Crystal Gardens, Avondale, AZ
Crystal Gardens is an Urban Fishery with a series of ponds in the center of a community which opens the doors to sight fishing for Carp, Koi, and Bass. The “Gardens,” as we call them, are a single barbless hook fishery that promotes catch-and-release along with keeping the plastic liners of these ponds intact.
These ponds are primarily very shallow and clear which keeps the fish spooky, tough, and addicting.
We believe this to be debatably one of the best sight-fishing opportunities in the Valley.
Using lighter and soft landing flies is crucial for success on these challenging fish. We have seen a trend that these fish are also driven by different colors on different days, conditions, and presentations. Shorter four and five-weight rods are ideal for the delicate presentation needed to fool these fish and to also help with the limited casting room. With this setup, a longer 4x leader would be ideal with the clarity of the water. Make sure you have plenty of flies because there are many spots to lose them.
Be respectful of the residents and the community as a whole while also enjoying Cyrstal Garden. Stop by the shop to get more information and recommendations on what’s working out there!
