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Best common carp lakes in Arizona

12 Arizona waters hold common carp, 1 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. 20-pound freight trains in every water. Feed on shallow mud flats — sight-fish them like bonefish.

1. Roosevelt Lake — 181 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie
2. Apache Lake — 266 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye
3. Lake Pleasant — 293 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, White Bass
4. Bartlett Lake — 174 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
5. Horseshoe Reservoir — 39 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Bluegill, Channel Catfish
6. Saguaro Lake — 89 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye
7. Alamo Lake — 50 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Crappie, Bluegill
8. Tempe Town Lake — 18 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Tilapia, Crappie, Bluegill
9. Fool Hollow Lake — 32 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
10. River Reservoir — 12 ft max · Rainbow Trout, Yellow Perch, Common Carp, Brown Trout
11. Silverbell Lake — 7 ft max · Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout
12. Kennedy Lake — 12 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish

When to fish common carp in Arizona

• Spring 2–10 ft — The best sight-fishing of the year — mudding fish in warm bays.
• Summer 3–15 ft — Chum a spot and wait — carp patrol the same flats daily.
• Fall 5–18 ft — Heavy feeding before winter; find the warmest water.
• Winter 10–30 ft — Podded up in deep, slow water.

Also in Arizona: best largemouth bass lakes · best tilapia lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best striped bass lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best brown trout lakes

Common Carp elsewhere: Minnesota · Michigan · Montana · Washington · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Connecticut · Nebraska · Ohio · Utah · Colorado · New York · Wisconsin · Kentucky · Texas · Illinois · Kansas · Tennessee · Missouri · Delaware · New Jersey · Virginia