Pleasant Lake Fishing Guide

Lake Pleasant Regional Park has been the primary attraction for decades for Bass fishing and is the largest lake in the Phoenix and Scottsdale area straddling the Maricopa and Yavapai county border northwest of Phoenix, Arizona.

What Types of Fish Are In Lake Pleasant?

Pleasant Lake offers great fising for Largemouth bass, channel catfish, black crappie, white crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, tilapia, white bass and striped bass at Lake Pleasant in Arizona.

Lake Pleasant offers a clear, deep, desert lake has produced a number of monster strings of bass, and at times been a longtime favorite of tournament anglers.

Lake Pleasant Stats:

  • Water Surface: 10,000+ Acres
  • Shoreline: 116 Miles
  • Average Depth: 70 ft.
  • Max Depth: 170 ft.
  • Surface Elevation: 1,700′
  • Area: 11.58 mi²
  • Lake type: Reservoir

Lake Pleasant Amenities:

  • Marina: YES
  • Boat Rental: YES
  • Boat Launch Ramp: YES
  • Campgrounds: YES
  • RV Hookups: YES
  • Lodging: NEARBY
  • Convenience Store: NO
  • Bait & Tackle: NO
  • Restaurant: YES

Lake Pleasant Map

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Lake Pleasant Sunset

YouTube video

Highly Recommended Bait, Tackle & Gear

Large Mouth Bass fishing
at Lake Pleasant

  • Texas-style worms, jigs, spinnerbaits and crankbaits also catch their share of Lake Pleasant bass.

Stripe & White Bass fishing
at Lake Pleasant

  • Located 20 feet deep or deeper
  • Spoons and shad-imitating lures work best
  • Striped bass can be caught as deep as the 100-foot range - especially during summer and winter.

Lake Pleasant Fishing Tips

A rule of thumb: the warmer the water is at Lake Pleasant, the shallower the fish will be. Story be told, the fish at Lake Pleasant haven’t read the rules. You can usually find shallow fish all year long at this lake.

Spinnerbaits are a great way for finding fish as they cover lots of water quickly and can be fished at various speeds (slow or fast) all depending on the mood that the fish are in.

Dragging a worm or a split-shot rig setup is a great fishing strategy for the non-boater fisherman as well as a Carolina-rigged lizard using watermelon green has been a real great producer at Lake Pleasant for years and years.

Fishing Marinas at Lake Pleasant

Below are the just a few of the highest rated fishing marinas at Lake Pleasant that offer a wide variety of services from fishing boat rentals, pro tackle and bait shops, freshwater fishing charters, official fish weighing stations and more.

There are two major marinas at Lake Pleasant that you can access. Whether you choose to dock your boat at the marinas, trailer in your own boat or you can rent a boat, there are plenty of amenities at these marinas the includes: fueling docks, boat repair services, convenience stores, fishing supplies, boat slips and restaurants with water-side bars from where you can enjoy watching the action.

Pleasant Harbor Marina

The Lake Pleasant Harbor Marina and Lake Pleasant Harbor Convenience Store provides wet slips, dry storage, fuel and a store for supplies. To reach Pleasant Harbor Marina, take Interstate 17 north to Exit 223 (Carefree Highway). Turn west and proceed for approximately 11 miles to Pleasant Harbor Drive.

Lake Pleasant Fishing Limits

Access and download the AZ fishing rules and regulations guide for fishing at Lake Pleasant.

AZ Fishing Regulations Guide

Download the Arizona Fishing Regulations Guide to see all the rules and regulations in fishing at Lake Pleasant as well as other lakes in the great state of Arizona.

  • License & Fees
  • Fishing Regulations
  • Fishing Tips & Resources
  • & more...
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Directions to Lake Pleasant

Lake Pleasant in Arizona is open 24 hours all 365 days a year. At the main entrance of the Lake Pleasant there is a large parking lot for around 700 or so vehicles as well as a 10-lane and 4-lane boat ramp.

Lake Pleasant is about 35 miles from downtown Phoenix. When you're ready to go fishing at Lake Pleasant below are some some quick directions to get your destination.

From Phoenix

From Phoenix, AZ  take the I-17 (aka Black Canyon Freeway) north and exit on Carefree Highway (Exit 223) and head west and  becomes Lake Pleasant Road ask known as State Route 74. Head west for about 15 miles and you'' want to turn North on Castle Hot Springs Road and then continue for 2 miles to the Lake Pleasant park's main entrance. To get to Lake Pleasant's Harbor Marina, turn north on Pleasant Harbor Rd for about 1.5 miles to get to the main entrance. Please be advise there will be an entrance fee to get into Lake Pleasant.

There is another entrance into Lake Pleasant and to get there, it's about 3 miles past the main Lake Pleasant park entrance on Castle Hot Springs Road. There, you will find lake access to the 4 lane boat ramp as well as shoreline camping areas and the Cottonwood day-use only picnic area which provides restroom convenience.