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Welcome |
UAAF Mission Statement
United Arizona Anglers Foundation (UAAF) is committed to improving Arizona's warmwater fishing. Our strategy is to help identify, fund and implement projects which expand sportfish populations and the sport of fishing. Our goal is to leave Arizona a better place for warmwater sportfishing than we found it, and to inspire future generations to improve on our efforts. UAAF will meet our goal by working with Arizona Game and Fish Department, other government agencies, private organizations and fellow anglers. |
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Canyon and Saguaro Lakes Receive Smallmouth and Florida Largemouth Bass |
 Hundreds of Florida strain largemouth bass fingerlings swim away after being placed into Canyon Lake On Monday, June 30th 2008, another big step was taken on the road to recovery of Saguaro and Canyon lakes fisheries. Money donated by local anglers, businesses and fishing groups over the last 10 months, plus matching money from Anglers United and AZ Game and Fish were used to buy 46,000 Florida strain largemouth bass and 2,200 Smallmouth bass.  Skyler Clark carefully nets Florida largemouth bass and places them into Canyon Lake The fish were purchased from fish farms in Arkansas, loaded onto a huge hatchery truck on Saturday, then transported and delivered to Saguaro lake early Monday morning. All the bass were in excellent condition. The week before the stocking, the AZ Game and Fish Department performed water quality tests to check for Golden Alga and reported the lakes were both in very good condition.  Nikole Holverson stocking 3 inch smallmouth bass into Canyon Lake After AZ Game & Fish employees adjusteded the ph and temperature of the water in the hatchery truck to match the lakes, volunteers in their boats distributed 23,000 Florida largemouth bass fingerlings at many locations at both Canyon and Saguaro Lakes. The same procedure was followed and 1,200 smallmouth bass were dispersed around Canyon Lake while 1,000 smallmouth were distributed in Saguaro Lake . The Florida largemouth bass fingerlings were about 1 3/4 inches long and the smallmouth bass were between 3 and 4 inches long.  Matt Shura puts Florida largemouth bass into the Bagley Flats area of Saguaro Lake as his Dad Greg and friend Greg Bell look on. This stocking of Florida strain largemouth bass marks the first time Florida bass were stocked in any Arizona lake since 1981. That's 27 years! UAAF thanks all the anglers, bass clubs, and businesses for donating the money that made this day possible. And a huge thanks to our partners in this effort, Anglers United and the Arizona Game & Fish Department. Finally, thanks to the volunteers who spent their time and money to be at the lakes to stock the bass: At Saguaro: Matt Shura - Bass Pro Shops Pro Staff, Greg Shura, and Greg Bell Ray Ritchotte - UAAF, and Dave Colbourn Brian & Debbie Carnahan - UAAF At Canyon: Justin Seay - boater, Skyler Clark & Steve Ortiz - Sportsman's Warehouse Jim Patterson - UAAF, Nikole Holverson - Bass Pro Shops |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 14 July 2008 )
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Sportsman's Warehouse Donates to Help Apache, Canyon and Saguaro Lakes Recover |
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Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 - Approximately 150,000 largemouth fingerlings that were purchased by Arizona Game and Fish were stocked in Apache, Canyon and Saguaro lakes on May 14, 2008 as part of the AZ G&F two year recovery plan. UAAF coordinated the volunteer effort to help to get the fish out to their new homes. We strategically placed the little fish in grass and watched them run for cover. Among the volunteers for the Saguaro Lake stocking were three Sportsman's Warehouse managers: Bruce Gibson, Southwest Regional Manager; and Kim Polfus and Seth Powell, Mesa store managers. Mark Russell, Avondale manager, was unable to attend at the last minute.  Left to right: Seth Powell, Bruce Gibson and Kim Polfus of Sportsman's Warehouse present a $5,000 donation to UAAF's Ron Schofield and Jim Patterson
At the stocking of Saguaro Lake, Sportsman's Warehouse presented a very generous $5,000 check to UAAF to help the Salt River lakes recover. Bruce Gibson stated this is the first donation of its kind for Sportsman's Warehouse and they are thrilled to be a part of it. UAAF's Ron Schofield presented a very nice plaque to them in appreciation of their support along with a very big "Thanks" to all the folks at Sportsman's Warehouse.
Sportsman's Warehouse has been very generous in their support of UAAF efforts to restore the Salt River Lakes. In December 2007, the Mesa store sent a truck and two employees to get Christmas trees to Canyon Lake for the habitat project.
A big "thank you" also goes out to Gary Cook, Ron Wells, Jim Hughes, Bob Oberst, Dave Winston and Greg Benham for the volunteer efforts at Canyon Lake. Bill Kile, Frank Love and others helped to stock Apache Lake. Thanks to everyone that participated, and to UAAF member, Ray Ritchotte, for the countless hours he spent coordinating the volunteer efforts. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 18 May 2008 )
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Local Tournament Bass Anglers Donate Over $7,000 To Repair Arizona Fisheries |
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 From September 2007 to May of 2008, Arizona tournament bass anglers donated more than $7,000 to the United Arizona Anglers Foundation (UAAF) to re-stock lakes in central Arizona.
Anglers entered in the Monterey Bass Company (MBC) or the American Bass (ABA) Central Arizona tournament circuits have the opportunity to donate $10 per team at each event to support the restoration of bass fishing at Apache, Canyon and Saguaro Lakes. These three lakes were devasted in 2004 and 2005 by fish kills attributed to Golden Alga.
