Slamming through the southwest

[Devan S.]

PART 7-THE FINAL FISH

The last fish was simply a wild rainbow. Easy enough except there is only 1 close by location to catch Wild Bow's in the White Mountains. The main stem of the Black River upstream of the Reservation land. Talk about pressure......but first lets ramp it up a bit.

This is flat tire number 2 less than 1 hour after having the same flat tire fixed. 

Just for the Minnow fisherman we each caught these.....not sure what they were at the time but a local filled us in. 

@Johnsfolly any guesses?

 

[Devan S.]

PART 8- THE ACTUAL FINAL FISH/MEET MY FRIEND JUAN

This concludes both Arizona challenges. Overall we fished either 18 or 19 streams, puddles, or lakes and visited 2 or 3 on multiple occasions. Lots of miles drove, a dead elk, 2 rental cars, 2 flats, sunburn, mosquito bites, miles and miles of hiking, and tons of wildlife. None would be possible without Arizona Game and Fish and New Mexico Game and Fish and @BilletHead for his post and ideas. We also both checked off Apache in Arizona and Rio Cutts/Gila in New Mexico for our Western Native Trout Challenge. 

If you recall, I was still short a Brown in NM and we still had basically a bit more than a full day until our flight out so we began research. All of the Carson and Sante Fe National Forest were closed either on the 18th or 19th due to fires which ruled out a bunch of streams(PECOS, MORA, some of Chama, some of the RIO GRANDE, JEMEZ MOUNTAIN, VALLE VERDE). I had a tip on some Browns in the Gila National Forest but now the Black fire was closing in.

Based on reports streams like Chama and Rio Grande that had open sections were fishing poorly due to runoff. Interesting situation some areas too much runoff and others had fires. 

Time and time again the San Juan came up as predictably good so we set off on a 5 hour drive. A stop at the fly shop and load up on "What's working" all of which I have zero confidence in. We got a tip on the stream that a black leech had done well and against the fly shops recommendations I tied on Black/Olive Lilleys Jig. Made a slight modification for legality and began fishing. 

This was my second fish. 

New Mexico Master Angler Rainbows only need to be 20". Checking this off wasn't on my yearly goals but it was a nice side grab. 

My last fish was this:

The San Juan is a nice stream and I suppose "when in Rome" but I doubt I would ever go back. I thought the place was crazy packed and someone said it was a light weekend. Must be good fishing or something. 

[Devan S.]

11 hours ago, BilletHead said:

                  @Devan S.

  Thank you for posting and letting Pat and I take a walk down memory lane. We will get back there someday and would like to repeat our trip out there and recatch the natives of the Apachie, Gila and Rio Grande species. Congratulations on your success young man. You will never forget trips like this. 

 Marty and Pat

Thank you. Your original post pushed me off the proverbial cliff. I was already looking into the western stuff but just needed tripped near the edge. 

I do feel bad though. At heart, I'm a run and gun type, I need to slow down and enjoy things like this and maybe stop and smell the roses in some of these places. 

 

[netboy]

Really enjoyed the play by play. Good job...😀

[JestersHK]

What a fun ride,  thank you for sharing and congrats.  I've been on those trips where you're working hard for that one tiny fish...

Makes it that much better when you can claim victory. 

 

[Quillback]

That is a neat trip. congrats!

Surprised there are grayling in AZ.

[Johnsfolly]

47 minutes ago, Quillback said:

That is a neat trip. congrats!

Surprised there are grayling in AZ.

Me too Jeff. I thought that Montana was the southern edge for grayling in US.

[BilletHead]

11 hours ago, Devan S. said:

Thank you. Your original post pushed me off the proverbial cliff. I was already looking into the western stuff but just needed tripped near the edge. 

I do feel bad though. At heart, I'm a run and gun type, I need to slow down and enjoy things like this and maybe stop and smell the roses in some of these places. 

 

           I get that and we also seem to cram too much into trips. Glad we did though and completed our goals. With the current state of things not sure when we will be able to repeat and add more. Maybe when Pat retires and if the finances allow. Trips will be more expensive as we all know. 

[Johnsfolly]

13 hours ago, Devan S. said:

PART 7-THE FINAL FISH

The last fish was simply a wild rainbow. Easy enough except there is only 1 close by location to catch Wild Bow's in the White Mountains. The main stem of the Black River upstream of the Reservation land. Talk about pressure......but first lets ramp it up a bit.

This is flat tire number 2 less than 1 hour after having the same flat tire fixed. 

Just for the Minnow fisherman we each caught these.....not sure what they were at the time but a local filled us in. 

@Johnsfolly any guesses?

 

Not that familiar with western species yet. Haven't been there to catch and I'd any. Your trip and those microtrout.may be a big push to get out there. Thanks for adding your photos helps get a feel for where you were and your successes!

My only guess without trying to dig would be a pikeminnow just because it looks somewhat predatory.

Let us know.

[BilletHead]

22 minutes ago, Johnsfolly said:

Me too Jeff. I thought that Montana was the southern edge for grayling in US.

When were arctic grayling introduced?

Arctic Grayling were first introduced in the early 1940s in the United States. These fish came from selective water bodies in Alaska, Montana, and Michigan, where they were taken from their native habitats. The first place in which they were introduced in the United States was Arizona.