Carnero
Lake: Northern Arizona’s Best Kept Secret
Arizona’s White Mountains are a recreational
paradise. The winter months provide ample opportunities for downhill skiing at
Sunrise Park Resort, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing. When the snow melts the
region allows you to find that perfect camping spot whether you choose
developed sites within the Fort Apache Reservation or venture out on your own
into the open meadows and high mountain stands of ponderosas and aspens off
AZ-260. The White Mountains has over 40 lakes and 240 miles of fishable streams
affording the angler plenty of opportunities.
As for me, camping is a means to an end. My passion
is fishing; particularly still-water fly-fishing in clear cold mountain lakes.
Carnero Lake, located near Springerville, does not disappoint for both
pursuits. It is far enough from major population centers to ensure you won’t
see many people but not far off the pavement either. With excellent camping
sites, superb fishing, and incredible scenery Carnero Lake is Northern
Arizona’s best kept secret.
Your best opportunities for good water levels,
minimal vegetation, and decent fishing will come in spring at Carnero. But I’ve
had good luck in the fall, plus you get the added benefit of large aspen stands
turning color and solitude. I camped for 2 days during this time of the year before
seeing another person. The nights are bone-chilling so make sure you’re
prepared. The contrast of brilliant yellow aspen stands against the deep green
ponderosas are breathtaking. Elk bugles and howling wolves fill the night and there
is no bad camping spot. Just be mindful you’re in bear country and store your
food accordingly.
Make sure you take the short drive to Green’s Peak
nearby. It will only take you about fifteen minutes to travel the 5 miles to
the lookout where you will be rewarded by an outstanding 360 degree view from a
10,099’ elevation. Just take the FS117A that you came in on back out to the first
right turn and you can’t miss it. You can hike to the top if you like but there
is a fairly good road that most cars won’t have a problem with since there are
many communication towers located there. The U.S. Forest Service lookout tower
on the peak was registered as a National Historic site and has been in place in
some form or another since 1933.
Traditionally, the lake has experienced
substantial winter-kill as it is formed from a shallow, weedy basin that poses
some unique challengers for managers trying to promote a sustainable fishery
here. Let’s talk about the science of winterkill so we can understand exactly
what’s taking place. This may venture somewhat into a biology discussion but it
is the most important factor affecting the quality of fishing each year at
Carnero and other White Mountain lakes like Crescent and Lee Valley which are
fairly similar.
First, some of the characteristics that make for
good fishing at Carnero also contribute to this problem. The main contributor
to this condition is the aquatic vegetation. In a lake that I’ve never seen
deeper than 10’ at the most, the aquatic weeds take off as summer sets in. They
slowly take up usable space from the trout (and you if you’re trying to work
through it). This can provide good fishing cover during the spring and summer
but once winter sets in can become a disaster for trout trying to hold over.
When ice and snow begin to choke out the weed mass it no longer is producing
the oxygen fish need. Rather, the opposite takes place. Decaying weeds depletes
oxygen from the lower levels of the water column by feeding oxygen robbing
bacteria at the sediment level. The more severe and longer the winter is, the
more serious the situation becomes. If Carnero were deeper it would not
experience winterkill. I ran into a local club member who said they were
working with the Forest Service on the problem. He mentioned maybe dredging
certain portions that would give the fish some sort of winter haven. I don’t
know how well this work though as removing any silt would expose porous basalt
and probably drain the lake even more. More extreme solutions have been
proposed ranging from aeration, weed removal, herbicides, even creating a
winter opening. These are all expensive, mostly temporary fixes, and moderately
effective. It may take just letting the lake go dry periodically. You’ll lose
fishing during these years but reduce the condition substantially. Ultimately,
we may find that this is just the hand we are dealt with Carnero. Since it was
built by damming Carnero Creek in 1979 we have had to just stock as needed and
cross our fingers each winter and hope for the best. Luckily, the lake is very
productive during the spring and summer months allowing planters to put on
substantial weight in a hurry.
One of the
biggest complaints I hear from people visiting the remote lake is how weedy it
is. I do not see this as a negative. In fact, I think it is a great advantage
as the weeds provide good cover for hungry trout that like to use it for ambush
sites. If you can get out to the middle (float tubers will have a hard time)
you can sit on a weed pile and make strategic casts into several holes in the
weeds. Be ready though, I’ve had some monster strikes as soon as your offering
hits the top water at dusk or dawn. Let it sink a bit more mid-day and you’ll
find pretty decent Rainbows holding just under the floating weed-mass. I think
this is a perfect lake for pontoon boats. I used a canoe myself and found I
could glide easily over the trouble spots in the lake. Use the weeds to your
advantage and you’ll soon start to praise them.
Carnero is unique in that it is located in one of
the most remote areas in the state yet close to a main highway (AZ-260) and
only 20 miles from Springerville should you need to run to town for supplies.
The forest roads in the area are well-maintained and you don’t need a 4-wheel
drive to really feel like you’re off the beaten path. If it’s solitude you’re
after, Carnero is it.
When the lake was built from a spring fed basin back
in 1979 it quickly found favor with anglers. Downstream water users raised a
fuss and started a dispute causing Arizona Fish and Game to cease their
stocking efforts for many years. In 1999, the agency secured a majority of the
water rights in an effort to build a quality trout fishery. The result is a
highly productive 65 acre lake that can land you Rainbows up to 24” if you can
learn to exploit the weedy conditions towards your favor.
You can camp right on the lake so you won’t have to
spend much travel time or haul your gear a long ways like most other lakes up
on the Mogollon Rim or on the Reservation. The regulations say you can use a
single electric motor on the lake but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you want
to spend your day pulling weeds from your prop. Also, the lake not that big, a
paddle is more than enough. You’ll find good fishing just off the island
towards the main part of the lake. You can also wade most parts of the lake as
it’s pretty shallow. Look for the dark holes between weed masses and use leech,
nymphs or damsel patterns. Keep in mind you won’t find much room to strip below
the surface. Fish the top water when the hatches take off in the early morning
or evening for some exciting fishing. The lake is open to artificial lures and
flies only with barbless hooks. I wouldn’t try a lure though, that is unless
you enjoy pulling weeds all day. There is a two-trout bag and possession limit
but with the many challenges this lake has in holding fish over I would hope
that catch-and-release would be your practice.
Must
Have Patterns for Carnero
Here’s a list of the basic fly patterns you should
stock up on to ensure success at Carnero.
-Wooly Worms -Wooly
Buggers -Scud Patterns
-Prince Nymphs -Zug
Bugs -Hare’s
Ear Nymphs
-Peacock Ladies -Other
small nymph patterns in black, brown, green and grey
-Various Midge patterns -Ant Patterns -Adam’s
Parachutes
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