Ash Fork Bass

Bass and frogs, never a bad combination.

It's not going to produce the next state-record bass, but the largemouth fishery known as Stone Dam in north-central Arizona is a cool destination for fly rodders.

I was strolling down memory lane - going through old photos and came upon images from Stone Dam. I first fished it when I was 16 or 17, driving over from Kingman to spend long summer days on the water with a buddy. During college I'd head west to fish the lake when I wanted a change of pace from small stream trout fishing.

The little 5-acre impoundment rarely disappointed. Its feisty bass were generally more than willing to crush poppers on summer evenings. Streamers took plenty of fish the rest of the time. One to two pounds, that was about it, but if they were coming with regularity that was good enough for me.

Nearly fifteen years ago...

Some of the locals got a little bent out of shape when AZ Highways ran a short feature on the lake in the late 90's, but their concern was for naught. The lake is an overlooked, out-of-the-way destination that was soon forgotten again.

Check it out the next time that you're traveling I-40 near Ash Fork, AZ - just don't tell the locals I sent you.