After dark
Kaibab ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dawn / Night
City Reservoir ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐ Morning
Upper Lake Mary ⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐* ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dawn / Evening
Ashurst ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ Early AM
Kinnikinick ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — — Morning / Low light
*Upper Lake Mary is better known locally for northern pike/walleye than conventional bass fishing.
🎣 FINAL VERDICT
BEST OVERALL: CATARACT LAKE
Multi-species opportunity + trout stocking + bass/catfish potential.
BEST TROUT BET: KINNIKINICK / ASHURST
Get there early and fish cooler water.
BEST BASS BET: DOGTOWN / CATARACT
Throw plastics around structure once the sun gets up.
BEST NIGHT BITE: KAIBAB / CATARACT / UPPER LAKE MARY
Bring bait, patience and a headlamp.
BEST “TAKE THE FAMILY” APPROACH: CITY RESERVOIR
Simple bait presentations and multiple species give everyone something to chase.
TIGHT LINES — AND MAY YOUR FISHING PARTNER BE THE ONE WHO GETS THE FIRST BITE.
Conditions and access can change quickly. Check current AZGFD regulations, lake access, boat restrictions and stocking information before fishing. AZGFD notes that stocking dates are tentative and can change with conditions.
LOCAL TACKLE STOP: Sportsman's Warehouse — Flagstaff, 2231 E Rte 66.
