Ned Rig Fishing on Saguaro Lake
Saguaro Lake · Arizona · West
Saguaro Lake sits in the lower Salt River canyon about 30 miles northeast of Phoenix, impounded by Stewart Mountain Dam and managed by the Salt River Project. The fishery is defined by sheer basalt walls, submerged rocky points, and a handful of shallow coves — structure that suits both largemouth and smallmouth bass year-round. Water clarity trends toward 8–15 feet of visibility in cooler months, tightening to 4–8 feet after monsoon season pushes sediment in from summer storms.
Ned Rig pairs a 3–4" ElaZtech-style floating plastic (TRD, Finesse TRD, or similar) on a 1/15–1/6 oz mushroom head jig. The bait's buoyancy causes it to stand upright on the bottom, creating a subtle action that triggers bites when nothing else will. Exceptional on hard bottom, gravel, and rock.
Ned Rig Setup for Saguaro Lake
| Rod | 6'10"–7'2" medium-light spinning rod, moderate-fast action |
| Reel | 2500 size spinning reel |
| Line | 10 lb braid + 8 lb fluorocarbon leader |
| Weight | 1/15–1/6 oz mushroom jig head (Z-Man Finesse ShroomZ or similar) |
| Hook | Size 1 or 1/0 wide gap, built into jig head |
Seasonal Tactics on Saguaro Lake
Lake: Largemouth push into the shallow coves and rocky flat transitions between late February and mid-April as water temps climb from 58 to 68 degrees. The north-facing coves warm last but hold the biggest pre-spawn fish; target the 4–8 ft range on rocky shelves with swim jigs and finesse Texas rigs.
Ned Rig: Deadly on pre-spawn fish holding on gravel and pea-gravel flats in 4–12 feet.
Lake: Post-spawn fish suspend off steep canyon walls and main-lake points in 15–30 ft of water once surface temps exceed 80 degrees. Finesse dropshots and shaky heads on the 20 ft contour produce better than reaction baits once the thermocline locks in around late June.
Ned Rig: Work deeper rock piles and main lake points. Drag slowly, let it stand. Green pumpkin and watermelon dominate.
Lake: Cooling water from September through November triggers shad-chasing behavior near creek arm mouths and the upper lake flats. Topwater walking baits and underspin rigs in the 8–15 ft zone can deliver fast action when schooling activity kicks up on calm mornings.
Ned Rig: One of the best techniques as fish get finicky before winter. Match shad colors on sandy/gravel bottom.
Lake: Saguaro's mild desert winters keep water temps in the 52–60 degree range from December through February, meaning bass remain catchable year-round. Slow-rolled swimbaits and drop shots along main-lake rocky points in 18–25 ft tend to outproduce shallow presentations when water dips below 56 degrees.
Ned Rig: Best cold-water finesse technique after drop shot. Extremely slow drag on hard bottom near deep structure.
Best Conditions
Clear water, hard and rocky bottoms, post-cold-front, heavily pressured fish, any season except peak summer spawn
Use Z-Man ElaZtech plastics exclusively — they float and are nearly indestructible. Regular soft plastics sink and kill the technique.
More Techniques for Saguaro Lake
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