Bartlett Lake, located in Carefree, Arizona is one of our most popular lakes in the desert. It is located 48 miles from downtown Phoenix in the Tonto National Forest. If you come to Bartlett after a rainy winter it is a sight to see for all with all of the yellow flowers in full bloom.
Aside from its beauty, Bartlett Lake fishing is revered and offers plenty of water activities for pleasure boaters year-round. Bartlett Lake is a great lake for beginners from the sheer number of bass it has in here. Bartlett has always been known as a place that produces good numbers but not the biggest bass. In recent years, that has changed, however. Arizona Game & Fish stocked Bartlett with Florida Strain Bass which are now growing into big healthy fish. Bartlett Lake is also known for its MASSIVE Flathead Catfish. One of the local Bartlett Lake Fishing Guides “Flathead Ed” holds the Arizona State Record with a Flathead weighing in at 76.52 lbs. So, whether you are doing some Bartlett Lake crappie fishing, looking to catch some monsters, or just want to catch some quality bass, Bartlett Lake is the spot for you!
The Cove
Bartlett Lake also has a great restaurant just above the Marina called “The Cove” where you can get some great food and drinks and enjoy the views. While at Bartlett Lake you can plan on seeing some amazing wildlife. You may see javelina, deer, mountain lions, coyotes, river otters, bald eagles, and if you’re lucky, you may see some Gila monsters. Bartlett has a surface area of 2,815 acres and is fed by the Verde River. If you want to get out with one of our Bartlett Lake fishing guides from FishIn48, please make sure to book a trip!
20808 E Bartlett Dam Rd, Rio Verde AZ, 85263
https://www.thecoveatbartlett.com
Phone: 480-645-2470
Hours:
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (WED-FRI)
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (SAT/SUN)
When you are not doing some Bartlett Lake crappie fishing or hunting large catfish you can target a wide variety of species there. All species include Crappie, Flathead Catfish, Channel Catfish, Carp, Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Smallmouths don’t seem to have a huge population in here as I have only seen one caught but apparently there are some in there. If you are an avid fisherman, there are a wide variety of fishing tournaments you can participate in, FishIn48 hosts the Cactus Cup Team Trail and always has Bartlett on the schedule along with the annual Turkey Derby held the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. During the summertime, you can be sure to find a night tournament each week. Book a trip to Bartlett Lake or sign up for your first tournament to get in on the fun!
Mason and Bobby won the Cactus Cup Team Trail with some giant Largemouth
