Jig (Casting & Pitching) Fishing on Bartlett Lake
Bartlett Lake · Arizona · West
Bartlett Lake sits in the Tonto National Forest along the Verde River, formed by Bartlett Dam and stretching through a narrow desert canyon at roughly 1,700 feet elevation. The water tends toward clear-to-slightly-stained depending on seasonal runoff, with visibility commonly ranging from 4 to 10 feet, and the structure profile is dominated by rocky points, submerged ledges, canyon wall shad-holding drops, and brushy cove pockets. Largemouth bass are the primary target, but a healthy smallmouth population and seasonally active stripers give anglers legitimate multi-species opportunities in the same water.
A lead or tungsten head with a weed guard, skirt, and soft plastic trailer. Fished on the bottom by pitching, casting, or slow-rolling. The jig imitates crawfish and bottom-dwelling forage. More big bass have been caught on jigs than any other lure category — it's the lure that separates serious anglers.
Jig (Casting & Pitching) Setup for Bartlett Lake
| Rod | 7'–7'3" medium-heavy casting rod, fast action |
| Reel | 7.1:1 baitcaster |
| Line | 15–20 lb fluorocarbon (cover) or 50 lb braid (heavy grass) |
| Weight | 3/8 oz standard; 1/2–3/4 oz in wind or deep; 1/4 oz finesse |
| Hook | Built-in, typically 4/0–5/0 |
Seasonal Tactics on Bartlett Lake
Lake: Pre-spawn largemouth stack on rocky points and the upper ends of secondary coves in the 8–15 ft range as water temps climb through the low 60s, typically February through April — this window arrives significantly earlier than most of the country, and anglers fishing finesse jigs and Texas-rigged Zoom Trick Worms in pockets near the dam arm consistently produce.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Pre-spawn is prime season — pitch brown/green pumpkin jig to 45° bank transitions and rocky points.
Lake: Triple-digit Arizona air temps push bass deep by late June; fish suspend along canyon wall drop-offs in 25–40 ft chasing threadfin shad, and a drop shot or swimbait worked slow along the wall face is often the only reliable daytime option — early morning topwater over shallow points stays viable until about 8 AM.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Football jig on offshore ledges 15–30 feet. Swimming jig around grass edges at dawn.
Lake: Cooling water through October and November pulls largemouth and smallmouth back into the 10–20 ft range on rocky main-lake points; shad migrations concentrate near creek channel swings and fishing a spinnerbait or shallow-running crankbait along those transitions produces some of the most consistent action of the year.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Swim a jig around baitfish schools near points and flats. Shad trailer colors in fall.
Lake: Winter fishing on Bartlett is underrated — water temps rarely drop below 50°F, and bass remain active on sunny afternoons, especially on south-facing rock banks that absorb heat; a slow-rolled swimbait or finesse football jig in 15–25 ft outperforms the crowd throwing reaction baits on the warmer mid-day window.
Jig (Casting & Pitching): Slowest presentation — drag a 3/8 oz football jig on deep hard bottom. Barely move it.
Best Conditions
All seasons, all depths, all cover types; most effective in 50–70°F water; excellent in pre-spawn and when fish are on hard bottom
Match trailer to conditions: craw trailer in cold water (slower fall, bigger profile), swimbait trailer when swimming, chunk trailer for flipping.
More Techniques for Bartlett Lake
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