Flying Around

FLY-FISHING has been called an art, a science, and a Zen-like activity shrouded in mystique. That's what the so-called thinkers say. For the men and women who actually get their feet wet, definitions are irrelevant. All that really matters is the experience - the art of trying to trick a fish into striking a virtually weightless imitation of an insect.

From Lee's Ferry, the state's mecca for blue-ribbon trout, to Arivaca Lake near Tucson, where red-ear sunfish will swarm your Pencil Poppers, Arizona offers fly-fishing enthusiasts a boatload of options. Monotony is not an issue here. In all, the Grand Canyon State is home to 85 species of fish that inhabit more than 300 cold-water streams and 100-plus lakes and reservoirs. Chest waders, float tubes, kick boats, kayaks, canoes... depending on the waterway and weather conditions, any one of these might be necessary for a successful outing in Arizona.

What follows, in no particular order, are some of our favorite places to cast about. Like reviewing a new restaurant or a local production of Hamlet, picking a favorite fishing hole is mostly subjective. Still, it's hard to argue with any of these spots; the only debate is which of the 300,000 flies you should use. By the way, in case you're wondering, we'll help you with that, too.

1 LEE'S FERRY

There's a reason Lee's Ferry is world-famous. It doesn't get any better than this not in Arizona, anyway. Unique in its possibilities, this hot spot on the Colorado River confronts and confounds anglers with clear and cold water (50 degrees year-round), hemmed in by 1,000-foot-high cliffs. Dry fly-fishing is at its best in the summer months, when monsoon rains wash grasshoppers, cicadas, ants and beetles into the river, and shallow nymphing invites strikes.

Directions: From Page, drive south 25 miles on U.S. Route 89; turn right onto U.S. Route 89A and head north 14.5 miles.

Elevation: 3,100 feet Fish: Rainbow trout, brown trout and cutthroat trout Suggested Flies: Scuds and midges live here, so use look-alike artificial flies.

Fishable Miles: 15

Guide Services: Terry Gunn, 800-962-9755

Information: 928-608-6200, nps.gov/glca or leesferry.com

2 LAKE POWELL

This scenic wonder, which boasts 1,900 miles of shoreline, is the second-largest reservoir in the country. The fishing is something special. Among other things, cliff walls surrounding the deep, clear, canyon lake provide excellent casting spots for fishing cracks, corners and rock rubble, and the walls provide some welcome shade. Striped bass guard the lake's shaded coves, while Wahweap Bay traditionally gives up the larger rainbow trout and brown trout. Other popular trout waters are near Glen Canyon Dam, Last Chance Bay and Padre Bay. The upper San Juan River is another good option.

Directions: From Page, drive north on U.S. Route 89 to the south entrance to Wahweap Bay. Shuttle service is available within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Elevation: 3,700 feet Fish: Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, crappies, sunfish, walleye and catfish Suggested Flies: Streamers, Poppers and chartreuse or white Clousers

Fishable Miles: 186

Guide Services: Ambassador Guides & Outfitters, 800-256-7596 or ambassadorguides.com Information: 928-608-6200, nps.gov/glca or fishpowell.com

3 OAK CREEK

If you're fishing Oak Creek downstream from Sedona, you can expect both rainbow trout and smallmouth bass. Upstream, from Grasshopper Point and beyond, you'll find excellent waters for rainbow trout and brown trout. The truth is, there aren't any bad areas in the summer because the Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks the creek almost every week, particularly at access points near trailheads, pullouts and campgrounds. Most of the fish will feed in the fastest currents, rather than in calmer pools. A dry/dropper setup will sometimes produce strikes on both flies.

Directions: From Sedona, drive north on State Route 89A past Slide Rock State Park.

