27 Best Fishing Lakes & Streams Near Flagstaff and Coconino County

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This article will show you the best fishing spots near Flagstaff as well as throughout the vast Coconino County, home to the Grand Canyon and much more.

We’ll cover the waters closest to Flagstaff in the most detail in this article.

If you live here, you know that Coconino County stretches from the Utah border near Page and Lake Powell to Sedona and the Mogollon River straddling the southern boundaries. It’s the second-largest county by area in the United States.

Given that massive geographic area, we’ve created separate, comprehensive articles that focus on the best fishing spots around Williams, Sedona, and Payson. While Payson and nearby Pine are in neighboring Gila County, the best fishing in the Mogollon Rim area in extreme southern Coconino County is most easily reached from these neighboring communities.

Besides the incomparable Grand Canyon National Park, Coconino County also is home to a long stretch of the Colorado River, national park destinations like Grand Canyon Village, and tons of other outdoor activities, including hiking, rafting, camping, and more. Northern Arizona University is in Flagstaff.

Fishing Near Flagstaff

Let’s start with some of the best fishing lakes closest to Flagstaff.

Ashurst Lake

This medium-sized reservoir of over 200 acres offers very good trout fishing, especially from spring to early fall.

One of the charms of this Coconino National Forest oasis is that it usually maintains a good water level, even when other lakes in the region suffer from drought.

The lake typically features brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout, with some holdovers reaching excellent size.

The lake is usually stocked heavily from April into June and then once or twice per month from mid-summer to September when trout fishing tends to slow up a bit in warmer weather.

The usual array of baits, lures and flies will catch trout here.

Be sure to check out our simple trout fishing how-to guide if you’re still learning this type of fishing.

Ashhurst Lake also has a population of panfish, including black crappie and green sunfish, which will tend to take up some of the slack in fishing action during the warmest months. Some sources also cite bass and channel catfish among sport fish in the lake.

The Arizona Fish and Game Department (AZGFD) also reports that northern pike continue to inhabit the lake since first being illegally stocked in the 1990s. These voracious predators can put a dent in the trout population.

A boat will give you some advantage here, but know that the maximum gas motor size is 10 hp.

You’ll find two U.S. Forest Service campgrounds and other amenities. Besides fishing, paddle sports, windsurfing, and bird watching are popular at this lake set among juniper and pinyon pine trees.

The road and gate into Ashhurst Lake is often closed and snowbound during winter and sometimes into early spring. Ice forms on the lake at times during the coldest months.

Ashhurst Lake is nearly 25 miles southeast of Flagstaff. The drive out past Lower and Upper Lake Mary will take about 40 minutes.

Blue Ridge Lake/C.C. Cragin Reservoir

This 275-acre reservoir in the Coconino National Forest, which is the closest major Mogollon River area fishery to Flagstaff, offers spring and summer trout fishing.

C.C. Cragin is usually stocked with hatchery rainbow trout once it’s full and the snow is pretty much melted off, often in the late spring to early summer period. That’s when trout fishing will peak.

The winter weather can be quite harsh along Blue Ridge, especially from December to February, when snow may cover the road and ice too thin to safely walk on may at times cover the surface. Up here in the mountains, winterlike conditions, including ice and snow, can persist partway into spring some years.

Once the fishing gets going, this is a good place to bring a small fishing boat, which will give you better access to the lake’s long, twisty arms.

There’s a launch at the main public access from Forest Service Road 751. Note that the max motor size is 10 horsepower, so leave the big boat at home.

You can find some bank fishing access but expect steep shorelines to limit your options.

You’ll likely do best using light line and smaller hooks and lures in the clear water, AZGFD advises.

The lake is about an hour and a half driving south from Flagstaff, and just a little faster driving from Payson.

Remember that all of the major Mogollon Rim lakes are listed below.

Frances Short Pond

Note: Check this one before fishing, as a 2022 fish kill occurred here. At last check, officials were planning to restore the pond’s ability to support fishing. AZGFD has the lake on its 2023 stocking schedule, so it might be a go.

This little pond in a Flagstaff park is seasonally stocked with trout, usually in the spring and often again in the late summer into fall. It may also get plantings of catfish in the late spring to early summer.

Other fish you might see caught are largemouth bass, black crappie, bullheads, white amur and bluegill.

