Canyon Creek Fly Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone
Species
Rainbow Trout (Stocked)
Brown Trout (Wild)
Size
Medium
Location
Mogollon Rim
Nearest Towns
Young
Season
Year-round
Access:
Good
Special Regulations
Yes, in some areas
Non-Resident License
State of Arizona
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The season is open year-round.
Winter:
The season is open during the winter but it is doubtful you can access most parts of the stream.
Spring:
Fly fishing Canyon Creek is probably at its best in late Spring.
Summer:
Summer is a good time to fish the upper section of Canyon Creek but the water in the lower section tends
to get a little too warm at times.
Fall:
The wild brown trout spawn in the Fall and early Fall is a great time to catch a large one due to the spawn.
| Recommended Tackle & Gear Fly Line: 4, 5 or 6 weight Leaders: Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing: 71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X Tippets: Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X, Streamer 0-2X Best Fly Rods: Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five or Ultimate Six Fly Reels: For 4/5/6 fly line Fly Floatants and Misc Items: Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators Tools & Accessories: Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc. Copyright 2013 James Marsh |
Fly Fishing Canyon Creek Arizona
Canyon Creek is without a doubt one of the best trout streams in the state of Arizona. It’s a fifty mile long tributary of the Salt River that forms at the base of the Mogollon Rim. It’s uppermost section lies in the Tonto National Forest. Most of the stream flows through the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation.
Canyon Creek wasn’t always a good trout stream. At one time, flooding and cattle grazing just about made the stream worthless as a cold water trout fishery. Trout Unlimited Clubs and other organizations did a great job of restoring the stream’s habitat. Here are some organizations and local clubs responsible in part for the riparian work that has been done on this stream: Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S.D.A. Forest Service/Tonto National Forest, the OW Ranch, Arizona Flycasters, Desert Flycasters, Trout Unlimited Arizona State Council, Zane Grey Chapter Trout Unlimited, Payson Flycasters, Scottsdale Sportsmans Club and the Dame Juliana Anglers.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery is located on Canyon Creek. The stream now supports a good population of wild, stream-bred brown trout. Rainbows are not self sustaining and are stocked.
From the OW Bridge downstream to the Apache Indian Reservation, the stream is managed as “catch-and-release” with artificial flies and lures only.
You will need to obtain a pass to the Tonto National Forest side. If you fish the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation you will need to get a permit from them.
Keep in mind that catching the newly stocked rainbow trout and the wild brown trout are two different things. The newly stocked trout are not very selective and can be fooled with a variety of flies but the wild browns aren’t that easy to fool. Flies that imitate the natural food
in the stream closely, such as our Perfect Flies, outperform the generic and attractor fly patterns sold by most fly shops.