Elevation: 3,000 to 6,000 feet Fish: Rainbow trout, brown trout and smallmouth bass Suggested Flies: Royal Stimulators and Bead-head Pheasant Tail nymphs

Fishable Miles: 50

Guide Services: Ben Koller, 623-412-3474 or thehookupoutfitters.com Information: 928-203-7500, www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino, 928-692-7700 or azgfd.gov

4 BLACK RIVER (EAST & WEST FORKS)

Two of the most productive fly waters in the state are in the alpine zone of the White Mountains. If you enjoy company, head for the East Fork, where numerous riffles, runs and pools are perfect for small-stream anglers in search of rainbow trout and brown trout. If you seek solitude - and Apache trout head to the West Fork and use Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tail nymphs in the 11 miles of water flowing downstream to the White Mountain Apaches' Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Farther south, it gets more rugged and requires some effort to chase smallmouth bass

that can be found en masse. River bass like to hang out on the lee side of a current break downstream of submerged logs, boulders and rock outcroppings - in order to let drifting insects (aquatic and terrestrial) come to them.

Directions: For directions to any part of the Black River, call the White Mountain Apache Tribe Wildlife & Outdoor Recreation Division (928-338-4385). Road conditions change frequently because of washouts.

Elevation: 4,500 to 8,000 feet Fish: Rainbow trout, brown trout, brook trout, Apache trout and smallmouth bass Suggested Flies: Stoneflies, Caddis, Hare's Ear, Pheasant Tails and Yellow Stimulators

Fishable Miles: 115

Permit Required: White Mountain Apache Tribal permit Guide Services: Troutback Guide Service, 928-532-3474

Information: 928-338-4385 or wmatoutdoors.org

WHITE RIVER (NORTH FORK)

South of Williams Creek National Fish Hatchery you'll find 25 miles of fishable waters that drain from Mount Baldy into the White River. Just above where the North Fork meets the East Fork, the waters are clear and cold, and caddis and mayfly hatches usually dictate which flies to use.

Directions: From Pinetop, drive south on State Route 73 through Whiteriver to the Fort Apache turnoff. Turn east and drive to the bridge. The confluence is upstream 100 yards.

Elevation: 5,000 to 7,000 feet

Fish: Brown trout and Apache trout

Suggested Flies: Stoneflies, Caddis, Mayflies, Woolly Buggers and Yellow Sallys

Fishable Miles: 25

Permit Required: White Mountain Apache Tribal permit Guide Services: Arizona Mountain Fly-fishing, 928-339-4829

Information: 928-338-4385 or wmatoutdoors.org

shad and crawfish imitations. Sinking lines with 12to 15-pound leaders are a staple, as are brown, purple, chartreuse and pumpkin lure colors. Fish tend to stack up on the steep banks in order to move up and down with water fluctuations. They typically stay close to the bank upstream from the Jojoba boat launch to the mouth of the Verde River.

Directions: From Phoenix, drive north on State Route 51 to State Route 101 East. Drive east on SR 101 to the Pima/Princess Road exit. Turn left (north) onto Pima Road and drive approximately 10.5 miles to Cave Creek Road; turn east on Cave Creek Road and drive 4 miles. Turn right onto Bartlett Dam Road and drive 13 miles to the marina.

Elevation: 1,600 feet Fish: Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappies, sunfish and catfish Suggested Flies: Streamers, Damsel Dragonflies, and anything in a crawfish pattern

Fishable Miles: 12

Guide Services: Ben Koller, 623-412-3474 or thehookupoutfitters.com Information: 602-225-5200, rimaz.com, 602-316-3378 or bartlettlake.com

LAKE PLEASANT

This might be one of the best-kept secrets in the Southwest. Lake Pleasant is a fly-fishing destination with several kinds of bass and a healthy dose of crappies. Threadfin shad abound here, as well. That's important because sport fish will usually follow the shad into the creek channels in the spring, and into the open water in the summer.

Directions: From Phoenix, drive north on Interstate 17 to the Carefree Highway exit. Turn left onto Carefree Highway and drive west 11 miles to Pleasant Harbor Boulevard. Turn right on Pleasant Harbor Boulevard and drive 1 mile to the marina entrance.