The pond is located within the Thorpe Park Sports & Recreation Complex.

Kinnikinick Lake

This lake on the Anderson Mesa, an hour southeast of Flagstaff, maybe isn’t the place to go for a limit of trout, but learn the water or get a little lucky and you may land a very respectable rainbow or brown trout.

The AZGFD also mentions the possibility of catching brook, cutthroat or tiger trout in this spring-fed lake in the Coconino National Forest.

There is an unimproved launch for small boats. Gas motors may not exceed 10 hp.

The lake is about a dozen miles past Mormon Lake.

A gate blocks access during the winter and likely into early spring. During colder years, snow and ice may persist into spring.

Lake Mary, Lower

This easy to reach spot near Flagstaff is another one of those reservoirs where the water level can be full one year and nearly gone the next. Fishing success follows suit.

It has been stocked with rainbow trout or channel catfish at times, water levels permitting. If the water sticks around long enough, other fish you might catch include largemouth and yellow bass, northern pike, walleye, black crappie, bluegill and yellow perch.

This lower lake is managed for slower boats, with no more than a single 10 horsepower motor allowed.

The Lower Lake Mary Picnic Area is a good place to start.

Lake Mary, Upper

This is a reservoir you’ll share with water skiers and other power boaters because it doesn’t have the horsepower restrictions of the lower reservoir.

There are some big fish in here, with northern pike, walleye, and channel catfish all growing to size. Catching a trout is a long shot, but other fish you might hook include largemouth and yellow bass, black crappie, bluegill and yellow perch.

You will find a ramp at the Upper Lake Mary Boat Launch & Picnic Area and camping about a mile up the reservoir at Lakeview Campground.

This reservoir is only about 20 minutes from Flagstaff out Lake Mary Road. You’ll pass the lower lake first.

Mormon Lake Pond

This small pond near the Mormon Lake Lodge and Post Office, on the southwest side of Mormon Lake, can be seasonally stocked with hatchery trout a few times during the spring, as conditions allow.

The pond is smaller than a football field but has good bank access.

Morton Lake

This small lake, also known as Morton Pond, is located literally a few feet from the aforementioned Kinnikinick Lake (on the other side of the dam).

When conditions allow, AZGFD will stock Morton Lake with hatchery trout during the spring. At last check, you might find those fish about mid-May.

See the Kinnikinick Lake entry above for other information.

Fishing Near Williams

The following locations are in and around Williams, but many also are within a reasonable drive from the Flagstaff area.

If you would like a more detailed article on the fishing spots in this section, be sure to read our full report on Fishing Near Williams.

Cataract Lake

Many anglers come to Cataract Lake, five minutes west of Williams, to fish for brown and rainbow trout.

The best trout fishing is in the spring, when the lake is periodically stocked.

Cataract also offers a multi-species experience with fishing for largemouth bass, channel catfish and panfish. These species can spread the angling success through the rest of the tourist season.

There is a county park and Forest Service day-use area.

City Reservoir

This little impoundment immediately south of Williams is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and perhaps channel catfish.

The plantings are most likely in the spring until about early June, and fishing will be most productive during that period.

Even after the water gets a little warm for great trout fishing, smallmouth bass and various panfish will keep biting.

Dogtown Lake

This is a popular lake just southeast of Williams but also less than an hour’s drive from Flagstaff.

Also known as Dogtown Reservoir, this oasis encircled by Ponderosa pine trees offers some very good trout fishing.

Hatchery rainbows are stocked from spring to early September, with the most frequent plantings happening in the spring to early summer.

Young brown trout also are stocked and allowed to winter over while they grow into keepers.

During the warm months, you also can catch bass and panfish.

Bring a small boat or float tubes, but leave those gas motors at home because you can’t use them here.

Plan a camping trip at Dogtown Lake Campground, where you also can hike, kayak, and have other fun at this 50-acre lake. It makes a great base camp for this part of Arizona.

The roads into Dogtown Lake can be closed into early spring, when the forest can receive pretty substantial snow and ice my form on the lake at times.

Kaibab Lake

This is another pretty high-elevation spot where visitors come to fish and camp, and the bonus is it’s northeast of Williams and, therefore, closer to the Grand Canyon.

