Deer Tank

The 0.5-acre Deer Tank in Apache County is a reservoir in Arizona and covers about 0.5 acres, reaches about 7.1 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 1.5 acre-feet.

Deer Tank is small water, so a careful lap around the bank can show most of the useful cover. A direct approach on Deer Tank works like this: this water is shallow, so weeds, wind, and water color can matter more than depth alone.

Fish and Baits

At Deer Tank, the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch; compare shallow and deeper water on this 0.5-acre reservoir.

At Deer Tank, begin with one slow bottom presentation and one moving bait, then let bites show whether fish are holding close to cover or roaming open water; compare shallow and deeper water on this 0.5-acre reservoir.

How to Read the Water

At Deer Tank, start where two things meet: weeds and open water, rock and mud, a point and a drop, or clear water and dirty water; fish that edge at more than one depth before leaving it.

Season by Season

At Deer Tank, shallow water is worth a careful look in spring and again during fall; bright summer days favor shade, weeds, or deeper breaks; under ice, a small depth change can be more useful than a long move.

A Simple Tackle Plan

At Deer Tank, a medium spinning rod, 8-pound line, a small box of jigs, a few crankbaits, and a simple bottom rig cover most situations; change depth or speed before changing every piece of tackle; compare shallow and deeper water on this 0.5-acre reservoir.

At Deer Tank, record the wind, water color, productive depth, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce; compare shallow and deeper water on this 0.5-acre reservoir.