Dry flies are now part of the mix again at Lee's Ferry, one of the state's top trout locations in May. Photo by Ron Dungan.

The snow has melted. The hills are bare. Bugs are hatching, and big fish are moving.

Arizona offers plenty of places to fish year 'round, but one of the best times to fish is in May. Many people don't bother to fish then; they wait for Memorial Day to roll around to think about fishing. This is a mistake.

"They don't fish at the right time," said John Rohmer, owner of Arizona Flyfishing in Tempe. "Normally, they go in June, July or August, when the kids aren't in school."

But May fish are often holdovers from the previous season, which means they can be bigger.

Lower elevation lakes tend to grow too warm for trout by then. It's best to head for White Mountain lakes and streams or Rim Country waters before the summer arrives.

In May, conditions vary from sunny and warm to cold and windy, so bring plenty of warm clothes and a good sleeping bag. Here are some good prospects throughout the state.

BIG LAKE
This high country lake has a little bit of everything: rainbows, brookies and cutthroats, big fish, small fish. You can rent a boat here, so fishing deep is an option if you are willing to spend the money. But you might not have to this time of year.

It's also friendly for float-tubers and shore-, bait- and fly-fishers. A popular technique is to troll cowbells with bait at the end. Fly-fishers will want to try Simi Seal Leeches, Woolly Buggers and nymphs until the dry-fly action heats up.

Another good lake, just north of Big Lake, is Crescent Lake. This lake can winter-kill, but fish grow quickly here. The bigger problem with Crescent is that the weeds also grow quickly. Some seasons it gets too choked up to effectively fish, although suspending a fly with an indicator can help you work around this problem. If the fish have wintered over well, May is the perfect time to hit Crescent. Simi Seal Leeches in peacock, purple, gray or black can do wonders.

NORTH FORK, WHITE RIVER
The White River runs through the White Mountain Apache Reservation and holds both brown trout and native Apache trout. Small mayflies and caddis flies hatch on the river, and you can catch fish on imitations of these flies, as well as bigger dries, such as Stimulators. A Stimulator with a Pheasant-Tail Nymph dropper can be a deadly combination here.

White River can be tough to fish at times, especially on weekends when someone has fished before you. But it can also be very productive. A White Mountain Apache permit is required.

RESERVATION LAKE
Reservation Lake has produced a record brown, and there are still a lot of good fish in there. This is because the lake is big enough to hide fish and let them grow. A boat, float tube or kick boat will help you cover more water. Work cover along the points, or watch for fish moving into the coves. Bait-fishers should have luck with worms, PowerBait or salmon eggs. Spinning rigs with Super Dupers can be deadly on this lake. A White Mountain Apache permit is required.