2025 Nov – Apache Lake Fall Fishing Update: Big Storm Incoming… Will the Bite Change?

Here’s your Members-First fishing report from Apache Lake. November conditions remain almost identical to last week—62° water in the morning, warming to about 64–65°—but a major multi-day storm is rolling in, and it’s going to change everything. How? Even after 40 years of fishing Arizona, I can’t say for sure.

In this report, I break down exactly what I found:
• Cranking bite: Managed a solid 2.5-lb largemouth early, but most fish were short-striking and uncommitted.
• Deep bite: Drop-shotting schools produced fish, but only one per school, and all in the 1.5–1.75 lb range.
• Jerkbait bite: Picked up a few more fish shallow with a Megabass 110, but again—no quality.
• Gear note: Found a tiny burr on my hook causing drops… fixed it and the landing ratio went right back up.

I also give my best guess on what could happen after the storm, including how dropping water temps and cloud cover may ignite a reaction bite—or shut it down.

My Plan for the Next Trip

I’ll be back at Apache Monday and Tuesday, right in the middle of the unsettled weather. I’m going for broke:
crankbaits, jerkbaits, maybe even a buzzbait over the boulders if conditions line up. If that fails… it’s back to the deep hunt.

Thanks for being a Member and supporting the channel.
Be free out there. We’re Americans—we deserve to be.