Best Fishing Spot Near Tucson, Arizona - Patagonia Lake

Notice with my title of this article that I didn't say, "in Tucson, Arizona," Of course when a person thinks of Tucson, Arizona the last concept that comes to mind is water to fish because we are in the desert. We constantly deal with all the elements of the desert, including lack of water and having to ration the amount we use.

I must say that I have lived here for over a quarter of a century and I have only known of one fish store and I'm not sure if it is still in business. Our most convenient source for fish is the supermarkets. That's not to say we still can't enjoy fishing.

Our natural fishing source in Tucson and not far from Tucson is man-made lakes. In Tucson we have several small lakes that are supplied with fish, but I am going to list Patagonia Lake, in Patagonia Lake State Park as the top fishing spot near here.

Patagonia Lake is located in Southeast Arizona, south of Tucson, about 20 miles northeast of Nogales. Nogales is about 30-45 minutes from the center of Tucson. It takes a little over an hour to drive to Patagonia Lake from Tucson. Going fishing in Patagonia Lake is well worth the trip. Patagonia Lake State Park is about 250 acres and its elevation is about 3,700 feet. The lake itself is the biggest in the area, at about 2 and ½ miles long. Not only is the whole area big, but the scenery is absolutely breathtaking, especially at dawn and dusk. It is not uncommon to see deer, heron and many other birds throughout the park.

The types of fish Patagonia Lake has are: Bass, Crappie, 2 types of Catfish, 2 types of Sunfish and Bluegill. Rainbow Trout is stocked in the lake every three weeks from October through March. Since many people use the lake for different purposes, the east half of the lake is designated as a no wake zone. A fishing pier is located at the Patagonia Marina and behind the Sonoita Creek visitor center. The fishing pier is handicapped accessible.

Patagonia Lake State Park has a beach for swimming (at your own risk-no lifeguard), a picnic area with ramadas, tables & grills, a creek trail, boat ramps for your own boat, a marina, and the Lakeside Market & Gift Shop. There are also a campground and boat-in camp sites. The Lakeside Market and Gift Shop offers canoe, peddle boat and rowboat rentals, fishing licenses and it sells bait, ice, snacks and food including easy ready-to-eat choices and deli items, beverages including fresh-brewed coffee and fountain drinks, beer and wine, souvenirs, clothing, camping, fishing and boating gear and more. No food is sold at the Marina so this is where you would make your purchases, before heading to begin fishing. This market is only a few yards from the Marina.

Other popular activities on the lake include swimming, water skiing, jet skiing, picnicking, camping and hiking. Because of the large amount of Park visitors, jet skiing, water skiing, or towing a recreational device is prohibited on weekends and holidays during the summer, from May 1st through September 31st. This gives visitors the opportunity to have a nice, quiet experience and environment at the lake. As a native New Yorker, being isolated in the desert I personally miss beaches, so just being by the lake would be a delight for me.

Camping grounds in the Park range from undeveloped spots to sites with water and electric hookups. The Patagonia Lake campground has 72 developed campsites which each have a picnic table, grill and parking for 2 vehicles. Some of the sites also have a ramada. The campsites are on a first come, first served basis and they tend to fill up on the evenings from Spring - Fall. There are 34 RV hook-up sites, which have a picnic table, a grill, water hook-up and 50 amp electrical service. There is no sewer hook-up. The RV size limit is 35 feet. These RV hook-up sites are also on a first come, first served basis. Some sites are on the shoreline. There are restrooms, showers and a dump station available.

There are also 12 boat access sites and 2 boat ramps at Patagonia Lake. Both motorized and non-motorized boating are allowed at the Lake. The lake is divided into 2 sections for boats: the east end is a no wake speed only area and the west end is for unlimited speed in a counter clockwise direction. High-speed boats can enter the east section but must travel at a no wake speed. Your day use, or camping permit will cover all of the boat launching fees.

Daily hours to use Patagonia Lake Park are from 8:00 A.M. until 10:00 P.M., throughout the whole year. Access to the whole park is closed daily from 10:00 P.M.-4:00 A.M.

The 2010 fees for Patagonia Lake State Park are the following: daily per vehicle (up to 4 people in the vehicle) - $10.00; daily per individual/per bicycle - $3.00; non-electric camping - $17.00; electric camping - $25.00; boat-in site camping - $17.00; overnight parking - $15.00; and overnight parking with annual pass or valid daily entrance fee - $5.00.

Two different types of annual passes to all of Arizona's State Parks can be bought at the Visitor's Center, or gift shop. Their prices are $75.00 and $200.00. Disabled veterans qualify for a free annual pass, with proof. You can read all about the annual passes on this website: http://azstateparks.com/Giftshop/11_annualpass.html

Access to Patagonia Lake Park is from State Route 82 between Patagonia and Nogales. To get to Patagonia Lake State Park go east on I-10, then go south on Highway 83 to Highway 82. Take Highway 82 about 7 miles past the town of Patagonia and you're at the lake. While you are in Patagonia, visit the small town.

The telephone number for the Park is: 520-287-6965. Patagonia Lake's website is: www.patagonia-lake.com