Bartlett Lake fishing

Bartlett Lake fishing is on a reservoir. No species or stocking events are on the current agency reports yet.

Illustration, not a photo of this lake
Last stocked
Not in these reports
Plants on record
0
Species recorded
0
Surface acres
2,815

Access and facts

Water type
reservoir
Nearest town
Carefree, AZ
Shore access
Yes
Boat ramp
Yes
Fee required
Yes
Facilities
restrooms, camping

Verde River reservoir in Tonto National Forest about 20 miles east of Carefree via FR 19. Developed west-shore recreation sites; Tonto Daily Pass plus watercraft sticker required for boating. Primitive launch opportunities at Bartlett Flat when levels allow.

Other places to fish at Bartlett Lake

Bartlett Flat and Fish City

Upper-lake shoreline area with a fish-habitat improvement project USFS calls Fish City; primitive small-boat launch when water is low enough to expose beach. (fs.usda.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Yellow Cliffs

Named recreation shoreline along the west side en route to Bartlett Flat, a landmark access corridor for shore and boat anglers. (fs.usda.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Rattlesnake Cove

Closed to motorized watercraft; a sheltered cove useful for shore and non-motorized fishing away from ski traffic. (fs.usda.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Jojoba boat launch area

Developed launch corridor where Tonto Fee Machine Passes are available near Cave Creek Ranger District access. (fs.usda.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

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About Bartlett Lake

Bartlett held Arizona's 7-pound smallmouth record in 1977. This Verde River lake is 2,815 acres, about 12 miles long, and up to 174 feet deep. Anglers still chase smallmouth, largemouth, flathead catfish, and carp on Tonto National Forest.

Nearest lakes

Saguaro Lake 18.7 mi no stocking on record Canyon Lake 22.3 mi no stocking on record Apache Lake 26.9 mi no stocking on record Roosevelt Lake 28.7 mi no stocking on record Lake Pleasant 38 mi no stocking on record

Camping near Bartlett Lake

Campgrounds within 15 miles of Bartlett Lake's mapped point, nearest first: Riverside camping (1.6 miles), Ironwood Campground (9 miles), E.I. Rowland Campground (11.1 miles), Mesquite camping (11.1 miles), and Horseshoe camping (11.7 miles), each with its own campground page on campgroundsdb.com.

Straight-line distances.

Public land at Bartlett Lake

Bartlett Lake is inside Tonto National Forest.

Boundaries from Public Lands DB, part of the same network.

Sources

Sources (2) +