Arizona Fly Fishing: Scouting for Brown Trout

10 Comments

Pine Cone
Scouting

I called Zach up earlier in the week to see if he could squeeze away for a day to run up north and do a bit of exploring on one of the creeks. I am always interested in new country figured with the weather holding steady for the past week or two, trout would be eager for streamers.

I missed a fish in the first pool and after that the day slowed to a crawl as we worked high off, off color water. Our hopes were not high for the day, but all of that changed when around two o’clock, Zach’s fly rod doubled over. With a few headshakes, one of the biggest brown trout I have seen in Arizona, slid into the net, and the canyon was filled with exclamations of joy and congratulations. After a few pictures and a quick tape, the giant 23″ brown trout slid back into the deep pool, to see another day.

Zach Brown
Zach’s 23″ Brown Trout
Zach Brown 2
Arizona Brown Trout

An hour later, as I worked a different pool, a brightly colored brown of my own came to the net making the day complete. Both fish came on streamers and both fish were in excellent condition from the winter. It is exciting to see what this new season has in store.

Brown
My brown for the day
b6
Arizona Brown Trout
b4
Big Brown Trout

Zach runs a real nice site and wrote up his story here. I imagine with his recent drawing of a 23N trophey elk rifle tag, we should be seeing some good stories coming out of him.

The Grand Canyon: Hiking the Bright Angel Trail

11 Comments

36 - Getting ready to hike out
Silver Bridge

As I had written before, my wife and I had hiked down the South Kaibab trail and stayed two nights at Bright Angel Campground. After a wonderful day fly fishing Bright Angel Creek, we woke early to prepare for our hike out of the Grand Canyon. After a hearty breakfast, we broke camp and started to ascend the Bright Angel Trail. Although the Bright Angel Trail is longer than the South Kaibab Trail, there is water at the Indian Garden Campground which is roughly the halfway mark. We started early and hiked most of the day in the shade of the surrounding canyon walls. We burned through the first 6 miles of the trail rather quickly, but the last three miles of Bright Angel Trail is mostly switchbacks. We were forced to slow and take our time, pausing often to rest and drink plenty of water. Below is a photo journey of the sites along the trail. Bright Angel Trail is very beautiful and I was happy that we were able to see both South Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails on our trip.

As I did with the South Kaibab Trail, I took notes of our times and stops along the way (although the last three miles were filled with many stops.

  • 7:20 – Left Bright Angel Campground
  • 7:55 – River Rest House
  • 8:20 – Short Break on creek (10 minute break)
  • 9:05 – Top of the Devil’s Corkscrew (5 minute break)
  • 9:40 – Tonto East Trail Junction
  • 9:50 – Indian Garden (refilled water, ate, and rested 35 minute break)
  • 10:55 – Break before 1st set of switchbacks
  • 11:20 – 3 Mile House (15 minute break)
  • 12:30 – 1.5 Mile House (many breaks from 3 Mile House to the top)
  • 1:17 – 1st Arch (still 7/10ths of a mile to the top)
  • 1:45 – 2nd Arch (2/10ths of a mile to the top)
  • 1:50 – Trailhead

Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes

Break Time: over an 1 hour 30 minutes

Hiking time: Roughly 5 hours

Total distance is approximately 9.5 miles

37 - Colorado River
Colorado River
38 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
38 - Colorado River
Colorado River
39 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
40 - BA Trail
Bright Angel Trail
41 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
42 - Devil's Corkscrew
The Devil’s Corkscrew
43 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
44 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
45 - Flowering Trees
In Bloom
46 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
47 - Indian Garden Sign
Indian Garden
48 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
49 - Bright Angel Trail
Bright Angel Trail
50 - Bright Angel Trail out of Indian Garden
Heading out of Indian Garden
51 - Bright Angel Trail
Looking at the top
52 - Trail Mix
Trail Mix
53 - 3 Mile House
3 Mile House
54 - 3 Mile House
3 Mile House
54 - Looking down at 3 Mile House
Looking down at 3 Mile House
55 - Switchbacks
Switchbacks
56 - 1.5 Mile House
1.5 Mile House
57 - From the Top
View from the top
58 - We made it
We made it

