Arizona

[Tatume]

Hello Folks,

My wife wants to move to Arizona, and the state has a lot of appeal to me also. Shooting sports are very active in Arizona, and I’ve read the state is a gun-friendly community. The one thing that I really don’t want to give up in Virginia is the Chesapeake Bay. I love boating, fishing, crabbing, clamming, oystering, and (soon now) shrimping. If we move to Arizona, I’ll have to give up on all the marine invertebrates.

That leaves boating and fishing. Please tell me about the opportunities for power boating and fishing in Arizona. I’m already selling my big boat (downsizing so I can retire), and have purchased a shallow-draft, 24’ open boat with an outboard motor.

What and where are the big lakes and rivers in Arizona? What sorts of fish are caught there?

Thanks, Tom

[Went2kck]

Fishing in AZ isn't that good. Very hot and getting warmer. I lived their fir 16 years. It was looking really good in the rearview mirror. lakes are few and far between the big cities. I say if your moving their to fish don't bother it is a desert. Not many good jobs that pay much. Shooting their is almost open anyplace their is a rural area. It is good for that. Hunting not so much in the low areas. I lived in Phoenix area to. flagstaff is cold and snows like most higher elevations.
Would I recommend moving their to fish no hunt not really. Just my opinion.

[StrawHat]

Search for Lake Havasu.

Kevin

[Hickory]

Every state has its pulses and minuses.
The great lakes has boating and fishing opportunities that can be cold and snowy in the winter.
The gulf states have fishing opportunities as well, but can be devilish during a hurricane.
You have a rough decision to make, good luck to you.

[Rcmaveric]

Sounds like you need to go another coastal state. Florida is 2A friendly and depending o area has shooting competitions. Fishing is amazing plus you crabs and shrimp. Hunting is pretty good. People complain about our deer size but find a nutritious forest with dirt and not sand and you will find some good deer sizes. We have hogs and squirrels ext. They say we have rabbits but I can't find em. They must know how good of a shot I am and run. Plus Florida is pretty rural. I am I Jacksonville now. I am from the Pensacola area and plan on retiring to the Crestview area.

Down side is whether doesnt know what seasons it is. Today is the first cold day. My guess is we will only get about a week of winter.
Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[RU shooter]

Just looked on the map and don't look like too many bigger lakes or rivers besides lake Meade and the Colorado river in the western side of the state and the lake is actually in Nevada . If we're me and I liked to fish and get out of Va. costal NC is right on your southern door step

[marlin39a]

Fishing is good in Lake Pleasant, also Ben Avery Shhooting Range is close.

[ShooterAZ]

Lake Roosevelt in central AZ is a very good fishing/boating lake, as is Lake Powell at the Utah border which has over 2000 miles of shoreline and spectacular scenery.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt_Lake
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Powell

[6bg6ga]

Tom,

The wife and I moved to Arizona in late June of this year from Iowa. As I look at the weather back in Iowa I wonder how I managed to live there 66 years and survive the cold. Yesterday it was roughly about 73 degrees I was playing in the garage loading some ammunition and working on some 45acp shot shells for the 1911. Every state has its + and - qualities. I don't regret moving. I live within 15 minutes of a outdoor range. I'm not into fishing but have had my share of boats and would suggest the following... move to AZ and take a yearly trip back to Chesapeake Bay and enjoy for several weeks and see family and or friends. The benefits of the warmer climate are quite nice especially if you are starting to get arthritis or your share of the aches and pains. The more that I'm here the more I am discovering the day trips to things like mines that have been shut down or ghost towns and such.

[blackthorn]

The OP started his information request with these words---"My wife wants to move to Arizona, ------". Based on that, I would echo post #9, above! Happy wife----Happy life!

[centershot]

Tatume,
I too am contemplating a move to Arizona when my wife retires, 3 years to go! We vacationed there a couple of years ago and loved it! We were staying in Cottonwood, a few miles south of the "Red Rock" area around Sedona. It's beautiful desert terrain there, not toofar south of Flagstaff. If you enjoy water sports and fishing Lake Havasu is in the NW corner of the state. Larry Gibson, a member here, told me in a PM that the fishing there is really good! Lake Havasu City is about 38,000 in population and is probably where we will end up. Check it out!

[quilbilly]

Tatume,
I too am contemplating a move to Arizona when my wife retires, 3 years to go! We vacationed there a couple of years ago and loved it! We were staying in Cottonwood, a few miles south of the "Red Rock" area around Sedona. It's beautiful desert terrain there, not toofar south of Flagstaff. If you enjoy water sports and fishing Lake Havasu is in the NW corner of the state. Larry Gibson, a member here, told me in a PM that the fishing there is really good! Lake Havasu City is about 38,000 in population and is probably where we will end up. Check it out!
#1 to this. Don't forget that Arizona has some beautiful mountains that are home to Arizona's own native trout, the Gila trout. The are also some high mountain lakes with pike and trout in NE and N.Cen. areas in the vicinity of Show Low. The state is drought prone so the lakes away from the Colorado and in the mountains vary from year to year. Personally, summer temps of 115 degrees in the shade don't do it for me in either Nevada or Arizona so I would have to find a place above 4000 feet in elevation. Communities in S. Nevada like Mesquite might also be to your liking but your fishing would have to be in S. Utah where it is excellent around St. George.

[flint45]

Lake Powell great place to catch stripers and you cold spend years exploring it's many coves and scenery.

[Larry Gibson]

Lake Powell, Lake Roosevelt, Lake Havasu.....the Colorado River......lots of fishing and boating.

Bass Pro tournaments on Lake Havasu so fishing can't be that bad.....

[6bg6ga]

Lake Powell, Lake Roosevelt, Lake Havasu.....the Colorado River......lots of fishing and boating.

Bass Pro tournaments on Lake Havasu so fishing can't be that bad.....

Makes you want to move there...WAIT I live there already!