One of our favorite hikes in the Mogollon Rim area is also a great place for fly fishing. After hiking to the headwaters we were lucky enough to catch-and-release a few beautiful stream-born brown trout from this pretty little creek.
The Mogollon Rim has quite a few springs that erupt from benearth it that create little creeks and ideal trout habitat. The ice cold pure spring water combined with the tree canopy are ideal conditions for little brown trout.
There is one particular creek that’s designated as Catch and Release by the AZGFD and is one of our favorites to hike and fish. We had never walked all the way up to the headwaters before, so on this spring weekend we made it a point to hike all the way up to the spring and then fish our way back down.
The spring had ice cold water gushing out of the ground creating the tiniest of creeks. There were quite a few people hanging out around the spring, so after we ate lunch we headed back down the trail to do a little fishing.
On the way up I noticed quite a few fishy looking honey holes I had never seen before, so I made sure to hit a few of them on the way down. I busted out my 7’6″ 4 wt and tied on a size 14 Elk Hair Caddis. It would be the only fly I needed for the rest of the day. The first hole I fished was a plunge pool with a slow current the required stealth to not spook the fish. I casted from my knees and got a hit on the first cast but didn’t hook into anything. Second cast, success! A little 6 inch stream born brown trout.
I worked my way down stream dipping my Elk Hair Caddis in every likely looking spot, which usually elicited a strike of some sort. The action was fast and I caught quite a few fish in a short amount of time.
About halfway back to the trailhead, I stumbled upon a little hole with a small waterfall followed by a swift current. I casted my fly just below the fall a couple times but was having trouble seeing it in the white water.
On the third or fourth time I managed to see it and the swirl of gold that inhaled it slightly subsurface. I set the hook and was shocked at the size of the fish that emerged. I brought it quickly to hand and it was a big headed but quite skinny 13″ male brown trout. This is my biggest fish from this creek despite his weight. I hope the old guy bulks on some bugs this summer.
After a few more plunge pools and stream born browns crushing my Elk Hair Caddis, I packed away my fly rod and headed back down the trail to the car. It was great day – I got to see the headwaters of one of my favorite creeks, fish all of its honey holes and catch my personal best. We’ll definitely be going back to this gem.
