Picnic Tank

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

A direct approach on Picnic Tank works like this: this is small water, so a careful lap around the bank can show most of the useful cover. On an first pass, with little deep water in Picnic Tank, weeds, wind, and water color can matter more than depth alone.

Fish and Baits

At Picnic Tank, the fish mix here is not confirmed, so check fresh local information before choosing a target or keeping a catch; test the drop before leaving on this 0.2-acre reservoir.

At Picnic 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; test the drop before leaving on this 0.2-acre reservoir.

How to Read the Water

At Picnic 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; test the drop before leaving on this 0.2-acre reservoir.

Season by Season

At Picnic Tank, early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again.

A Simple Tackle Plan

At Picnic 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; test the drop before leaving on this 0.2-acre reservoir.

At Picnic 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; test the drop before leaving on this 0.2-acre reservoir.