Southern Arizona's Largemouth Bass Capitol

For a unique combination of fishing and history, southern Arizona's Arivaca Lake is one of those destinations you have to visit at least once. Located an hour south of Tucson, Arivaca Lake can be reached by taking l-19 south and turning west at the Arivaca turnoff. Don't be in any great hurry, though. The road is full of curves and passes the sites of some of Arizona's richest history.

From the city of Arivaca, turn left at the junction (follow the signs). Ignore the legends of hidden silver bars somewhere in the crumbling adobe houses in town, unless of course you enjoy these kinds of stories. The lake is about 7 miles further along this road, which turns to dirt at the last turnoff (again, indicated by sign).

When full, Arivaca Lake measures 90 acres. At an elevation of 3,750 feet, it's hot enough during the summer to be quite uncomfortable.

There are no developed campsites at Arivaca Lake, no drinking water, no electric hookups for RVs, and as a result, no daily fees. The only facility here is a pit toilet. Since this is one of southern Arizona's truly underutilized lakes, there is usually plenty of room to camp, and an upper parking lot ensures plenty of parking even on most weekends. Get there early enough and you should be able to get a spot right next to the water. There is room for several RVs next to the water, but the biggest recreational vehicles probably shouldn't be taken in here since the road can get a little rough after each rain.

Though Arivaca Lake is small, its largemouth bass action is legendary--that is, until the summer of 1999, when the lake suffered a total fish kill. A combination of the heat, sun and an algae bloom literally sucked all of the oxygen from this tremendous fishery, suffocating all of its finny residents. Surveys by the Arizona Game and Fish Department nearly a month later showed very few small fish (in the 2-inch or smaller range) survived. By summer of 2000 fish larger than 12 inches were still not being seen.

To make matters worse, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality discovered that mercury was somehow seeping into the water, and getting into the fish. As a result, a health warning was issued in the mid 1990s, warning anglers not to consume any fish caught at Arivaca Lake. Game and Fish recommended practicing catch and release.

While the reports might discourage the average angler, it's good news for serious bass fishermen.

Arivaca is fertile water. It grows fish fast, including those bass stocked less than a year after the fish kill. It has a history of yielding 8 and 9 pounders, and 11 pounders surfaced every spring until disaster struck. In September of 1992, a 10-pound largemouth bass was caught on Arivaca by a fisherman working a Sluggo (a floating "worm") just above the weedline. Even during the winter bass fishing stays good, as evidenced by the 8.5-pounder caught on January 1, 1993.

The mercury warning, in essence, forces the lake into a catch-and-release only fishery, ensuring those 10 and 11 pounders you read about in the paper are still swimming around, just waiting for your arrival.

In April 1983 a Tucson angler set the state record (for inland waters) by catching a 31-pound 10-ounce channel catfish at Arivaca. Though that record fell in 1987, catfishing remained phenomenal, and the new record (set on Parker Canyon Lake) barely eclipsed the old one.

Arivaca also has a substantial population of redear sunfish. Over the years the state record has come out of Arivaca Lake three times, although now it is held by a 3-pound 9-ounce monster caught out of Goldwater Lake.

Arivaca Lake has a boat launch, although propulsion is restricted to electric motors or to the huffing and puffing of dear old dad on the oars. Considering how small the lake is, this does not present much of a problem.

This lake is managed by the Tucson office of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. For up-to-date reports, call it at (520) 628-5376. Last minute fishing reports and conditions can also be found at the Arizona Game and Fish Department's Website, www.azgfd.com or call 800/ASK-FISH.