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White Mountain Apache Tribe Wildlife & Outdoor Recreation Division
Catch and Release Regulations
 
CATCH-AND-RELEASE WATERS - REGULATIONS:
The tribe has established certain Reservation waters as "Catch-and Release" areas which are managed to optimize the fishing experience for the recreational angler.
  1. A General Reservation Fishing Permit is required for all adult and juvenile persons entering any of these waters.

  2. Catch-and-Release Regulations for the following specified areas include:
    1. All fish caught must be immediately released. No fish may be kept.
    2. Catch-And-Release waters are restricted to the use of artificial flies and lures only.
    3. All flies and lures are limited to a single hook (treble hooks are prohibited).
    4. Baits may not be used in Catch-And-Release areas.

  3. Catch-And-Release Waters:
    1. LOFER, CROOKED & BOGEY CREEKS:
      These creeks are located in East-central portion of the Reservation and are open to fishing south of the Y55 road only. These streams contain natural reproducing Apache trout.
    2. NORTH FORK AT DITCH CAMP:
      This area is located east of Horseshoe Lake and includes the area between the R78 road crossing on the North Fork, east/upstream to the R85 road crossing on the North Fork. Specific Ditch Camp Restrictions includes:
      1. Camping is prohibited in the designated Catch-And-Release area, although alternative campsites are available in nearby Designated Camping areas.
      2. The area is closed to vehicle traffic of any kind. Please observe all "Road Closed" signs in the area.
    3. EARL PARK LAKE:
      This lake is located approximately 1/2 miles east of Hawley Lake and is accessible by vehicle.
    4. PACHETA LAKE:
      This lake is approximately 10 miles south of Reservation Lake.
Waves & Fishhook HR
Support Catch-and-Release Waters

Think back to your best day of fishing. Maybe it was early in the Spring or perhaps right after stocking. You caught lots of fish and everyone else did too. Ever wonder why everyday couldn't be like that?

The fact is hatcheries cannot keep up with the demand of fishermen. At the most, 200,000 catchable fish are stocked every year in the Reservation. While that seems like a lot, when it is spread over 20 lakes and 6 stocked streams it is less than 8,000 fish per water.

To make matters worse, during late summer lake water gets warm and the water chemistry changes. If the fish are in the lake before the water warms they adjust and do fine. However, if we stock them when it is warm the fish have trouble and many are not caught by fishermen. Even if we could raise more fish we could not keep the fishing good in late summer!

So what can we do to improve fishing? The answer is simple: improve lakes and stop killing fish. We can improve lakes by taking better care of the watershed. If we keep lots of cool water flowing and reduce nutrients the water will support and grow trout better.

We also have to stop taking fish in some waters. The Reservation currently has two lakes that are Catch-and-Release (Earl Park and Pacheta). Earl Park has been catch and release for two and a half years. Anglers who fish that lake catch more and larger fish than other lakes. Other anglers benefit also because catch and release waters get stocked with a fraction of the amount of fish that they used to get in the past. These pounds of fish are sent to other lakes where anglers can keep fish. For instance, Pacheta Lake was scheduled for 4,000 ten inch fish this year. Since we no longer need to replenish this lake after it is caught out, the 4,000 fish were sent to other lakes on the Reservation.

Please support catch and release waters. If you see or hear of a violation please let the Division know. It is not fair for us to save these fish for everyone to catch and then let a few people ruin it for everyone.

Practice catch and release. Release fish to be caught again. Fish caught with flies and lures are more likely to be released unharmed. If you use bait and hook the fish deeply, cut the line at the fishes mouth and release the fish into the water immediately.