Rainbow Trout

For lure fishing, small inline spinners like Rooster Tails, Mepps, Z-Ray, and Panther Martins are consistently productive, particularly in black, brown, white, and yellow colors. Bait fishing with worms, corn, salmon e.g.gs, cheese, and manufactured baits like Berkley PowerBait.

For fly fishing, proven Arizona patterns include the Arizona Peacock Lady (#14-16) with gold bead head and red tail, black or olive Wooly Buggers in various sizes, Simi Seal Leeches in black, brown or silver, Elk Hair Caddis, and Parachute Adams for dry fly action.

The best times to fish Rainbow Trout in Arizona are spring (April-June) and fall (September-November). High-elevation lakes like Big Lake fish best in late April through May after ice-out, then again in late summer and early fall.

For lure fishing, fish lures at varying depths and speeds until finding the right combination. Bait fishing with worms, corn, salmon e.g.gs, cheese, and manufactured baits like Berkley PowerBait under bobbers at different depths helps locate feeding fish. PowerBait and dough baits work best fished on the bottom.

Arizona's Rainbow Trout are opportunistic feeders that consume aquatic invertebrates like mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, and midges, as well as terrestrial insects, small fish, fish e.g.gs, crayfish, and even mice. Juveniles focus primarily on aquatic invertebrates while larger adults target bigger prey.