 

Fly Fishing Arizona – Upper Lake Mary Pike

12 Comments

Pike Fly Pink:White:Red
Pike Fly

I headed up on Saturday with my good friend Jason to chase some pike around Upper Lake Mary. It was my first time chasing pike and it was an excellent opportunity to find the rhythm of the 8 weight for an upcoming Pyramid trip. It was a beautiful day that started slow, but I was able to pull in three hammer-handles (14-20″ pike) out of the lake, while Jason pulled in 7 or 8. No monsters, but an excellent way to spend a Saturday.

Pike Flies
Pike Flies
First Pike on the Fly
First Pike on the Fly
Galvan
Galvan Rush
Pike
Pike on a Frog Popper
TFM
Represent
Pike Fly - Black:Red:Black
Meat
Pike Tail
Pike

The Grand Canyon: Hiking the South Kaibab Trail

2 Comments

1 - Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon National Park

Since moving to Arizona. it has been my dream to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I put in for a backcountry permit and somehow my request was “lost.” So this year on our spring break, my wife and I drove up to the Canyon to apply for the few last minute walk-in permits. We camped for two nights and were lucky enough to snag two nights at Bright Angel Campground at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Our plan was to hike down the South Kaibab Trail and two days later hike out on the Bright Angel Trail.

Below you will find a photo barage from the trail. I have also included my own trail notes on time and breaks for those that are looking  for a bit of info before they head down the trail.

Temps – When we broke camp in the morning on top of the South Rim it was 27º. The day was overcast, but by the time we made it to the bottom it was 76º

Pack Weight: My packweight was 43lbs and my wife was carrying around 32. We were staying for two nights in the bottom and so brought a tent, food, and water to make it down the trail

  • 8:45 – Started our descent
  • 9:10 – Ooh Aah Pt.
  • 9:25 – Cedar Ridge (took 15 minute break)
  • 10:10 – Rock Pile below Cedar Ridge  (10 minute break)
  • 10:35 – Skeleton Pt
  • 10:50 – 3.5 mile sign on steps   (10 minute break)
  • 11:40 – Tipoff (20 minute break/lunch)
  • 12:50 – Break within sight of bridge (10 minute break)
  • 1:20 – Arrive in campsite

Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes

Break Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Hiking time: 3 hours 20 minutes

Total distance is approximately 6.5 miles

2 - South Kaibab Trailhead
South Kaibab Trailhead
3 - Ooh Aah Point
Ooh Aah Point
4 - On Cedar Ridge
On Cedar Ridge
5 - Down Cedar Ridge
Down Cedar Ridge
6 - Between Cedar Ridge and Skeleton PT
Between Cedar Ridge and Skeleton PT
7 - Looking down from Skeleton Pt.
Looking down from Skeleton Pt.
8 - About Halfway
Halfway down the South Kaibab Trail
9 - Halfway down the steps
Halfway down the steps
10 - Taking notes
Taking notes and eating trail mix
11 - Looking down from Tipoff at a very muddy Colorado
Looking down from Tipoff at a very muddy Colorado
12 - Down at Bright Angel
Looking down at Bright Angel Creek
13 - Dusty Boots on the South Kaibab
Dusty Boots on the South Kaibab
14 - Tunnel
Tunnel before crossing the Colorado River
15 - Bridge
Crossing the Colorado River
16 - Bright Angel Creek
Bright Angel Creek

Rambling Review: GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist

9 Comments

Rambling Review – GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist 1
GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist

Why:

Everyone is looking for that all in one cooking setup that is lightweight and packable. My wife and I often backpack together and so some of the smaller solo systems do not fit our needs.  We have been using the GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist for the past couple of months and have been really impressed with the functionality of the whole system.

