Where the Trout are Most Abundant

Where the Trout are Most Abundant Many Fourteen and Sixteen Inch Catches Are Reported in Arizona Waters This Season

By S. L. LEWIS, State Game Warden JUNE 1-just another date to most Arizonians, but to the thousands of followers of the most elusive of the finny tribe the mountain trout it is a date comparable in importance to the Fourth of July or December 25, for on June 1, trout season officially opens in this state.

During the last few days in May of each year, many sportsmen may be observed leaving valley towns, their cars laden with camp equipment, in preparation to being settled on a good trout stream when the season opens at 4:00 o'clock in the morning of the first.

Sportsmen are looking forward to better trout fishing this season due to the State Game Department having heavily stock trout waters with fish which had already attained a length of from sev-en to twelve inches. This was accomplished by the build-ing of additional rearing ponds at the several state hatch-eries and the care-ful feeding of the small trout through-out the winter months before re-lease.

Early reports indicate many splen-did bag limits taken throughout Arizona since the opening of the season.

Among the most favored trout waters is Oak Creek, which is reached over the new Oak Creek Canyon Highway, traveling north from Sedona or south from Flagstaff. Fine fishing is to be found all along this creek and very comfortable accommodations can be obtained. In addition to the attraction of fishing, Oak Creek Canyon takes its place along with the Grand Canyon for scenic beauty. Any reader who has not made this trip should not let the summer months go by without including Oak Creek in his travels.

During the summer months the vicinity of Springerville is a mecca for campers and fishermen, since numerous streams are easily accessible in that locality over fairly good roads through the forests. The River Reservoir near Greer, which has been closed for several years, is now open to fishing and excellent catches are reported from that section. The streams in the vicinity of the upper headwaters of Black River, southwest of Springerville, always afford fine fishing as well as thousands of beautiful camp sites.

Many favorable reports of goods catches have been received from Fort Apache Indian Reservation, northeast of Globe. This reservation contains several hundred miles of fine streams and the past policy of keeping the headwaters of these streams closed for spawning purposes has proven very beneficial in maintaining a permanent supply of fish in that section. Reports have been received of fourteen and sixteen inch trout having recently been taken in these waters. This territory is reached over State Highway No. 73, which is in excellent condition. Accommodations are to be secured at White River, which is in the heart of the reservation.

Unusually good fishing is reported in the Tonto Basin country, near Payson. This section is favored by residents of the Salt River Valley, who do not find it convenient to spend more than one or two days in the mountains. Tonto, Horton and Christopher Creeks in the vicinity of Kohl's Ranch, about thirty miles east of Payson, afford excellent fishing. Some of the largest trout caught during the present season have been taken near the junction of Tonto and Christopher Creeks, being of the Rainbow variety and twentyfour inches in length. This section is reached over theHighway.

Reports from the Grand Canyon indicate the largest trout caught in the state from Bright Angel Creek, weighing from three to five pounds. Because of the size of these trout there is a special bag limit of ten trout on the waters within the Grand Canyon National Park.

Contrary to common knowledge, very good trout fishing is enjoyed on the streams in the Graham, Chiricahua and Catalina mountains in the southern parts of our state. These streams are easily reached over good roads from any of the towns adjacent to the above ranges. Only recently, catches of twelve and fourteen inch trout have been reported from these sections, several sportsmen having been successful in(Continued on Page 21)