I never hear any rumblings of state like Arizona being known for its incredible fishing.. Especially when stacked up to some of its northern neighbors.. Many fly fisherman flock to states like Colorado and Utah without so much as a second thought. But this place has been stuck in my mind now for a long time.. and I knew I needed to make my way back
With over Half of the 48th state being classified as a arid and semiarid, this can seem like an awfully strange place if you consider yourself an angler. The knee jerk of public perception tends to label the “Grand Canyon State” as JUST another desert.. For those bold enough to follow your ears and seek out the trail less followed, you’ll see that god truly enriches this mysterious land..Ditat Deus..
Your eyes can feast upon thousands of miles of cold, clean, and clear water meandering through the pine flats and red rocks alike. Boundless is the best way to describe the Opportunities for the angler willing to embrace a little bit of adventure. Be it tiny trickles rushing out of the surrounding mountains, or deep canyon rivers cutting their way through the rocky crag. There is a lot of water..
Finding where to fish can be the easy part, getting there is what separates the wheat from the chaff. Ankle breaking angles tend to be sharper than the cactus clawing at your body and very real danger can always be waiting around that next river bend. Thunderstorms, rockslides, floods, bears, mountain lions, venomous snakes, and much MUCH more are all real possibilities in Arizona.
So is the juice really worth the squeeze? When you compare the rare native trout species holding out in their isolated drainages to the potential for monstrous non native fish species dominating the big water, there is such a wide range of angling opportunities for anglers of any interest level.
Between backpacking, Truck camping, and simple day trips I will be joined by some of my best fishy friends to hunt down the unique fly fishing experiences throughout this desert state and document them all.
Folks this is going to be one entire month fly fishing Arizona.. I hope you enjoy because it all starts now.. Hope you enjoy the story.