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist 3
GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist

First impressions:

All the pieces – The GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist is comprised of multiple pieces of cook and dinnerware.. It includes:

–       One 1.4 L Pot with a strainer lid

–       Two 14 fl. oz. insulated mugs,

–       Two 14 fl. oz. bowls

–       Two Sip Tops for the insulated mugs

–       Two Telescoping Foons

–       A Stove Bag,

–       Welded sink which is also the carrying bag

Lightweight – The whole Halulite Microdualist system weighs around 18 ounces making it a lightweight option for a backpacking trip.

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist 2
GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist

Field Use:

I packed the GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist on several long dayhikes in order to heat up lunch, coffee and tea. The MicroDualist also made the journey into the Grand Canyon where it served as our entire cook kitchen. At almost six inches tall and only 18 oz. the GSI Microdualist is perfect for a a day trip where you need a hot lunch but also excels on a multiday trip into the backcountry.

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist 6
GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist

Breaking everything down, here are some of the highlights from the GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist. The main cooking pot is the perfect size for two people. When boiling water for Ramen, coffee, or a couple of Mountainhouse meals, the 1.4 Liter Halulite cooking pot does the trick and allows you to boil enough for two people at the same time. With a folding rubber-coated handle and a strainer lid, GSI Outdoors seems to have thought of everything. The pot itself is made from Halulite which GSI states is “as light as Titanium, Halulite is a proprietary alloy that also conducts heat better.” I’ve banged and dropped this pot more times than I would like to admit and it looks as good as new.

When I first opened up the Halulite Microdualist I was confused because I only saw two plastic container/cup/bowls. GSI strategically made two of the plastic bowls a bit smaller so the fit snugly together and save a ton of room.  Two of the cup/bowls have a nice insulating sleeve complete with a Sip-It top for a hot beverage or soup. The plastic containers are made out of GSI Outdoor’s Infinity plastic which claims to not absorb food odors the way that other plastics do.

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist
GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist Mug/Bowl

The one aspect of the GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist  that I was not crazy about was the foons. The idea behind them is perfect. They slide together and save a ton of space, but the durability leaves a bit to be desired. After a couple of trips with a good amount of use, I broke one of the foons in half and ultimately traded them out for a more durable spork.

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist
GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist Foon

Pros:

Lightweight

Multipurpose

Extremely packable

Perfect for two backpackers or campers

Very affordable

Cons:

Foons are not durable

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist 5
GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist

Prognosis:  The GSI Outdoor Halulite MicroDualist cookset is a great option for two or more campers/backpackers. It provides functionality and durability while on the trail.

GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist
Enjoying a cup of tea on a cold Arizona morning

Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  The GSI Outdoors Halulite MicroDualist was provided by GSI Outdoors for the purpose of this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.

 

Fly Fishing Arizona: Bright Angel Creek

37 Comments

24 - Colorado River
Colorado River

My wife and I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon to stay at Bright Angel Campground for two nights. This gave me the perfect opportunity to explore and fish Bright Angel Creek. We made our way down the South Kaibab Trail and made it to the campground around 1:20 in the afternoon. After securing our campsite and setting up our tent, Michelle gave me the nod to rig up my fly rod and see what was in Bright Angel Creek.

Bright Angel Creek
Bright Angel Creek
21 - I Fish AZ
I Fish AZ

Bright Angel Creek has been the scene of some controversy in the Arizona fly fishing scene. Back in the mid 1900s, non-native brown trout were stocked in the creek. Based on it’s location it doesn’t see a whole ton of pressure and those browns thrived in this beautiful creek. Non-native rainbows from the Colorado River also made their way into the creek, and both species made Bright Angel Creek a fantastic fishery. In more recent years, there has been a movement by the National Parks Service to eradicate the voracious trout in an effort to restore the humpback chub in the Bright Angel waters. Their efforts culminated in a huge electroshocking/eradication project this past winter, and I was nervous to see if there were any trout left in the water. Here are some others who have written more on the topic:

Iain at Oak Creek Angler 

Will at 111º West

David at The Trout Zone

Mike at Arizona Fly

and from the National Parks Service

18 - Hopper:Dropper
Hoppper/Dropper

I rigged a hopper/dropper and set out right next to the campground in an effort to work my way up the creek. After a few casts a small rainbow nipped at my fly and found it’s way to my hand. I worked my way up the creek, changing flies occasionally and found a few more hungry rainbows. With the weight of a possible skunking off my shoulders, I settled into a grove and worked the water until dinner time. We made it an early night, as our knees and joints were a bit achey from our descent with plenty of time the next day to fish.

