Arizona Fly Fishing: White Mountain Creeks

White Mountains
White Mountains

On a midnight run to the White Mountains after work on Friday, we crashed in the dirt next to the truck and woke to the sound of turkeys gobbling on the ridge nearby. After a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon, we dropped off a ridge and spent the day casting dry flies to rising fish. No fish of any great size were taken, but I was able to bloody my new bamboo rod and lunch was worth the hike in. It was a long drive back to town that night, but so worth it.

The pictures tell the story.

Down to the River
The descent
Bamboo
Bamboo and brown trout
White Mountain creek
Clemens working the water
Nelson
Nelson working the water
Fish
Release
Creek
White Mountain Creek
Meat
Meat
Sammich
Sammich
Meat and DJ
The good stuff
Gummies
Gummies
Pridex
Pridex
Meadow
Meadow
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17 Responses to “Arizona Fly Fishing: White Mountain Creeks”

  1. Andrew Fowler

    I Like the retro look of the bamboo set-up! Looks like a smart stick. If I may ask: what weight and length, and how did you find it?

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Thanks Andrew. I should have a post up here in a couple weeks with a bunch of pictures and info. I had a local rod maker and good friend make it for me. It’s a 4 weight Dickerson 7012 with a spalted maple reel seat. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. His shop is called Agua Fria Alchemy. Thanks again for the kind words.

      Ben

      Reply
  2. Alan

    Ben:
    What was the elevation where you were fishing. I am trying to gauge if mid-May is a fairly consistent good time to make the run up to the mountains. Or who/what is a good local source of intelligence about weather & water conditions up there?

    Thanks for the pics…water looks good and the meat looks like good fuel for the whole day…yums.

    Alan

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Alan, we were somewhere between 8000 and 8500 feet I think. We woke up with frost on our sleeping bags and it was very cold in the morning. It rained on us mid-day. Between work and family, my time is very limited. So I go when I can go, no matter the weather. May is usually a pretty safe bet in Arizona. Most of the local shops have info on how things are fishing too. Thanks for the kind words.

      Ben

      Reply
  3. DJ

    You left out all the exciting bits about frozen sleeping bags, big fish swiping at streamers, broken rods, Sir Isaak Walton and Sasquatch.

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      So true. How about eggs cooked in a 1/2 inch of bacon grease in a cast iron skillet. No day ever goes bad after a breakfast like that. Looking forward to the next time.

      Ben

      Reply
  4. Pete

    Great looking rod and lunch! We were up there Fri/Sat as well. We spent Friday battling the wind on one of the lakes and woke up to a snow covered tent on Sat morning. Looks like you might have had a little more fun.

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Battling wind is never fun Pete. Hope you guys did well. The site look great.

      Ben

      Reply
      • Pete

        Thanks! I caught one nice fish which made the trip worth it. Found out I was minutes behind another angler after an hour+ of getting skunked the next day. We headed home early.

        Reply
  5. 33AD

    Nice trip/post.

    That fly rod is nice enough looking to make me consider moving into the world of fly fishing.

    Reply
    • azwanderings

      Thanks 33. You’re missing out for sure. Let me know if I can offer any advice when you make the switch over to fly fishing.

      Ben

      Reply
      • 33AD

        Thanks – will take any northern AZ suggestions you have for shore casting. Will be heading up when pdogs open in mid June and will also be looking for a nice fishing spot.

        Ever hit up Horsethief Basin “lake”?

        Reply

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