Sunrise Lake

Sunrise Lake is a reservoir in Apache County, Arizona and covers about 307 acres, reaches about 52.3 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 15,600 acre-feet.

There is enough room for fish to move at Sunrise Lake, so compare a protected side with a windblown bank before settling on one depth. Deep water at Sunrise Lake gives fish room to move away from shore as summer heat and bright light build.

Fish and Baits

Fish listed for Sunrise Lake include Black Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Flathead Catfish, Green Sunfish, and Largemouth Bass.

For black crappie, fish a small jig or minnow around wood, weeds, and sharp little drops; keep the bait above soft bottom; return to productive water when light changes on this 307-acre reservoir.

For bluegill, use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets; use one moving lure and one slow bait; return to productive water when light changes on this 307-acre reservoir.

For largemouth bass, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover; try a brighter bait when the water is dirty; return to productive water when light changes on this 307-acre reservoir.

For channel catfish, fish cut bait or a nightcrawler on the bottom along a channel edge or warm flat; fish isolated cover before a long empty edge.

Follow any bait found near the surface, then other targets listed here include Common Carp; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig; watch for food before choosing lure depth.

How to Read the Water

At Sunrise Lake, 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

For a short trip to Sunrise Lake, 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

A focused trip to Sunrise Lake begins this way: 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.

At Sunrise Lake, 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.

Sunrise Lake FAQs

What is a simple way to start fishing for black crappie at Sunrise Lake?

Let wind choose the first bank, then fish a small jig or minnow around wood, weeds, and sharp little drops; make one pass close to bottom.

What does the 52.3 feet deepest point mean when fishing Sunrise Lake?

Treat 52.3 feet as the deepest point, not the automatic fishing depth; start near cover and move deeper only when bites or bait give a reason.

What is the best reason to change spots at Sunrise Lake?

Cast across the point tip, then move after checking the same useful feature at several depths without finding bait, a clean edge, or a bite; change retrieve speed before changing lures.