New to Yuma? Follow these hints, tips to catch fish
Might you be new to Yuma and in need of some hints on where to fish as well as learn what baits are working at the various water locations near Yuma? It also might help to try some baits and tactics that others have had success with catching fish.
One good idea to try is to get together with other fishermen in the Yuma area as well as with local fishing organizations that have a lot of anglers with plenty of fishing tricks up their sleeves. Visit local sports shops — Sportsman’s Hideaway is a good one to visit (behind Baron Fuels on 16th Street as you head east out of town). The shop has an endless array of fishing equipment — anything you might need or want to help you catch fish with people willing to share their knowledge.
High Endurance Outdoors essentials has some good suggestions that might be worth trying. Check out plastic baits — from worms to lizards to soft twitch baits — all deadly on bass; their pliability gives them a lifelike action and soft texture feels like the real deal in a bass’ mouth. Rigged weedless, they can be fished in almost any cover. Jigs tantalize moody bass. Tipped with a plastic craw or pork trailer, they make first rate crawfish imitations. Hop them along the bottom, yo-yo them through the weeds, swim them shallow or vertically jig them deep. A spinnerbaits flash, color and vibration drive aggressive bass crazy. These are excellent prospecting lures and their nearly snagless design lets you work the weeds and brush. Plugs and crankbaits Jean Wilson shine when bass are active and especially when they’re feeding on baitfish. Pick the model that runs at the depth fish are holding. Go topwater when the surface is calm and fish are feeding. Pop a popper, chug a chugger, jerk a jerkbaits or buzz a buzz bait — then wait for the water to explode. Bait fish, crawfish, night crawlers, frogs and water dogs can catch bass when artificials cannot. Rig live baits with a bobber, a bottombouncing rig, a spin-rig or use them to tip your jigs or spinnerbaits.
Find what works and go with it. If bass are nailing brown pig-and-jig combos at 6-10 feet off a steep, rocky point, there’s a good chance bass at similar points will do the same. When the pattern changes, change with it. Also remember, shallow bass are hungry bass. Hit gradually sloping points, shallow humps, flats and shallow water adjacent to river channels. Work ambush cover with spinnerbaits, Texas-rigged worms, shallow-running crankbaits, minnow plugs, and topwater lures, early and late summer low-light times. For deep water bass on summer days, use a depth finder and hit steep points and ledges drop-offs, deep humps, and the outside bends of water channels. Check next week’s column for some tricks to work with for summer fishing with channel and flathead catfish tricks, coming soon for fishing times when our monsoons really hit with a vengeance.
Fishing clubs
• Desert Bass Anglers “The Fun Way to Fish”: I’ll report the July 7 tournament results next week or call Mac or Bobbi McDermott at 726-1984. The club reminds us to keep our live-well in good condition — check it often so those fish will be kept in good shape after weigh-in to be returned to the water for catching next time. Keeping “you” cool as well is also a necessity when fishing so you can come back a next time. Note from Mac & Bobbi: Because of the early summer hours of tournaments, lights are now required at launch to prevent close calls at the boat ramp. Don’t violate the light rule — we’d like to maintain our no accidents or injuries record.
• Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club: Be sure to get in on the July 14-15 Bob Hefner Memorial Bass/Season Finale 2-day derby with fishing out of Fisher’s Landing on Saturday, Mittry Lake on July 15. Details will be forthcoming or call Clint Fraser at 580-3231 or Danny Woods at 4488476. Get ready, too, for the Catfish Derby July 21 with chairs Glenda and Donny Hazlett. Call Glenda at 5800440, Donny at 581-2063. Attend the July 11 meeting at American Le- gion Hall, 2575 S. Virginia Drive, with
dinner at 6:30 p.m., the meeting at 7 p.m. to get all the particulars on the fishing front.
• Desert Draw Series Pro/Am Bass Fishing Club: After checking my records, I find I’m late in reporting the club’s last tournament in May. Sorry, not intentional! It seems the first place winner was Curtis Cernik with his 14.74 lb. bag as well as taking the first place big fish honors with his 4.15 lb. bass. Good fishin’, Curtis! Be sure to call Michael Obney at (928) 750-7081 to sign up or for information on the July 23 tournament launching out of Fisher’s Landing.
• Yuma High School Bass Fishing Club: A great way for any high schooler to learn all about fishing for bass. Members of both the Yuma Valley Rod and Gun Club and Desert Bass Anglers assist the kids in providing them with boats and equipment as well as guiding the youngsters, both guys and gals, in gaining a share of fishing know-how’s. Call Terry Hurt, school sponsor, at 580-6567 or visit StudentAnglerFoundation.com interested high school student will be a part of an exciting year for our next generation of anglers at Fisher’s Landing/Martinez Lake. This bunch of super young people also help others with their fishing along the way by assisting at local youth events.
I’ll have a complete report soon of the Arizona State High School Bass Fishing with results from these great youngsters who competed in the nationals. Huge thanks to all the adult fishermen in Yuma who have coached these youngsters along the way. A winning combination for sure!
Hunt happenings
• Water for wildlife: The AZ Game and Fish Department reports, “Arizona is in its 21st year of long-term drought. For wildlife, this means less drinking water and a bigger fight for survival, especially during dry summers. AZGFD receives no general fund dollars from the state, which means we must rely on generous people like you to help fund these much-needed efforts. How can you help? Text SENDWATER to 41444 to contribute toward the departments watering project. 100 percent of the proceeds go to on-the-ground conservation efforts. Visit AZWildlifeHero.com to learn more about how the agency’s conservation efforts are paying off, and how you can help keep the great outdoors great.” As I’ve said before, Game and Fish personnel with the assistance of volunteers are ‘busting their butts’ daily to keep water available to our wildlife so they can survive — your donation in any amount would be much appreciated.
• Protect your canyon: You can help! A reminder of the current 20-year uranium mining mineral withdrawal surrounding the Grand
The main purpose of this withdrawal is to study the complex hydrogeology of this region and produce a scientific report declaring what type of impact uranium mining would have on the habitat and wildlife.
Secretary Ryan Zinke is looking to lift this uranium withdrawal prematurely and bring mining back before this study by the USGS team
Trout Unlimited and the Arizona Wildlife Federation are launching a campaign to gather support and show Zinke that this area is too fragile and benefits too many public land users to mine uranium without knowing the repercussions of our actions.
“Take action” by sending a letter to Secretary Ryan Zinke explaining the importance of keeping this beautiful, national treasure intact for future generations to come. Send the following to Secretary Zinke:
“Secretary Zinke, I support the mineral withdrawal around the Grand Canyon. The benefits of uranium mining in this area simply do not outweigh the risks to water and wildlife. You’re right, some places are just too precious to mine — and this is one. I urge you to keep this mineral withdrawal in place.” Send this, signed by you with your information, to the Honorable Ryan Zinke, Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street NW Washington, DC 20240.
Check next week’s column for more on bear activity in Arizona which delivers the message to “Not feed or provide water for bears.”
Shooting sports
• 4-H Shooting Sports: Call the Yuma 4-H office at 726-3904 or Stan Gourley at 344-0740. Watch for dates in September when the new year of training in their shooting sports program will begin. A great program for kids — it promises to be one worth attending.
• Renegade Archers of Yuma: Call Kevin at 726-0953 or Jean at 247-4450 if you’d like to shoot the trail of 3D animals at the Foothills Archery Range. Archery instruction for anyone interested is “free!” We’ll
ahead so we can bring along extra bows and arrows). The practice area at the range is open (also free use) daylight hours all week for practice and enjoyment. You might be better satisfied bringing along your own target. People seem to be intent on tearing down the expensive cotton bales — do what you can to prevent vandalism while at the range so all can enjoy.
• Yuma Trap and Skeet Club: Anyone interested in trap and skeet? Shoot 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays and Sundays at Adair Park. Call Bob Avila at (928) 919-0622. The Yuma Young Guns with the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) will begin again when weather cools a bit. Call head coach H. McNutt at (928) 580-0918
• Yuma Territorial Longrifles Club: Regular “open” black powder matches are 1st and 3rd Saturday’s at the Adair Park range at 8:30 a.m. Call Roger Bickel at 726-7453 —
• Cholla Gun Club at Adair Park: Call Glenda Graves at (928) 5800915 for shooting times. Watch for their shooting schedule beginning again this fall.
• High Power Rifle and Pistol Club of Yuma: Check with Joseph Murek at umpire1@q.com or Gerald
call (858) 349-1311 or Paul Lerma at 580-7456 to learn about shooting at the Adair Park big bore range. Club junior “Whipper Snipers” will begin their shooting activities for all ages again in September. Check club matches as well as Whipper Snipers news listed on the club website at hprifleyuma.net.
• Yuma Matchmasters: A variety of matches are offered each month at 7 a.m. at the range, all open to shooters with the steel challenge the 1st Saturday, multi-gun matches the 1st Sunday, IPSC combat matches the 2nd Sunday, the cowboy fast draw the 3rd Saturday and SASS cowboy matches the 4th Saturday. shooting? Call Irene Snyder at (209) 613-4598 or Bob Wiles at 920-2158
• Southwest Bowhunters Archery Club: Archery is offered on Sundays with the practice range also open all week. Call Keith Parsels at 7821097.
Contact Jean Wilson at jeanrenegade@ gmail.com or call 247-4450.