It's still crappie time at Alamo Lake. Mark Knapp from Alamo Lake State Park said several anglers are catching 8-15 crappie a day up around the buoy line. Some are using roadrunners with a minnow trailer while others are just using a split shot and a minnow. The crappie are lurking in in 25-30 feet of water, he said.

Pre-spawn activities have been reported at another early-bird fishery, Lake Havasu, which is also a wide, shallow lake located in a wide, shallow valley rimed with sun reflecting desert mountain ranges. But it does have a couple of elements that Alamo lacks -- striped bass and smallmouth bass. Toss in plate-sized redear as well. Havasu is excellent in February and March before the recreational boating hordes from California descend upon this popular desert oasis.

Targeting trout? Check out the trout stocking schedule as well before you heard out.

Sounds like bass have become more active with this warmer weather. At Roosevelt Lake, the water temperature increased three degrees during the past week, from 55 to 58.

At early-bird lakes Alamo, Havasu and Martinez, the water temperatures increase more rapidly. Good time to head to the "West Coast of Arizona."