So far, tournament angler donations have helped pay for 650 smallmouth bass stocked in Apache and Canyon Lakes last fall and 45,000 Florida strain largemouth bass to be stocked this spring in all three lakes. UAAF plans to stock additional smallmouth and Florida largemouth bass this fall. Randy McIlraith, tournament director of MBC and ABA Central Arizona circuits, and his wife Fran were recognized on May 3rd by UAAF for their support of the effort to repair the fisheries. "This is greatly appreciated," said Randy, "and its ourpleasure to help, however all the credit goes to the tournament fishermen whose participation has been outstanding."
UAAF thanked the tournament anglers for their generous donations and promised tocontinue working closely with the Arizona Game & Fish department to improve Arizona's warmwater fishing. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 06 May 2008 )
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Christmas Trees Delivered to Canyon Lake |
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 Loading trees at Tim Mitchell lot
On short notice, UAAF successfully arranged and coordinated the pickup and delivery of 1000 Christmas trees for the project. A big thanks to Bruce Rains for taking the lead, Tim Mitchell Christmas Trees for providing 500+ unused trees and assistance, and Witfill Nursery for providing 500 unused trees and delivery to Canyon Lake.
 Half the trees delivered!
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Last Updated ( Friday, 28 December 2007 )
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UAAF Helps AZ Game & Fish Stock Smallmouth Bass in Apache and Canyon Lakes |
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 UAAF members Denny Anderson and John Rohmer helping AZ Game & Fish stock smallmouth bass in Apache Lake. Click to enlarge.
Smallmouth bass were stocked in Apache Lake on October 30th as part of the AZ Game and Fish Department Salt River Golden Alga Recovery Plan. Approximately 3830 smallmouth bass were put into Apache. And 545 smallies made the trek up and over Fish Creek Hill in an AZ G&F hatchery truck to their new home in Canyon Lake. A total of 4,375 six to eight inch smallmouth bass were stocked by two AZ G&F boats and seven volunteer anglers in three boats. UAAF and Anglers United along with matching funds from Game & Fish paid for 625 smallies. That's every single smallie that the supplier, Fountain Bluffs fish farm in Illinois, had remaining after filling G&F's original order for 3750.
When those smallies hit the water in Apache they were GONE like a little bronzeback rocket!! They were in terrific shape. It was a great feeling watching those smallies swim away into their new home! More photos and details on how the stocking was done can be found on www.ArizonaBass.info - Click here |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 07 November 2007 )
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UAAF Donates $10,000 to AZ Game & Fish to Help Restore Salt River Lakes |
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October 20th, 2007 - UAAF Presented a check for $10,000 to the Arizona Game & Fish Department at the Game and Fish Commission meeting held in Phoenix Saturday, October 20, 2007. Ron Schofield, representing UAAF, spoke to the Commission as he presented the check, "Thanks to contributins from concerned anglers, businesses and other organizations and a matching grant from Anglers United of Arizona we are proud to present this check in the amount of $10,000 to Game & Fish to help restore warm water fishing on the Salt River chain of lakes. Our sincere thanks to the Commission and to the Department for everything you've done so far. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Arizona Game and Fish Department."  Left to Right: United Arizona Anglers Foundation Ron Schofield, Commissioner Hernbrode, Commission Chairman Golightly, Commissioner Martin, Commissioner Woodhouse Click photo to enlarge.
 Back Row: Jim Patterson, John Mergener, UAAF Supporter Artie Applebaum, Commissioner Hernbrode, Denny Anderson, Brian Carnahan Front Row: Rudy Banz, Ray Ritchotte, John Rohmer, Commission Chairman Golightly, Commissioner Martin, Ron Schofield, Commissioner Woodhouse Click photo to enlarge. $4,000 of the donation, plus $4,000 in matching funds from AGFD, have been earmarked to purchase 6" - 8" smallmouth bass for stocking later this month by AGFD into Canyon and Apache lakes. The remaining part of the donation has yet to be targeted by UAAF and AGFD, but it will be used for buying additional smallmouth or largemouth bass for Apache, Canyon and/or Saguaro lakes or to fund additional Salt River Lakes Recovery Plan-related research. Thanks again to all contributors for helping make this first donation to the Salt River Lakes Recovery Plan possible. We are far from being done and still have a lot of work to do. We will continue to work with Game and Fish and will continue our fund raising efforts to improve the Salt River Lakes and warmwater fishing in Arizona. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 03 November 2007 )
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United Arizona Anglers Foundation is currently raising money to buy Florida Strain Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass for stocking Apache, Canyon and Saguaro Lakes in 2008.
Game & Fish has stocked 12,600 6" to 8" Northern strain Largemouth Bass into Apache, Canyon and Saguaro during the fall. At the same time, 3750 6" to 8" Smallmouth bass were stocked by Game & Fish into Apache. UAAF purchased an additional 625 Smallmouth and stocked 545 in Canyon Lake and 80 in Apache per the wishes of our donators.
Game & Fish next plans to stock over 200,000 Northern strain Largemouth Bass 2" fingerlings into the 3 lakes this spring. UAAF is working with Game & Fish to acquire 2" fingerling Florida strain Largemouth and Smallmouth bass for stocking into the 3 lakes this spring.
In the fall of 2008, Game & Fish is planning to stock 20,000 6" to 8" Northern Strain Largemouth and 3750 Smallmouth Bass. UAAF is planning on buying additional 6" to 8" Florida Strain and Smallmouth Bass and is working through Game & Fish to acquire them.
Spring is right around the corner and time is running out. We need your help. Please take a minute and read the information on our Donations page. Your support is critical! Thank You. |
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 22 January 2008 )
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