02-08-2007, 07:19 PM
This is a birds eye view of the Temple Bar Marina in AZ. Once you arrive at the marina, look for signs (or simply ask - people are extremely friendly there) that direct you to Heron Point. You have to travel on a paved dirt road for a couple hundred yards to reach Heron Point. When you reach the fork (one goes up, the other goes down), take the road that goes down. There's a large dirt area where you can park. From that point, follow my markers to the point where you reach the lake. Take the trail that I've laid out. You don't want to travel along the lakeshore because there's a lot of thick mud and tall dirt walls. Once you reach the point, look for a man made pier. A few friends and I built a pier a few years back made of large rocks and mud. Depending on the water level, it may be completely exposed or submerged. I suspect that it will be visible. The pier's length is about 10 feet. Use the pier to fish from. Your casts should be parallel to the pier. Using the pier as a watch hand, you should cast from 12:00 to 2:00. There is some action from 2:00 to 4:00 but the stripers congregate around the 12:00 to 2:00 marker more.
For best action, use 6-8 lb line with a rig that will allow you to put one lead ball bearing weight (1/8 of an ounce) with about 6 inches of line from the weight. Connect that line to a no. 2 hook, and use frozen cut anchovies. Got to be frozen or closed to frozen because you'll lose the bait if it's too thawed during the cast.
THE KEY is to start fishing right when the sunsets. Just keep casting till they come. If you don't get immediate action, chum the waters with "CRUSHED" anchovies. Turn into a puree and throw it parallel to the pier. I guarantee you action all night. I've never been disappointed yet. There have been a couple times where we've gone out there later in the night, and it takes a while for the stripers to find us but once they do, the action is on. I find that the chumming and propane lantern attracts the stripers to us. If you want catfish, set up a rig that'll keep the bait about 6" off the lake floor. Cast 25-40 feet from shore at 2:00 - 4:00. There are some really big cats there so make sure you use heavier line for them.
Well, good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. Mind you, this is just one spot that you can reach from land. I have plenty of other spots that you can reach by boat. The thing though is you have to be willing to fish at night. Day fishing is extremely slow but once that sun goes down....Bam.
Best regards,
Paul
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For best action, use 6-8 lb line with a rig that will allow you to put one lead ball bearing weight (1/8 of an ounce) with about 6 inches of line from the weight. Connect that line to a no. 2 hook, and use frozen cut anchovies. Got to be frozen or closed to frozen because you'll lose the bait if it's too thawed during the cast.
THE KEY is to start fishing right when the sunsets. Just keep casting till they come. If you don't get immediate action, chum the waters with "CRUSHED" anchovies. Turn into a puree and throw it parallel to the pier. I guarantee you action all night. I've never been disappointed yet. There have been a couple times where we've gone out there later in the night, and it takes a while for the stripers to find us but once they do, the action is on. I find that the chumming and propane lantern attracts the stripers to us. If you want catfish, set up a rig that'll keep the bait about 6" off the lake floor. Cast 25-40 feet from shore at 2:00 - 4:00. There are some really big cats there so make sure you use heavier line for them.
Well, good luck and let me know if you have any other questions. Mind you, this is just one spot that you can reach from land. I have plenty of other spots that you can reach by boat. The thing though is you have to be willing to fish at night. Day fishing is extremely slow but once that sun goes down....Bam.
Best regards,
Paul
[signature]