Lower Bellota Tank

Lower Bellota Tank is a reservoir in Santa Cruz County, Arizona and covers about 0.2 acres, reaches about 5.8 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 0.6 acre-feet.

The small size of Lower Bellota Tank makes quiet casts and short moves more useful than carrying a pile of tackle. With little deep water in Lower Bellota Tank, weeds, wind, and water color can matter more than depth alone.

Fish and Baits

For a first pass on Lower Bellota Tank, the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch.

The first look at Lower Bellota Tank should cover this: 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

Before moving far on Lower Bellota Tank, use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket.

Season by Season

When working Lower Bellota Tank, 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

Use this plain plan on Lower Bellota 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.

To begin fishing Lower Bellota 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.