Are There Any Other Arizona Anglers That Fish The Canals?

[cannalbassboy]

I fish the SRP canal in Arizona just about everyday but i have only been able to catch a few bass out of it. I have been fishing the canal for about a year and I have become obsessed with trying to the catch big bass that i see in the canal everyday, but I have been unable to do so. The canal has a light flow, and it run from 3-7 feet deep. The water is usually a little stained and clear on some days. Almost everyday is a nice sunny day with temperatures going as high as 100-115 degrees in the summer, 65-80 degrees in the fall and spring, and 35-50 degrees in the winter. The canal walls are made of concrete with some cover ranging from tires, shopping carts, buckets, garbage cans, dead submerged bushes, and plenty of other things that shouldn't be in there. Even with all the cover the bass never really move to far from the flow gates. As far as life in the canal goes there is 1-7 in. tilapia, 1-5 in. bluegill, bass ranging from 4-17 in., there also catfish and a whole lot of carp. I don't see any crayfish or crawdads but I have seen bass caught on soft plastic craws, though I've never caught any on them. I've also seen different types of urban lizards around the canal. I'm looking for any advise, tips, or techniques you think might help. Anybody know something I don't, I'm all ears.  

[277Volt]

I'm extremely late to this conversation but can tell you that every bass I've caught in the canals has been on topwater in the evening. Rebel Pop-R, StrikePro Walking Stick, Heddon Spit'N Image and Z-Man Pop Frogs have produced well for me. Ironically the biggest bass I caught (15" I don't carry a scale) was on my ultralight Daiwa Presso/Sienna 500 using a 3/4" Matzuo Nano Crank that has just a single #16 treble (Owner hooks rock). I was fishing for bluegill but I guess there might be some truth to downsizing lures for bigger bass. I fish by 59th and T-Bird - no flow gates, just the bridge and the bass move out from under it in the evening. 

[azfishing]

Do either of you guys know any good spots in scottsdale? Whether it be parts of the canal or ponds or urban lakes etc.. Thank you, any help is greatly appreciate. I'm a fishing addict and it's hard to get my fix in AZ

[277Volt]

I've never fished the east side but I've heard Chaparral Lake has some very nice bass.

 

http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/urban_lake_chaparral.shtml

[Bassintheweeds]

Chap is where I basicly grew up. The key to the lake that i figured out very late to that lake is bread. Seriously, anything that swims in the lake will eat bread. Ive caught many 4 pluses there while fishing for carp with small trebels and bread. The small red circle is a shelf where the main lake channel goes, every species of fish folllows that shelf. This is top secret stuff but now that im out of state, have fun for me.

 

[azfishing]

Thank you very much! I will try it out this week. Do you put a treble below a bobber or do you put lead on it?