Saguaro is the closest Salt River lake to the Valley — an easy morning launch for bass, crappie, and catfish in the desert canyon below Stewart Mountain Dam. Here's what to know before you launch — plus live conditions updated every day.
Current water level, percent-full, weather, solunar bite windows, and a daily fishing score for Saguaro are tracked on the b4u.fish dashboard.
View live Saguaro conditions →The lowest and nearest of the four Salt River lakes, Saguaro is formed by Stewart Mountain Dam below the Bulldog Cliffs. Its proximity to Mesa and Scottsdale makes it the go-to for a quick trip, with marina services, calm canyon coves, and a steady largemouth and crappie fishery.
Bass move shallow to spawn and crappie gather on structure — a prime, comfortable window close to town.
Launch at first light to beat both the heat and the recreation traffic; go deeper midday. The daily score on b4u.fish flags the workable windows.
Cooling water revives the bass bite; catfish and crappie stay catchable around structure.
The b4u.fish dashboard combines moon phase, solunar major/minor windows, wind, cloud cover, water temperature, and barometric stability into a single daily score — so you can pick the best hour for a quick local trip.
From Mesa, take Bush Highway — reached from SR-87 (Beeline) or via Power Road off US-60 — to the Saguaro Lake Recreation Area turnoff. It's about 30–45 minutes northeast of Mesa. The lake is in Tonto National Forest, so a Tonto Pass or day-use fee is required.
Full pool is 1,529 ft. Live elevation and percent-full are on the b4u.fish dashboard, from the SRP/DWR daily report.
Largemouth and yellow bass, crappie, catfish, sunfish, and some walleye.
The Saguaro Del Norte launch by Saguaro Lake Marina is the main public ramp — see the dashboard for status.
Bush Highway to the Saguaro Lake Recreation Area turnoff, about 30–45 minutes northeast. Tonto pass required.