Mark V
Loc: Colorado,now RV full time we winter in MesaAZ
It's that time again. After spending the fall and winter in Mesa az ,we are spending the next 2weeks in Payson before continuing on our summer adventure. I know there's at least one person on the stage here in Payson. I would like to know of any suggestions for fishing the area. My wife and I fly fish as well as spin fish . Thanks in advance.
Mark
I used to live in AZ and miss it very much. If fly fishing is your thing it might be worth your time to drive over to the White Mountain Apache Reservation, buy a fishing permit and try the White River. The lake fishing was pretty good trolling lures or wooly worms too. They stock it pretty well and you might catch a native trout. Like I say I haven’t fished there in a while but when I did the Lakes and streams on the Reservation almost always delivered.
Mark,
If I were you I would try Willow Springs and Bear Canyon.
Jim
Those are choices too, especially early spring!
Mark V
Loc: Colorado,now RV full time we winter in MesaAZ
Thanks for the reservation suggestion. We will be back in AZ in October and will be in Show Low for two weeks . We are familiar with the fishing there. At this time we are interested in the Payson area .
Mark V
Loc: Colorado,now RV full time we winter in MesaAZ
Jim thank you for your suggestions. We will try Willow Springs and Bear Canyon. Do you know if Woods canyon is open yet?
No problem. The rim lakes ( woods canyon, black canyon, willow springs, etc.) are very popular and are worth a try. Apparently there are urban lakes in the payson area. Can’t help you with those.
On a personal note I caught my first trout in Christopher Creek, longer ago than I care to admit. It was in a log dam pool, one of many created by the CCC boys back in the 30s. Unfortunately these were wiped out by a massive flood in 1971 and never rebuilt.
Oops. It was the Labor Day flood of 1970, not 1971. A great tragedy. Google: Arizona Labor Day flood 1970 of you want to read more.
I don't know the status of Woods Canyon but I've always caught fish there. Perhaps check the Arizona Game and Fish website.
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