Fishing Season: May-November

Reservation Lake - AZ

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

58

Orvis Phoenix 's Tip of the Week

Reopend as of early August. try stripping leeches and hanging balanced leeches under an indicator!

Directions open in app

Map of Reservation Lake

5-Day Outlook as of 9/18/25

We love big fish on the strip but big foam bugs are even better, so always keep those things in your box, plus the Extended body calibaetis.

Techniques & Tips as of 9/18/25

Your level leader indicator setup for fishing longer then 10 feet is good to always have rigged up. Keeping a spool of intermediate line and a depth charge line will make sure that regardless what the fish are gonna be eating you will be able to hook one!

Local Species Available May-November

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    Rainbow Trout

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    Brown Trout

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    Brook Trout

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    Apache Trout

Orvis Phoenix 's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer Black, Brown 2-12
May's Clearwater Crayfish Natural 4-10
Flying Ant Black 16-20
Come at Me Cray Natural 4-8
Gold Bead Hare's Ear Nymph hares Ear 14-20
Rosenbauer Parachute Beetle Black 12-16

Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer

Every angler needs an assortment of these weighted attractor Bead Head Woolly Bugger Streamer flies.

2.49

Item #0311

Buy Now

Orvis Phoenix 's Recommended Gear

Description: About Reservation Lake

This lake is located deep within the White Mountain Apache Reservation in Eastern Arizona and is home to the state record Brown Trout of 24lbs. There is primitive camping available at the lake that can be used with permits purchased from the White Mountain Apache Tribe. This lake is over 9,000ft and access is closed from Dec-mid May. It fishes good for stocked rainbows throughout its short season, but is known to produce some trophy sized Brown Trout in the Spring/Fall every year.

Nearest Airport:

Pinetop-Lakeside

Hatches:

Crayfish ( All Year) , Chironomids ( All Year) , Terrestrials (June-October), Leeches ( All Year), Eggs ( October-March), Cicadas (Rainy Season), Callibaetis (March-October),

Best Time to Fish:

Morning to Afternoon, Night

Best Stretch:

East Fork or West fork of the lake

Best Access:

Rd 8