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Arizona · Fishing
Littlefield sits in the far northwestern corner of Arizona, tucked against the Virgin River Gorge where the state nearly disappears between Nevada and Utah. It's not a fishing hub in the traditional sense, but it puts you within striking distance of some genuinely varied water.
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Littlefield sits in the far northwestern corner of Arizona, tucked against the Virgin River Gorge where the state nearly disappears between Nevada and Utah. It's not a fishing hub in the traditional sense, but it puts you within striking distance of some genuinely varied water. Lake Mead is the obvious anchor — a massive reservoir where striped bass, largemouth bass, catfish, and crappie are all realistic targets depending on the season and where you launch. Beyond Mead, the surrounding wilderness areas including Paiute Wilderness Area, Mount Trumbull Wilderness Area, and Mount Logan Wilderness Area offer lake fishing in more remote settings that require real legwork to reach. Death Valley Lake rounds out the local options as a smaller, quieter alternative. None of these are stocked neighborhood ponds — access to the wilderness lakes in particular means hiking or high-clearance driving, and you should go in with current conditions in hand. Arizona fishing licenses are required for all of these waters, and Lake Mead straddles the Nevada state line, so check which side you're fishing from before you wet a line.
Lake Mead sits on the Arizona-Nevada border, and which license you need depends on which shoreline or launch you're fishing from. If you're on the Arizona side, an Arizona fishing license covers you. If you cross into Nevada waters, you need a Nevada license. A reciprocal agreement exists for the main body of the lake, but read the current Arizona Game and Fish and Nevada Department of Wildlife rules before your trip since the details matter.
Striped bass are the most sought-after species at Lake Mead and can run large. Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and black crappie are all present and regularly caught. Stripers tend to be most active in cooler water, so spring and fall produce well, while catfish fishing picks up on warm summer nights.
Death Valley Lake
~23 min drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
Mount Logan Wilderness Area
~29 min drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
Mount Trumbull Wilderness Area
~34 min drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
Paiute Wilderness Area
~55 min drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
Lake Mead
~56 min drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
New Water Tank
~1h 5m drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
Jeff Tank
~1h 11m drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
National Tank
~1h 15m drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
Horse Flat Tank
~1h 17m drive
A worthwhile stop near AZ.
Sand Hollow Reservoir
~1h 22m drive
A worthwhile stop near UT.
The Paiute Wilderness Area, Mount Trumbull Wilderness Area, and Mount Logan Wilderness Area are not drive-up destinations. Reaching fishable water in these areas typically involves unpaved roads that require high-clearance vehicles and then hiking. Check with the Bureau of Land Management before heading out, as road conditions in this part of Arizona can change significantly after rain.
Spring and fall are the most productive seasons across the board. Summer temperatures in this part of the Mojave Desert regularly exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, which pushes fish deep and makes midday fishing uncomfortable and largely unproductive. If you're fishing in summer, early morning before 9 a.m. is your best window. Winter fishing on Lake Mead can be surprisingly good for striped bass when the fish are more concentrated.
A medium-heavy spinning or baitcasting rod in the 7-foot range handles most situations on Lake Mead, whether you're throwing swimbaits for stripers or fishing cut bait on the bottom for catfish. A boat or kayak opens up far more water than bank fishing, though bank access does exist at several points. Bring more water than you think you need — the desert heat is not forgiving, and there are no services once you leave the main marina areas.