Look for very good trout fishing here because the 85-acre lake is stocked with hatchery trout (and sometimes channel catfish) from spring through summer.

The stocking truck comes most often from April through June but also returns about monthly from July to September.

This small reservoir in the Kaibab National Forest also harbors resident largemouth bass, black crappie and bluegill.

If you are planning a camping trip, see Kaibab Lake Campground.

Kaibab National Forest Small Lakes and Tanks

The Kaibab National Forest areas south and east of Williams, also within a reasonable drive from Flagstaff, include quite a few smaller lakes, ponds or “tanks,” as many are called.

These are primarily managed as trophy trout waters where anglers can test their skill on larger and warier fish.

To maintain that type of fishery, these waters typically have special rules that require barbless hooks, artificial flies or lures, and catch-and-release regulations. Definitely read up on any water you plan to fish.

The mix of trout may include rainbow, brown, brook, or tiger trout, and perhaps more than one of those species.

Some like the Elk Tank, Middle Lake and Perkins Tank require a short hike through the forest.

In contrast, you can drive pretty much right up to J.D. Dam Lake in the same general area.

We go into more depth on these handful of small lakes in the Williams article linked above.

Santa Fe Lake

Located right on the south side of Williams along Perkinsville Road, this small reservoir is a simple place to get to and fish.

Watch the trout stocking schedule when plantings of catchable rainbow trout are possible throughout the spring season.

Smaller brown trout may be stocked in the fall so they can grow over winter and add to the next year’s fishery.

Panfish such as crappie and yellow perch as well as stocked channel catfish may round out your Santa Fe Lake catches.

You can fish from the bank or a small watercraft on the 3-acre lake, but no gas motors are allowed. 

Whitehorse Lake

This warm-water fishing lake is about an hour west of Flagstaff (and 40 minutes coming from Williams) in the Kaibab National Forest.

Once a trout fishery, that program was a little too dicey because this lake tends to warm too much for trout.

However, that’s just fine with the largemouth bass, panfish and catfish you can catch here. Some bass can reach good sizes.

Amenities include a boat launch (no gas motors) and the White Horse Lake Campground. There is good shore fishing access thanks in part to a trail around the lake.

Fishing the Mogollon Rim

The fishing spots we cover in this section are along the far-southern end of Coconino County, which is a long and mountainous drive from Flagstaff (some are even closer to Phoenix).

Given that geography and the fact that most people come from the south to fish these waters, we’ve covered them in more depth in our (forthcoming) Fishing Near Payson article. Check that link for more detailed information about many of the following.

Bear Canyon Lake

This Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest reservoir requires a long drive ending with a dirt road, and then a hike to the lake shore.

But you may not mind when trout fishing is good, which it certainly can be here for both spin and fly anglers. It’s typically stocked monthly from May to September if conditions are favorable.

The best access is from the Bear Canyon Lake Recreation Area on the north side of this remote lake.

Bring a float tube along with your hiking boots to reach more and larger trout.

Figure on two and a half hours driving from Flagstaff, or about an hour from Payson.

C.C. Cragin (Blue Ridge) Reservoir

This 275-acre reservoir in the Coconino National Forest is roughly midway between Payson and Flagstaff, so we’ve already covered it in the Flagstaff section.

Chevelon Canyon Lake

This is another remote fishing hole that requires more than two hours of driving from Flagstaff, and then a hike after you park the car.

The reward is that the lake is typically stocked with rainbow trout, and anglers also have caught brown trout here as well.

Supplies aren’t available nearby, so bring whatever you need. You can stay overnight at campgrounds managed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Huffer Tank

This little puddle of a pond along Highway 87 will get on the AZGFD trout stocking schedule when water conditions permit.

It’s only about 20 minutes north of Pine.

Knoll Lake

Here’s another pretty mountain lake to check out.

Knoll Lake is a 75-acre gem in the Coconino National Forest. Trout fishing will peak in the late spring and early summer, thanks to trout stocking at that time.

Bring a small boat or float tube, but leave your gas motor at home.

Overnighters can check out nearby Knoll Lake Campground.

Long Tom Tank

This Forest Lakes Estates lake will usually get a burst of fishing activity when the trout stocking truck makes its annual delivery, usually in May.

