2023 Colorado River Free Fishing Map, Where to fish, Access areas, Fishing Report Best Places and Hunting Public Lands and Clubs
Fishing Map of Colorado River
About the Colorado River
The Colorado River runs the border between California and Arizona from near the city of Needles south to Yuma, Ariz., and the Mexican border. Along this stretch of the river are major reservoirs and some splendid tail race fisheries for rainbow trout, catfish, striped bass, and largemouth bass
. The lower Colorado River outlines the border two states so a special $6 Colorado River
stamp is required.
The largest concentration of smallmouth bass is below Parker Dam at the southern end of Lake Havasu, and for about 60 miles to the California city of Blythe.
What is lesser known is a fine fishery for smallmouth bass that exists over large part of the Colorado. The small-mouth is also a creature of much different habitats than the large-mouth, preferring cool, clear and quick- flowing waters over the green and weedy domain of the largemouth.
Smallmouth don‘t get as large as the largemouth, but they have a well- deserved reputation as a hard-fighting bass. The current river record is a 5-pound, 5-ounce fish caught near Parker in 1997.
HABITAT: The Colorado River has huge amounts of both types of habitat preferred by bass. Much of the river has backwaters and seep ponds which hold countless largemouth, but the main river channel, and in particular the areas where flood and river control measures by the Bureau of Reclamation have installed rock walls and riprap, harbor the majority of the river’s smallmouth.
In addition to liking rocky walls, smallmouth prefer to spawn on rocky bottoms. The main river channel has a lot of that and it is fine smallmouth country. Anglers who locate these “cobblestone" areas during the pre-spawn and spawn in the spring will find lots of good-sized smallmouth bass.
STONED BASS: Game biologist found largemouth in the backbays and stream-side channels, and the small- mouth. already on spawning beds in mid-March, were mostly holding on rough cobblestone bottoms. Or fish right off the end of concrete launch ramps that went directly into the main current. That‘s the major key to the smallmouth on the Colorado. You need the moving water of the main river channel and some hard structure, either cobble bottom or riprap to hold smallmouth.
They hunt a variety of prey, but seem to like those rocky places where herds of crayfish hide in rocks. Get into one of the slower backwaters off the main river and you won't run out of bass, but they‘ll be largemouth.
A preferred lure for smallmouth is something subtle, big baits scare them. Small crayfish-shaped plastics and small Gitzits in greens and browns work very well. Pumpkin seed color is good. You want to imitate young of the year crayfish that are usually a greenish color when they are small. Small plastic worms and grubs with these colors work very well.
The primary forage for small-mouth bass almost anywhere is the crayfish, and small, soft plastic crayfish either Texas-rigged or split-shotted on light line is an excellent method for smallmouth on the Colorado River. These seem to work well just about any time of the year.
In the early spring, smallmouth start picking out spawning areas and they’l1 smash anything that runs through their chosen spot, including spinnerbaits and crankbaits.
This gets even better right after the spawn and is a great time for crankbaits. During post-spawn activity you get a lot of action right at the edge of the spawning areas. Then they start grouping up again and marauding through the river system. Note that the smallmouth spread out during the spawn looking for spawning areas, but post-spawn they group up in schools in search of baitfish and crayfish to eat.
This is unlike the largernouth that prefer to stake out a territory and stay put. Pre-spawn crankbaiting is also good, chartreuse or green backs with chartreuse. Orange and brown crayfish colors are also good. Of course. that old standby, a Rapala minnow in silver/black, seems to work all the time. The
reaction bite is great. Spinnerbaits mimic the shad and bluegill that are in the river. So use crayfish or bluegill imitations most of the time.
Anglers not used to desert temperatures will be surprised to note that this starts happening in April most years, and by Memorial Day it can be full-blown summer on the lower Colorado— not to men- tion that water skiers, jet skis, and fast boats clog much of the river during the summer months.
Still, the fishing can be fantastic if you dress for hot weather and expend your fishing time early in the moming and in late evening.
Location: From the Los Angeles area, take Interstate 10 east to Blythe. For the Parker area. leave I-1O at Desert Center and angle northeast on State
Highways 177 and 62 to Parker. and smallmouth have begun to show up in Lake Havasu above Parker Dam. lt‘s now possible to catch smallmouth all the way up to Needles, Calif., where interstate 40 crosses the Colorado River, and anglers find scattered smallmouth south of Blythe all the way to Yuma, Ariz.
California bass anglers can purchase the Arizona stamp at most tackle shops, bait shops and sporting goods stores on the California side of the river. The Yellowmart store in Blythe is a good source.
Click on a county for a listing of public land and contact info for Hunting Clubs/Ranches, and many more Maps! :
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California and Oregon Private and Public Hunting and Fishing Information:
If you liked our information and are looking for more fishing or hunting maps, and also access to private ranches and hunting clubs, don't miss checking out
www.freehuntfishmaps.com (here is a screen shot)
Information on Hunting and Fishing Clubs and Ranches in California and Oregon:
If you want a more specific, county by county description of Oregon and California Hunting Clubs, Ranches and public areas to hunt and fish, you need to see:
