I just got back from two glorious (and grueling) weeks of fishing for native trout in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and some time to relax in Utah. The native trout were all found and caught in the first three states mentioned.
First stop: Arizona for some awesome Apache fry bread and beans and Apache Trout. (Only one of which is pictured here).
Next stop: New Mexico for Gila Trout and Rio Grande Cutts. To get to where the Gilas are found requires that you pay some serious hiking dues, even more so in my case, since I walked in and OUT the same day, which turned out to be around 15 miles, but I did miss a night-long thunder and lightning show and absolutely torrential rains, the likes of which I've only seen equaled in SE Asia. A good night NOT to be in the backcountry.
The Gila Trout
Northern New Mexico was much more forgiving (and cooler, too). Finding willing Rio Grande Cutts wasn't too difficult, as far as hiking, or fish that were willing to rise to a dry. Nice stimulator hatch...
The last stop for native trout took me to Colorado and RMNP for the Greenback Cutt. Again, a bit of hiking, but nothing in comparison to NM.
After all of this driving, I went to the Green River in Utah for several days of relaxing and fishing. I know there is a sense of irony here, given the history of this stream, and how native fish were treated here (no pun intended), but it's hard to say NO to a thick caddis hatch and plenty of rising trout that absolutely smash a decently presented dry fly. Good times!
A bit of more time this summer for some local fishing trips, but this being my big trip for the year, it turned out better than I had hoped.
What's next on the ol' life list? Arctic Char, Lake Trout and five kinds of Salmon, not to mention several kinds of trout in Mexico. But given the situation in "Old Mexico" right now, I think that will have to wait a while. Time to brush up on my Spanish in the mean time.
Enjoy!
--Fly Guy Dave
Absolutely Fantastic Dave!
The pictures are beautiful and the stories that go with them are only tidbits of a greater adventure. The Gila Trout is something special. Glad you had a successful trip and are back safe and sound. My lone trip so far this summer has been to the seawall 6 blocks from my house in SF casting to Stripers. Hey I got a hit! Awesome trip and thanks for sharing. You made my week.
Ned
Native trout and kids
Yep, this trip was a lot of fun (and a lot of driving as well). I was going to spend a night in the Gila Wilderness, but at the trailhead, the last entry in the logbook was from one month before. Yikes! I thought it might be safer to get in and out of there in a day than to linger too long, since if I was injured, I doubt any help would be coming anytime soon. Such is the plight of the solo angler.
Hey, having a new child would keep me close to home as well. Looking back to those days when my daughter was young (she's 15 now) I did local day trips now and then, but no long trips for native trout, or long trips of any kind, for that matter. They grow up before you realize it, and hopefully you can get them interested in flyfishing, so you can have a built-in fishing buddy. My daughter's more into Facebook and Taekowndo than she is to going fishing with her old man.
Cheers!
--FG Dave
I thought those boot prints
I thought those boot prints looked familiar! :)
I did the same (I assume) 15-mile day trip into the Gila Wilderness on 7/24. I've got 3 "14ers" under my belt and that was the toughest hike I have ever done. It wasn't the altitude or elevation, it was the rough/rugged trail that made it tough.
Chris
Boot prints? Not Likely!
I'm sure the absolute deluge that happened that night wiped out any sign that I had been there. Yeah, that trail was a rough one. When I was in Northern NM fishing for Rio Grande Cutts, I got into a conversation with two retired smoke jumpers, and they said they HATED fighting fires in the Gila, due to the really rough terrain and heat.
Did you see my entry in the log book at the trailhead, since you were there 14 days after I was? Were there any entries after mine? If not, I wouldn't be surprised.
--FG Dave
The boot print comment was
The boot print comment was "made tongue in cheek" and, no, there were no entries in the log book between your trip and ours.
Chris
Nice ! I tagged along for
Nice ! I tagged along for Chris on that one and even at my age it sure was a whopper of a day trip. The fish in there are beautiful though. Glad you got into some of them.
Nate
Smart of you to go with a partner...
I wish I'd had someone to hike with, it would've been nice for safety and entertainment as well. Was that cairn on the top of the ridge before the final trail down to the creek still there? I put it up after I lost the trail for a few minutes. I normally don't do that, but it was NOT marked clearly at all.
Yep, those are some beautiful fish in some stunning country. I can't say I'm ready to go back soon...but perhaps someday.
--FG Dave
I have to say that hike is
I have to say that hike is definitely a good one to have a partner on. I had a gps for that section of the hike that I had to refer too. The thing that almost got me though was a big old rattle snake that was sunning himself on the trail. I didn't see him and was less then 2 feet away from him before he gave me his warning and I had to make a mad dash to safety. Nothing like that to get the heart pumping.
I read your report...
... when you took your trip to the area. Trust me, I was looking and listening for any kind of rattle or movement on or near the trail after the close call that you had. My biggest nemesis on this trip was the heat. I should've known that it would rain so heavily that night, as a hot day often precedes a heavy thunderstorm during the monsoon season down there. I left my GPS back in my rig in an attempt to carry as little weight as possible on the hike. That was the only place that I had an issue, most of it being pretty well marked or obvious as to where to go.
--FG Dave