Some years there have been additional plantings, but expect fishing to be best soon after fish deliveries as trout in small waters tend to get fished out quickly.

Bass and sunfish also are available to catch.

Tonto Creek

This mountain stream offers excellent fishing from Kohls Ranch to below the Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery.

Zane Grey Highway offers nearby access to much of that section, which typically is stocked from April to September.

A lower part of the stream in the Bear Flat area is usually stocked every few weeks from April to June.

This stream is just up the highway from Payson but over two hours from Flagstaff.

Willow Springs Lake

Though a two and a half hour drive from Flagstaff, Willow Springs Lake is a great place to fish for trout.

You can be successful from the bank and likely even more successful with a small boat that has no more than a 10-horsepower motor.

A 158-acre impoundment high up in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Willow Springs Lake is generously stocked with trout almost every week from mid-spring through September. While most planted trout are rainbows, tiger trout have been stocked at times as well.

You also can catch largemouth and smallmouth bass and panfish.

The lake, a quick drive from Payson, is one of several Mogollon Rim lakes to make our rundown of the best trout fishing spots in Arizona.

Woods Canyon Lake

This is an even more popular lake that’s close to Payson but a long drive from Flagstaff.

Other than the drive, Woods Canyon Lake is among the most accessible lakes in this part of the state, thanks to its location just off Highway 260 and a marina, store, recreation areas and campgrounds.

Know ahead of time that gas motors are strictly forbidden on Woods Canyon Lake, making for a more peaceful experience if you have an electric motor, oars, or paddles.

Both bank and boat fishing can be successful here.

The lake is nicely stocked with hatchery rainbow trout from about mid-spring through the summer season into September. Some brown trout also may be in the mix, perhaps along with bass and sunfish.

Coconino County Fishing

Here are some additional great spots to fish in other parts of Coconino County.

Colorado River/Lee’s Ferry

The Lee’s Ferry area around Marble Canyon is a renowned tailwater section below Glen Canyon Dam, world-famous for its strapping rainbow trout, some pushing well over 20 inches and into the 5-pound neighborhood.

Fly anglers especially come here from far and wide for those big, wild ‘bows. Spin anglers have their opportunities as well. And plenty of guides offer trips.

This is a year-round fishery, though anglers who study this water will often plan their trips in the late winter to early spring time frame when big wild trout are spawning.

The extremely low levels in Lake Powell above this reach have pushed water temperatures up at times and worried those who cherish this fishery, but so far as we’ve checked, the river’s trout fishing has survived these harsher conditions.

Look for periodic fishing reports for Lee’s Ferry on this website.

Lake Powell

Historically one of the biggest and best fishing lakes in the West, if not all of the U.S., the prolonged drought on the Colorado River has taken a historic toll on its water levels.

However, the big lake can still produce when you can reach it.

Lake Powell has a wide variety of fishing opportunities, including both smallmouth and largemouth bass, striped bass, walleye, catfish, and panfish such as crappie and bluegill.

While much of the lake is in Utah, the dam and lower reaches near Page, Arizona, can offer a good bit of opportunity.

Due to water levels, be sure to check ahead, especially if planning to launch your boat. Lots of boat ramps had to close as the water fell below their reach. At the last check-in, hopes were high that more precipitation during the 2022-23 season would help matters, but lake levels remained extremely low.

Long Lake

This reservoir is connected to irrigation reservoirs Soldier and Soldiers Annex lakes in the southeastern part of Coconino County, nearly two hours from Flagstaff and just a bit closer to Winslow.

This lake fluctuates wildly and has gone dry before, so trout stocking here is somewhat periodic depending on conditions.

The lake and those ditch-connected lakes also share a population of largemouth bass, channel and yellow bullhead catfish, walleye, northern pike, bluegill and common carp.

Oak Creek

This famous stream known for its photo-worthy canyon and refreshing swimming holes also offers some of the best fishing near Sedona.

Parts of this stream are frequently stocked with hatchery rainbow trout, often a couple of times per month in spring and summer.

AZGFD points anglers looking for stocked trout to the Grasshopper Point Day Use Area just a couple miles outside of Sedona, heading northeast on Highway 89A.

Oak Creek also harbors a population of wild brown trout, which most anglers catch and release to maintain this challenging fishery.