"My crystal ball isn't always as clear as I'd like it to be, especially with the drought and its various effects," says Larry Riley, chief of fisheries for the department, "but overall I'm optimistic about trout potential this year. I'd be hard-pressed to pick a specific geographic region of the state, but I can tell you of some bright spots to keep a close eye on."

REGION 1
White Mountains
"Last year saw some standard producers and some pleasant surprises," says Riley. "Big Lake is always reliable, and Becker emerged as an unexpected winner that produced some pretty nice trout. I'd count on both to again peg the productivity meter."

Crescent was tough to fish in 2004 because it was low and weedy. If it's been a hard winter, it might need a re-start, but if enough rain fell, spring anglers might be surprised by the brook trout bite. Black Canyon, hard hit by the back-to-back wildfires a couple of years ago, has come back with a vengeance and merits a visit.

"Stream fishing is always fun, and a little poking around on the East and West forks of the Black River and the West fork of the Little Colorado can result in some good-sized catches," Riley says.

Watch for some stunning Apache trout that can be found this summer on the West fork of the Little Colorado River. While you can't fish the hatchery, nearby Silver Creek has been awesome and will continue, through April 1, as a catch-and-release Apache trout fishery.

REGION 2
North Central Arizona
Drought has played havoc with some of the old reliable watering holes in the Williams Area. Standbys such as Kaibab, City and Santa Fe are tough to manage in dry years. However, JD Dam, Perkins and Elk continue to give up some decent fish. Many anglers think of Oak Creek as only a spot for summer stockers, but there's a catch-and-release segment along the West fork in which some large and wily trout live.

"You don't hear as much about Lee's Ferry these days," Riley said. "I think folks have forgotten what it is capable of producing during cold-weather months. Fly and spin-cast anglers are welcome. On cold, crisp mornings with rising water, flyfishermen do well on the surface. Later in the day, the spin-cast crowd makes its mark."

REGION 3
Northwestern Arizona
"Willow Beach can be fun for both trout and stripers," Riley says. "Deadhorse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood is probably one of the winter/spring favorites and always produces action for flyfishermen. The real sleeper (another secret spot) is Goldwater Lake. Try it. You'll like it."

REGION 4
Yuma
Yuma? Hit the area before the advent of triple digit temperatures and another summer of drought, and see what surprises await you.

"Trout seekers here generally head to Fortuna Pond, where we've seen some awesome fish, trout and other cool-water fish caught in the past several years," added Riley.

REGION 5
Southern Arizona
"There are some beautiful locations here that get heavily stocked and lightly fished over the winter months," says Riley. He suggests Patagonia, Pena Blanca and Parker Canyon lakes.

Tucson's tiny Rose Canyon Lake on Mount Lemmon gets stocked with rainbow trout beginning in late April.

REGION 6
Central Arizona
Lakes in the central portion of the state, known mostly as summertime producers of largemouth and smallmouth bass, also hold lots of hatchery trout. "Don't forget there's some good stuff close to metro Phoenix," Riley says, reminding anglers that Tempe Town Lake has proven itself a popular trout fishery that produces lots of hits for average anglers.

To avoid crowds, try trout fishing the Lower Salt River. "We stock a 4-mile course from Water Users Park to Blue Point Bridge, accessible by canoe or float fishing from an inner tube," says Warnecke. "Fish here from April, when water resumes flowing from Stewart Mountain Dam, until the end of June."

"Stocking rainbow trout in the stretch along Bush Highway between Beeline and Usery Pass has increased angling popularity tenfold," says G&F Information Branch spokesman Joe Janish. "It's fun -- and admittedly strange -- to be casting for trout amid riverbank ocotillo and saguaro cacti, only to look up and watch bighorn sheep come down for a drink."