I have been fishing the White Mountains ever since the 60’s when I became old enough to drive. I have seen the lakes go through good times and through bad times. Without a doubt the majority of the bad times were brought about by the lack of water to keep the fish alive, be it summer or winter. This latest prolonged drought the West is experiencing has proven to be one of the most devastating in my lifetime. I fished Sunrise this past week and although the lake had more water than last year….it has less FISHABLE water due to the prolific weed growth. I would venture to say that only 50% of the lake is fishable now (and probably less). Not that long ago we could fish the entire lake with the best fishing usually down at the southern end which is where the weeds grew back then. I don’t believe I have been able to fish that end for ten years now and the lake is getting smaller and smaller every year. It’s turning into a mud hen sanctuary. Unless something is done to improve the water volume in the lake I think we will eventually lose it. We go through summer and winterkills on a steady basis and it seems to be acceptable by the WMAT. Less and less people are fishing the lake now and it’s a waste of a valuable resource. The lake is a virtual fish factory if we can keep enough water in it so the fish can survive and grow to maturity.
The strain of rainbows in the lake is the Erwin strain from Ennis, MT. Several years ago I contacted the hatchery in Ennis to inquire about the strain and was told it would live 5-7 years and grow to 12-15 lbs in hatchery conditions. Sunrise is not a hatchery but it is certainly rich enough to support a healthy population of BIG trout if we can keep them alive.
In the near future I plan on having a petition to sign in the hands of all businesses that deal with fishing in the state. The petition will encourage the WMAT to:
1. Fix the pipe from Ono Lake that feeds Brookie Cove with Spring runoff.
2. Drill some wells that will supply fresh water on a daily basis.
3. Install aerators that will provide oxygen to the lake both in winter and during the “Dog Days” of summer.
I urge all fishers to sign the petition to help Sunrise Lake come back and become the fishery it has the potential to be.
This is not about Catch and Release or slot limits. It is about improving the lake’s water quality and subsequently better growing conditions for the trout. This is about growing and catching BIG trout in Arizona.
John Rohmer
Please join us in the fight to get more quality fisheries in the State of Arizona and on the WMAT. We have a copy of the petition in the shop, please stop by to sign your name. The more names we get the better our chances to start seeing some changes in management. You can also email us admin@azflyfishing.com and we can add your name to the list, all we need is a name, address and phone number. Thanks for your participation.