Arizona is more than cacti-filled desert landscapes, sunburns, hiking trails, and cowboy hats.

We do have lakes, streams, ponds and rivers like our Midwestern neighbors, and they're stocked with fish that you can either catch and release or take home for supper.

To fish in Arizona, you have to obtain a fishing license. There are six different options. They range from $5 to $57, depending on who's fishing, where you're fishing, and if you want to combine with a hunting license.

In the Valley, there are more than 30 places where you can take your tackle box and fishing pole.

Below is a quick look at the various lakes around the Valley and the types of fish you can potentially catch.

WHERE ARE THE LAKES AND PONDS?

SO, WHAT CAN YOU CATCH?

Throughout the year, the Arizona Game and Fish stocks the lakes with Rainbow trout, catfish, tilapia, sunfish, crappie and largemouth bass. See when the lakes will be stocked.

PHOENIX

Alvord Lake (Cesar Chavez Park)

Cortez Lake (Cortez Park)

Desert West Lake (Desert West Park and Sports Complex)

Encanto Lake (Encanto Park)

Steele Indian School Pond (Steele Indian School Park)

Roadrunner Pond (Roadrunner Park)

Papago Ponds (Papago Park)

CHANDLER

Desert Breeze Lake (Desert Breeze Park)

Veterans Oasis Lake (Veterans Oasis Park)

TEMPE

Evelyn Hallman Pond (Evelyn Hallman Park)

Kiwanis Lake (Kiwanis Park)

Tempe Town Lake (Tempe Town Beach Park)

GILBERT

Water Ranch Lake (Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch)

Freestone Lake (Freestone Park)

McQueen Pond (McQueen Park)

Discovery Ponds (Discovery Park)

SCOTTSDALE

Chaparral Lake (Chaparral Park)

Eldorado Pond (Eldorado Park)

GLENDALE

Bonsall Pond (Bonsall Park)

PEORIA

Rio Vista Pond (Rio Vista Community Park)

Pioneer Lake (Pioneer Community Park)

MESA

Red Mountain Lake (Red Mountain Lake)

Riverview Lake (Riverview Park)

SURPRISE

Surprise Lake (Surprise Community Park)

AVONDALE

Friendship Pond (Friendship Park)

MARICOPA

Pacana Pond (Pacana Park)

Copper Sky Lake (Copper Sky Recreation Complex)

CASA GRANDE

Dave White Regional Park Pond (Dave White Regional Park)

TONTO NATIONAL FOREST

Apache Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, flathead catfish, rainbow trout, walleye, yellow bass, bluegill, green sunfish and carp.

Bartlett Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, flathead catfish, channel catfish, crappie, bluegill, green sunfish

Canyon Lake – largemouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, carp, yellow bass, bluegill, green sunfish, rainbow trout

Horseshoe Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish

Roosevelt Lake – smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, catfish, carp, bluegill

Saguaro Lake – Rainbow trout, catfish, carp, bluegill, sunfish, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, tilapia, perch

MARICOPA COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION

Lake Pleasant – white bass, striped bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, bigmouth buffalo fish, catfish, sunfish, tilapia

HELPFUL LINKS:

Game and Fish Weekly fishing report

State fishing rules and regulations

Where to fish in Arizona and outside the Phoenix metro

Sources: Arizona Department of Game and Fish, U.S.D.A. Forest Service (Tonto National Forest, Prescott National Forest), Maricopa County Parks and Recreation