25 - Colorado River Rainbow
Bright Angel Rainbow

The morning came quickly and the sun warmed our little canyon quickly. We picked our way along the creek until we reached the mighty Colorado River. The river was running like chocolate milk and nixed any opportunity to work the fast moving riffles.

23 - Bright Angel Creek
Bright Angel Creek

I worked the bigger runs at the bottom of Bright Angel Creek, and as I drifted a heavy streamer through a good looking run, my line paused and I lifted the rod. Everything went a bit crazy at that point. I saw an orange tail as my fly rod really started to bend. My first thought was “Big Brown! Don’t screw this up!” I hoped beyond hope that this was one of the big Bright Angel brown trout that had possibly survived the electroshocking efforts

27 - Bent Rod
Bent Rod

The fish stayed on the bottom of the pool, making it difficult to see what I was dealing with. Orange flashes kept my mind on holding a big brown trout, but as I worked the fish to the bank I realized that my dreams of a big Bright Angel brown trout were going to have to wait. What I later found out was a flannelmouth sucker had picked up my crayfish pattern. I held this heavy fish, admired it’s unique features, and released him back into his home.

26 - Flannel Mouth Sucker
Flannelmouth Sucker

As I continued up the bottom portion of Bright Angel Creek, I kept seeing more and more of the big suckers in the slow waters. After talking to a park ranger, he verified that the flannelmouth suckers were currently moving into the lower creek to spawn. I heeded his suggestion to move farther up the creek. Although bummed that the fish I caught was not a brown, it was cool to hold one of these fish. Although not endangered, the flannelmouth suckers are considered a threatened species.

29 - Bright Angel Creek
Bright Angel Creek

I headed back up the creek with my beautiful and patient wife in tow. The gorgeous photos that accompany this post are all hers, and I appreciate the time she took to follow me around. From the bridge at the top of the campground, I spotted a silvery rainbow working the far side of the stream, clearly feeding on passing insects. I walked below to the creek and started to drift flies to the hungry rainbow. After several drifts, the spunky trout attacked a big hopper with a splashy take. I set the hook in front of a growing crowd of onlookers. After landing the chunky little rainbow, I released him back to the ice cold waters to live another day. There is nothing like the pressure of an audience when fishing.

34 - Bright Angel Rainbow
Bright Angel Rainbow

I fished through the afternoon and with the sun bright overhead, I was able to sight fish for rainbows with nice big foam hoppers.

28 - Colorado River Rainbow
Bright Angel Rainbows
30 - Bright Angel Rainbow
Bright Angel Rainbows
31 - Bright Angel Rainbow
Bright Angel Rainbows

I did find one little brown still left after the electroshocking and secretly I hope there are more.

28 - Brown Trout
Bright Angel Brown Trout

With all this unfolding through the afternoon, my wife graciously continued to take pictures and read on the bank of the creek. She listened to me babble about creek fishing and looked when I pointed out fish. After seeing me catch a good number of fish, I could sort of tell that she was paying more attention and asking more in depth questions. I offered if she would like to give it a try. Sure enough she said yes and started to cast and drift flies through the fast small creek riffles.

Mrs. AZWanderings
Mrs. AZWanderings

She was doing something right because she had a half dozen trout rise to her fly. Anyone who knows my wife, knows that she is as competitive and stubborn as I am. She would not give up and in the end her perseverance paid off when she set the hook on a healthy Bright Angel rainbow. She played it to shore were we both admired the beautiful fish.

