The Arizona Game and Fish Department has an elaborate winter trout stocking program. This year, there is even something new trout will be routinely stocked in Apache Lake along the colorful and adventuresome Apache Trail.

There might even be trout in your own neighborhood or close to it. Trout are stocked all winter long in the participating Urban Program Lakes.

Just to make life and fishing even more interesting, there are also trout stockings from federal hatcheries at places like Willow Beach below Hoover Dam, Bullhead (Casino Row) and Lake Mohave.

There is even a whole celebration surrounding one special trout stocking. The City of Tempe and the Arizona Game and Fish Department are once again teaming up to conduct "Welcome Back the Trout" celebration at Tempe Town Lake on the Tuesday afternoon (Nov. 20) right before Thanksgiving.

The exciting celebration at this unique lake is timed for the late afternoon right after the kids get out of school. In fact, bring your youngster to the celebration to help stock buckets of feisty rainbows. Itýs a great Kodak moment.

Winter also provides some of the best fishing opportunities of the year at the famous Lees Ferry in northern Arizona. This classic fishery in the Marble Canyon Gorge is the entryway to the marvels of the Grand Canyon just downstream. You might even witness a huge California condor winging overhead while you are catching a trophy-sized wild rainbow in the shadow of precipitous pink sandstone cliffs. Itýs a world-class experience.

Some other top winter fishing spots include: the Lower Salt River just minutes from Mesa and Tempe, Goldwater Lake near Prescott, Saguaro Lake, the Verde River between Cottonwood and Camp Verde (near the Verde Canyon Railroad), Parker Canyon Lake (in prime quail habitat this year), Oak Creek, and Roper Lake.

Keep in mind that trout are the original low-fat diet food you can even get exercise while catching them.

News Source: Arizona Game & Fish - Oct. 24, 2007