Gambusi Lake

Gambusi Lake is a reservoir in Pima County, Arizona and covers about 1.2 acres, reaches about 9.5 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 5.1 acre-feet.

A direct approach on Gambusi Lake works like this: one weed edge or deeper pocket can hold much of the day’s activity. With little deep water in Gambusi Lake, weeds, wind, and water color can matter more than depth alone.

Fish and Baits

To begin fishing Gambusi Lake, the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch.

Keep the first check on Gambusi Lake simple: 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.

How to Read the Water

While learning Gambusi Lake, 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

Before changing spots on Gambusi Lake, in spring, start with warming banks, creek mouths, and shallow cover; summer usually pushes the better bite toward the outside weed edge or a nearby drop; fall can bring bait back to windblown points, while winter calls for smaller moves and a slower pace.

A Simple Tackle Plan

The first look at Gambusi Lake should cover this: 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.

One way to read Gambusi Lake is this: 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.