33 - Mrs. AZWanderings
Mrs. AZWanderings and a beautiful rainbow

It was one of the greatest experiences to see my wife catch her first fish on a fly and it is something that I will not soon forget. Her enthusiasm was contagious and I look forward to fishing with her again. Lord help me if she ever catches the biggest fish of the day.

Arizona Fly Fishing: Snow Covered

10 Comments

Creek
Creek

Found some time to make it up north to wet a line. It was later in the morning by the time Antonio and I hit the water. It was a beautiful day with quite a bit of snow on the banks and in the woods. The water was a bit off color, but I hooked into four different fish and didn’t land one of them. While I struggled to put anything in the net, Antonio was able to land a nice brown. It was beautiful day to be on the creek, but all it did was make me long for wet wading and hoppers.

GLoomis
GLoomis
Brown Trout
Brown Trout
Working a Run
Antonio Working a Run

Rambling Review – Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes

4 Comments

Atlas 12 Snowshoes
Atlas 12 Snowshoes

Rambling Review – Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes

Why:

I live in Arizona. It’s hot. Believe it or not though, we get some serious snow in the high country that shuts down some of my favorite streams. For the past several years, I have resigned myself to fishing some of the local carp ponds and scooting up to fish the mountains when the snow melts. This year, all that changed with a pair of Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes. Arizona had a couple of pretty decent snowstorms, and I took the opportunity to test out the Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes and take advantage of the solitude.

Atlas 12 Snowshoes
Atlas 12 Snowshoes

First impressions:

The weight – At 4.08 lbs, the Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes are some of the lightest snowshoes on the market.

The bindings – Like any new piece of gear, I instantly want to try it on and see how it works. Some of the “high-tech” gear on the market can take an advanced degree to figure out. I plopped the Atlas 12s on the snow stepped into them and cinched the bindings tight. It was game on from there.

Atlas 12 Snowshoes
Atlas 12 Snowshoes

Field Use:

My primary use for these snowshoes was accessing hard to reach water in the mountains. This means rocks, downed trees, and steep canyons. The Atlas 12 Series snowshoes have an extremely aggressive crampon setup on the bottom. Any icy/slick conditions get eaten up by the ice-tips on the heel and the Holey-1 toe crampon. Growing up, I had an old pair of wooden snowshoes that had been handed down to me. I remember having such a problem going uphill. That was not the case with the Atlas 12s. There is a heel lift bar that flips up to relieve the increased stress put on calf muscles, and when combined with the crampons underneath, getting out of the canyon is significantly easier

The Atlas 12 Series really shined in the heavy snow in the bottom of the canyon. At their widest point, the 12 Series measure almost 9 inches. This extra width helps to keep you up on top of the deep powder. The Atlas spring-loaded suspension provides the perfect amount of flex in uneven conditions and allows the foot to gain the right amount of traction.

It is obvious that a ton of technology is wrapped up in the 12 series, but that technology translates into ease of use. The WRAPP Pro bindings can be manipulated with gloves on and make the on/off task very simple.

The end result of all of the great features is an excellent set of snowshoes. Gearing up for the creek, I have multiple layers on, waders, wading boots, and a lumbar pack. Even with all the bulkiness, the Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes took me in and out of a couple of steep canyons and put me on beautiful water in winter solitude.

Atlas 12 Snowshoes
Atlas 12 Snowshoes

Pros:

Lightweight

Rocksolid Aluminum Frame

Easy on/off bindings

Abrasion Resistant Nylon Decking

Agressive Crampon Setup

Spring-Loaded Suspension

Cons:

At the higher price point, the 12 series are a worthwhile investment.

Atlas 12 Snowshoes
Atlas 12 Snowshoes

Prognosis:  Hands down, the Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes are a worthwhile investment for anyone looking to get into the solitude of the backcountry.

Disclaimer:

The reviews at Arizona Wanderings are my honest opinion. Arizona Wanderings is not sponsored by or associated with any of the stated companies and is accepting no compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  The Atlas 12 Series Snowshoes were provided by Atlas for the purpose of this review. My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.