One of things we love so much about Fly Fishing in Arizona is the diversity of landscapes and fish. We may not have the consitent hatches some other states in the US enjoy, but as the summer heat turns to monsoon activity on the Rim, White Mountains and Desert lakes we get some fine opportunities to catch fish on ants, cicadas, hoppers and poppers.
The Cicada hatch on Lee’s Ferry this year has been a great one and you can catch fish on big foam dry flies throughout July and August. A nice add-on to the Ferry is spending some mornings and evenings on Lake Powell chasing striper boils with topwater Crease Flies and Poppers. The monsoon also brings out the ants along the Rim and in the White Mountains. Even if there are not naturals present you can still coax trout to come up for the big meal. You must keep an eye on water levels of your favorite streams this time of year, the further you get from the headwaters, the more likely you will find murky blown out water. Banker hours of the spring are long gone, the best fishing is early morning and late evenings into the night, nap time during the mid day storms. However, if you can time it right and get there after the water clears, some of the finest fishing of the year awaits.
The trout season is in full force along the Mogollon Rim and up in the White Mountains. The stream flows are dropping more every day and the fishing continues to steadily improve. We have received really good reports from Tonto, Christopher and Canyon Creek over the past several weeks. As far as the White Mountains Becker Lake continues to the hot spot for lake fishing and the streams are all starting to turn on. There were fishkills at Carnero, Crescent and Sunrise Lake. We are hearing Christmas Tree will be receiving its first stocking of the year soon. It is time to get up in the mountains.
As far as what we have been up to, lots of fishing over the past couple weeks. From Largemouth in desert lakes to trout in mountain streams and lakes in both Arizona and Colorado, we have been spending a ton of time on the water. Here are some of the highlights from our travels.
Yuma Bass
Arizona High Country
Antero Lake, Colorado
It seems like everywhere I have been this spring it has been extremely windy. At Pyramid Lake it was a good thing, every place else, not so much. I know it is always windy March through May in the deserts and high country of the West, but this year it has been relentless. For Arizona the winds of winter and spring dropped much needed precipitation, filling up lakes and streams around the state. For me the winds brought change. After spending the last several years as part owner and manager of Arizona Fly Fishing in Tempe, we made the tough decision to shut the business down. I spent the first few months of this year on the road finishing up some remaining destination trips.
When I finally returned home I was tired and unsure of what the future held. I knew one thing, I did not want to have to get a “real job”. I have spent half of my working life in the industry I love and could not imagine being too far away from my passion. I had been getting to know the team here at Desert Sportsman over the previous months and fell in love with the store and their plans for the future. The decision to join the team was an easy one and I am really excited about our future together. There have been many familiar faces I have seen in the shop over the last month as well as many of you I am meeting for the first time. I look forward to working with and meeting you all.
There is also change in the air at Desert Sportsman. We are in the process of creating an entirely new online experience for our customers to compliment our physical shop and E-bay shop, so make sure to check back frequently as there are big changes coming. Here is a glimpse of some of the upcoming changes; Full e-commerce store with thousands of items; Innovative and unique ”Sportsman’s Map” to aid customers in their travels around the world; Constantly updated fishing reports of our personal adventures as well as our destination trips; Product reviews on the latest gear and several other features that are under development.
I have had the chance to get out and do some fishing as well over the past few weeks. The first week of May found me back in Nevada for a few days of stillwater fishing. The wind was howling every day which limited our time on the lake, but luckily we were able to find a stream in the area that had high enough banks to protect us a bit. The fishing was incredible with many big rainbows landed.
Closer to home we are finally starting to see the end of spring runoff, giving us access to all of our favorite spots. It is going to be a great year in the state of Arizona, minus the loss of a couple of high mountain lakes to winterkills(Carnero, Crescent and possibly Sunrise). I have been checking out some of my spots and the water is still high and cool, but clear and we did managed to catch some fish. I am really looking forward to spending more time close to home this summer, enjoying the increased water. Here are some photos from last week.
It’s a calling that stirs us from the last point of quail season all the way through spring crappie season. We gear up with the latest tackle in hopes of an opportunity at a brown trout of a lifetime. All of us are ready to go but nature holds the cards and we wait until conditions are perfect for a trophy hunt.
Arizona is blessed with some of the most scenic and unique trout habitat found anywhere. From deep canyon streams to secluded stillwaters, Arizona rivals many other destinations in its ability to produce quality brown trout.
