Becker LakeBig LakeCanyon LakeChevelon Canyon LakeColorado River, Lees FerryGreen Valley LakesKinnikinick LakeLower Canyon CreekLittle Colorado RiverOak CreekPhoenix Urban Lakes and CanalsReservation LakeSaguaro LakeSalt RiverSilver CreekTonto CreekUpper Lake MaryWhite RiverWillow SpringsWoods Canyon Lake, Water temperature at mid-day: 36 Degrees F. Fly fishing hatches in order of importance: Fish species: Brown, Apache, Rainbow trout and Smallmouth Bass(lower river), Fishing season: April through November(no winter access to upper river), Recommended fly fishing tippet: 5X Tippet, Best fly fishing rod: 7' 6" 3 Weight Fly Rod, Best floating fly line: WF Trout Fly Line. . Last week this river was stocked with Apache trout just waiting to be caught, and the river will be stocked again next week. This may disappoint match-the-hatch junkies, but opens the door for experimentation. I prefer patterns that float high and long in the water, and allow me to manipulate them around, between, and over boulders. Browns will start to become active. Pools. Awesome choice. Its hard being the bearer of bad news, but it is bad out there! One reason the Black remains an outstanding fishery in a state with more than six million people is its remote location, which eliminates most day trippers. The mainstem Black is open year round to fishing, but the road systems are not. Novice anglers find eager fish, with flat meadow trails. With long stretches of slow water between the riffle sections, a day of fishing involves extended walks, or just pull poppers for smallmouths until dusk. With near vertical slopes and shoddy game trails defining a typical hike in, these routes are not recommended. Give a Gift   Retrieve with short 4- to 6-inch strips and be patient. The Black's riffle sections are perfect for short-line nymphing techniques. Hannagan Meadow is located near the headwaters of 3 Arizona watersheds: the Black, Blue, and Little Colorado Rivers. Measures to restore anadromous fish passage has caused big problems. Fish of the Black River Trout are the main attraction at the west and east forks. Regulations: The Black River has sections that are subject to catch-and-release regulations. Located in east-central Arizona, the Black River flows through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, and the San Carlos and Fort Apache reservations near the towns of Eagar, Alpine, and Fort Apache. The upper stretches of the rivers are inhabited with Apache trout, rainbows and browns in the middle sections, brown trout in the lower mountain stretches, and a mix of bass and trout in the lowest stretches. The upper reaches are trout water, once it enters the Apache Reservation it begins to transition into smallmouth bass water. The best option, schedule permitting, is camping along the river midweek, when you'll have your choice of spots and first crack at the Black's best fishing. The black is fishing great nymphing and streamer fishing. I use a 4-weight rod when fishing the forks, but you can get away with a 2-weight or less. On the upper Black, these are places where the river has bounced off cliff walls and gouged deep, fish-holding holes. You may need a 4 wheel drive in places. Small sizes (#12-16) are appropriate for the Black's large population of juvenile fish. Most years, roads to the East Fork open the first week of April, with the West Fork following a few weeks later. Ideal for: rainbow trout, brook trout. Silver Creek is a go to fishing spot for many reasons. Old-growth pine and red rock cliffs accent the experience and can make it hard to concentrate on the fishing, which is a bold statement considering browns and rainbows up to 25 inches reside there. Apaches are not the most discriminating fish, so most attractors work. Tucked away from large population hubs such as Flagstaff (about 180 miles to the northwest) and Phoenix and Tucson to the west and southwest, the Black River drainage has every conceivable trout niche: from small mountain stream fishing on the East and West forks, to dredging and dry-fly fishing deeper pools and pocketwater for browns and rainbows. Visit blackriveraz.com for a list of all the lower river access points. Try not to target fish on redds or step on redds in the stream. To lose the crowds, and find genetically pure strains of Apache trout, scout the West Fork. Now, after a chance encounter on Arizona's Black River, I find every excuse to make it back to the Grand Canyon State. Consult the Weekly Fishing Report before you go. Before you pick up and recast, work your fly back up through the riffle with short strips followed by quick pauses. FR 68 parallels the river, but never comes closer than a mile away. As browns prefer the safety of depth, and rainbows the shelter of rocks and pockets, the Black's vulnerable Apache trout—averaging 8 to 12 inches—often get pushed into shallow riffles. As you explore your home water, keep in mind what they are eating to select the best carp... George Daniels offers his advice on which types of fly-fishing leaders are best for the most... Lake Almanor is all about big smiles, big fish, and bigger experiences. The dates listed on the trout stocking schedule represent the Monday of the week the stocking will occur. Access difficulties result in minuscule fishing pressure, and as the river transitions between warm- and coldwater fisheries, it has the effect of steroids on the brown trout. As night sets in, browns also move into the riffles, perhaps to snack on Apache trout. The Apache trout is stocked from Silver Creek Hatchery in the summer months into the Little Colorado River near Greer, the Black River and Lee Valley Lake. Pocketwater. There is lodging in Alpine and chain hotels in nearby Springerville. Even in spring, the river can be comfortably wet-waded in rubber-sole boots or a pair of old running shoes, perfect for making good time on the trails and fording the many shallow crossings. Walk up and down the river past the road accesses for the best fishing. It was some of the best fishing I have seen on the river this year. These waters are home to Apache trout, one of the state’s native salmonids. From September until snow closesroads again in November, fishing improves by the day. These schedules are tentative and subject to change due to weather or conditions at the sites. Sections that are subject to catch-and-release regulations networks of currents are where most of the Black river run. 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