Saguaro Lake fishing

Saguaro 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

Access and facts

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

Lowest Salt River Project reservoir, formed by Stewart Mountain Dam off SR 87 northeast of Mesa. Tonto Pass required for boating. Bay in front of Butcher Jones and Saguaro del Norte is closed to motorized watercraft; east end is no-wake.

Other places to fish at Saguaro Lake

East end of the lake

Upper reaches offer more seclusion and boat-access camping; closed to wake from watercraft. (fs.usda.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Butcher Jones Recreation Area

Primary shore and paddle access with fishing platforms and a trail into adjacent coves; motorized craft barred from the Butcher Jones swimming bay. (fs.usda.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

Saguaro del Norte launch

Main motorized launch corridor; pairs with Butcher Jones as the busy west-end access complex. (fs.usda.gov, accessed September 29, 2026)

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About Saguaro Lake

USFS placed more than 2,200 fish structures at Saguaro Lake and has census bass over 12 pounds. Walleye, crappie, smallmouth, and yellow bass show up at times. Bass Master lists October through December and February to mid-April as trophy windows. Saguaro is the lowest Salt River lake in desert canyons.

Nearest lakes

Canyon Lake 5.9 mi no stocking on record Apache Lake 15.7 mi no stocking on record Bartlett Lake 18.7 mi no stocking on record Roosevelt Lake 22.8 mi no stocking on record Lake Pleasant 48.6 mi no stocking on record

Camping near Saguaro Lake

Campgrounds within 15 miles of Saguaro Lake's mapped point, nearest first: Larry Forbis Group Campground (2.3 miles), Bagley Flat camping (3 miles), The Point camping (7.2 miles), Usery Mountain Regional Park Campground (7.8 miles), and Lost Dutchman State Park camping (8.2 miles), each with its own campground page on campgroundsdb.com.

Straight-line distances.

Public land at Saguaro Lake

Saguaro Lake is inside Tonto National Forest.

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

Sources

Sources (2) +