This spring, the Desert Sportsman team had many trips to destinations throughout our state. Some trips were close to home while others ventured into waters that rarely see any angling pressure. The hunt for trophy browns continues to provide a challenge that can test the wit and will of even the most seasoned angler.
Caught on a varied selection of flies, the big browns seem to key in on presentation rather than specific patterns. Throughout the spring season fish were caught on a variety of flies from midges to heavy streamers and just about everything in between.
The spring season also offers up unique opportunities on Arizona’s high country lakes. Sight fishing the lakes can be an incredible experience as fish can be seen cruising the banks looking for an easy meal. Simple steamer patterns are very effective during the early season as the fish display their predatory traits.
In addition to targeting a few stillwaters, all of us spent considerable time plying the smaller streams in search of trophies. Most of the streams are no bigger than five or ten feet across yet they continue to offer up fish of memorable proportions. Some of the waters have recognized names while others enjoy relative obscurity.
While browns of this quality can be caught across our nation and in many other countries, there’s something special about catching them in Arizona.
Arizona’s big predatory browns are so solitary in nature that they seldom offer themselves to anglers. It seems as though every season a few are willing to expose their weaknesses and take a fly. The best way to reward a trophy brown is to take a quick photo and release the fish as fast as possible to ensure a vibrant existence for the remainder of its life.
Most of us prefer to fish with others who enjoy the trophy hunt. We share shots at different pieces of water and enjoy watching one another fish. Net skills are important, no one wants to lose a fish from a failed net job. Even when we’re separated the yell of the word “NET” signifies a quick call to action to swiftly find your buddy and give your best effort to bring the trophy to hand.
The smallest water often yields the largest fish. The fish in the photo below was caught in a well known rim country stream. Once a fish grows large enough to eat stocked rainbow trout their growth potential becomes exponential. This fish was hooked in a riffle no more that 12 inches deep.
The memories created on these excursions will not be soon forgotten. Sessions around the campfire often include the top plays of the day and a discussion or two about the next day’s gameplan. As the oak burns down and the stories grow thin everyone has the same thought: When can we get out here again?
Every year from the beginning of February until the middle of April, several lakes around Arizona have what some natives call a “Crappie Bonanza.” For the last two years my dad, Dick O’Connor, and myself have set our sights on these speckled slabs. This year, as soon as quail season wrapped up, I had crappie on the brain and after two outings to San Carlos Lake we are happy to report the catch-rate and the overall experience to be nothing short of what we had hoped for. 
In addition to the crappie there is the occasional common carp to cast to. As the water temps begin to warm there are always a few Largemouth bass to be found in the shallows.
As it is now March, and the stream fishing in the mountains is just a few short weeks away, we will try to squeeze a couple more outings to our favorite lakes.
For more information on warm water fly-fishing opportunities, please contact us at: info@desertsportsman.com
Last week, Katie and I travelled to New York in search of browns and steelhead. We were greeted at the airport by Jason Czora, a native of the area and a great local guide. After getting our rods strung up and throwing our waders on, we were ready to get on the river.
Day one started with ugly weather that seemed to get worse as the day went on. Having the right outerwear was essential. Our Simms waders and jackets performed flawlessly, turning a nasty day into a comfortable experience. We fished hard all day and managed to land a few chunky browns.
Our second day brought better weather but at a cost. It seems as though the big browns and steelhead of the region prefer dreary days and cool temperatures. The weather was great but we found the fishing to be a bit slower than the first day. Jason managed to land a nice brown and I caught a decent steelhead.
Our last day of fishing was spent on a different piece of water holding the possibility of better steelhead fishing than the other local waters we fished. Katie and I managed to hook quite a few and had a great time fighting the fish in fast water. Both of us were amazed at the sheer beauty of this particular river and the great looking water it held.
After three days of fishing, Katie and I headed to New York City to unwind for a few days and visit friends in Brooklyn. We were very appreciative of the gracious hospitality offered by our friends Aaron and Haily Tweedie, and we had a great time in the city with them. Katie and I enjoyed a day at the American Museum of Natural History and the American Folk Art Museum. We also had the fortune to visit some of New York’s better eateries including “Melt”, “Tides”, and “26 Seats”.
Our sincere thanks goes out to Jason Czora and the Tweedie’s. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip and look forward to getting back into those fish again next season!
For more information on fishing in New York please visit: www.steelheadaddictiongs.com
