There are many questions coming up about the Black River since the start of the Wallow Fire.  The fact that 30 miles of the headwaters are right in the middle of the burn area is spurring all sorts of speculation.  We are as interested as anyone to see what the long term effects of this giant fire are on one of our favorite watersheds.  

Despite the low runoff we had this year, we found some of the best fishing we have seen on the Black in years, maybe ever, from early this spring until the start of the fire.  We can only hope for the best for the future of this outstanding fishery.  It would be a tragedy if the fire has a severe negative impact both in the burn area and in the 60 miles downstream.  Many of our customers and employees have been fishing this water for their whole lives and it holds a sacred place in our hearts.  We all are happy that we got a chance to get into some of our favorite spots on the river this year. 

Here are some photos from our multiple outings into the river this year

We have spent the last few weeks checking out some of our favorite spots in the West.  We put close to 5,000 miles on the truck in search of some big fish.  Winter still seems to have on hold on much of the West, with lots of snow, wind and cold weather along the way.  Most mountain ranges still have snow down to the foothills, so expect a late runoff in Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.  Arizona is the exact opposite this year, with runoff already subsiding and all of our water accessible.  

Matt and I headed out to Havasu last Thursday.  The spawn is just starting to take shape.  We saw a lots of fish cruising and lots of beds, the fish just were not committed to the beds yet.  With temperatures as high as they have been the past few days I am sure all that has changed.  The water is cystal clear and it is a blast to watch everything happen.  Now is the time to get out there, fishing in summer attire in March.  You have got to love Arizona this time of year.

The last couple of months have brought some warmer than average temps, giving us access to some water we typically say goodbye to by the end of October.  We definately were not catching the numbers of fish we did earlier in the year, but the woods were empty and some of the fish were willing to eat our offering.  With the storm coming through today and this week, it means the end of this extended season, but we are thankful we got to spend some more time in the places we love.  We look forward to seeing you in the shop and on the water in 2011.  Happy New Year!!!!

As the dog days of summer start to give way to fall, our attention turns to the largest fish swimming in Arizona waters, the Flathead Catfish.  Yes Desert Sportsman caters to fly fishers from beginners to advanced, but we also carry a selection of baitcasting and spincasting rods and reels.  We put these to good use this time of year.  We spend the afternoons fly fishing as well as baitfishing for our bait…bluegill and sunfish.  We then look for likely feeding spots on the desert lakes of Arizona and set the rods and cots up for a night on the boat.  Sometimes the starts align and it is an action packed night, sometimes it is just a night sleeping in the boat.  Either way we look forward to this time of year.  This year the biggest fish, caught by Matt Baker, tipped the scales at 40lbs.  Stop by to get geared up for your shot at a giant…

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

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