Elevation: 1,700 feet Fish: White bass, striped bass, largemouth bass, crappies, sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, carp and tilapia Suggested Flies: Poppers and Streamers in shad patterns

Fishable Miles: 110 miles of shoreline

Guide Services: Ben Koller, 623-412-3474 or thehookupoutfitters.com Information: 928-501-1710, 602-977-7377 or azmarinas.com

BARTLETT RESERVOIR

Offering little vegetation and, frequently, stained water, Bartlett Reservoir is home to a fantastic population of fat largemouth bass in the 2to 4-pound range ready to follow Since Roosevelt Dam was completed in the early 1900s, this granddaddy of the state's reservoirs has been a popular summertime attraction especially when water levels rise, flooding additional shoreline cover for its finned inhabitants. Local anglers say it's the best crappie lake in the United States, with an estimated 10 million crappies swimming about.

Directions: From Phoenix, head north on State Route 87, turn right onto State Route 188, and continue east for 31 miles past Roosevelt Dam. Turn left into the parking area.

Elevation: 2,200 feet Fish: Largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappies, sunfish, catfish and carp Suggested Flies: Anything that looks like a threadfin shad

Fishable Miles: 23

Guide Services: Ben Koller, 623-412-3474 or thehookupoutfitters.com

Information: 602-225-5200 or rimaz.com

APACHE LAKE

Surrounded by the Superstition Wilderness and the Three Bar Wildlife Area, this 17-mile-long snake of a lake, second in the chain of four on the Salt River, offers views of bighorn sheep, eagles and javelinas, as well as caches of bass and crappie. In fact, Apache Lake supports a world-class yellow bass fishery that tends to be underutilized. The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocked the lake with Kamloopand McConaughystrain rainbow trout several years ago, and some of their offspring might still be around.

ARIVACA LAKE

Forget trout. Think bass or their relatives, red-ear sunfish that weigh up to 2 pounds and put a severe bend in a light-line fly-fishing rod. The remote lake, formed by a dam on Arivaca Creek, lies in a valley with mountains all around. Scenery abounds; services do not. What you'll find is a single-lane launch ramp, pit toilets and big bass up to 10 pounds. On the rare occasion when the fish aren't biting, you can drive a little farther

PATAGONIA LAKE

Patagonia Lake State Park, fed by a year-round natural stream, has been called a treasure in the desert. Boats of all sizes are allowed on half of the lake, while the other half is a no-wake zone. Both halves are home to several varieties of fish, including record-sized green sunfish. Rental boats are available, as are fishing licenses, groceries, gasoline and tackle.

Directions: Drive east on Interstate 10 to State Route 83 and go south to the four corners in Sonoita. Turn right onto State Route 82 and continue to Patagonia Lake, 7 miles past the town of Patagonia.

Elevation: 4,000 feet Fish: Rainbow trout, largemouth bass, crappies, sunfish and catfish Suggested Flies: Poppers, Clouser Minnows, Wigglebugs and crawfish imitations

Fishable Miles: 3

Guide Services: Carlos Gibbs, 520-326-1426

Information: 520-287-6965 or azparks.gov

Starting in the high mountains of Eastern Arizona and running for miles through alpine meadows, cienegas and cow pastures to its end at the Grand Canyon, the Little Colorado feeds some big reservoirs Sunrise Lake and Big Lake. Trout inhabit the river's 11,000-foot-high headwaters down to its 6,000-foot elevation. Look for brown trout, mostly, but rainbow trout are stocked extensively near Greer.

Directions: The river is reachable downstream from Bunch Reservoir and River Reservoir in Greer. Anglers may also fish meadow streams near the Molly Butler Lodge, 109 Main Street, Greer.

Elevation: 7,000 to 9,000 feet

Fish: Rainbow trout, brook trout and brown trout

Suggested Flies: Stoneflies, Mayflies, Caddis and Woolly Buggers

Fishable Miles: 23

Guide Services: Troutback Guide Service, 928-532-3474; Arizona Mountain Fly-fishing, 928-339-4829 or azmtflyfishing.com Information: 520-367-4281, azgfd.gov or greerarizona.com

LICENSES & PERMITS

Arizona Game and Fish Department's 2008 angling regulations include 58 pages of detail, but here's a summary of what you'll find: