Riggs Flat Lake is a popular fishing destination located in the Coronado National Forest of Arizona, USA. This lake offers excellent fishing opportunities for various fish species such as rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, and tiger trout. Visitors can indulge in a variety of activities such as camping, hiking, and boating.
Fishing Tips:
- The best time to fish at Riggs Flat Lake is during the early morning or late evening hours.
- Using bait such as worms, power bait, and spinners can be effective in catching trout.
- Fly fishing is also popular in this area, and using small nymphs and dry flies can yield good results.
Prevalent Fish Species:
- Rainbow Trout: This species is one of the most common fish found in the lake and can be caught using various bait and lures.
- Brown Trout: Brown trout are also abundant in Riggs Flat Lake and can be caught using similar techniques as the rainbow trout.
- Brook Trout: Brook trout can be more challenging to catch but are still prevalent in this area.
- Tiger Trout: This unique hybrid species of brown and brook trout can be caught using fly fishing techniques.
Best Time of Year to Visit:
The best time of year to visit Riggs Flat Lake for fishing is from April to October, with the peak season being from May to August. The average temperature during this time ranges from 60°F to 85°F.
Nearby Activities:
Visitors can enjoy a range of activities such as camping, hiking, and boating. The Riggs Flat Campground offers several campsites for visitors to stay overnight. Hiking trails such as the Riggs Lake Trail and the Ash Creek Trail provide scenic views of the surrounding forest. Boating is also allowed on the lake, but visitors must bring their own boats as rentals are not available.
Featured Fish - Apache Trout
iving in lakes and streams, this fish will eat insects, invertebrates and small minnows. They are typically targeted using very light spinning or fly tackle using nymphs, wet or dry flies, worms or salmon eggs. These fish may also strike small spinner baits or spoons but some areas where these fish can be found have enacted policies where anglers may only use artificial lures so check all regulations before targeting these fish. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:
The body coloration is golden-yellow or olive yellow, with a golden belly, and Parr marks (vertical bars) can be seen on juveniles, but these marks typically disappear in larger individuals. Spots can be seen in an even distribution of pronounced, moderate-sized, rounded or oval black spots on the sides of the body and on top of the head. These spots may sometimes extend below the lateral line and onto the dorsal and caudal fins. The top of the Apache trout’s head and back is typically dark olive to brown and a black stripe appears to go through each eye because of the presence of two small black dots on either side of the pupil. Below the lower jaw, there is a dash of color that will range from yellow to darker gold. The dorsal, pelvic, and anal fins are tipped with a white to orange color and the adipose fin is usually bordered with a black margin.
