While fishing larger rivers and lakes for bigger sized trout is incredible, the skinny creeks and hard to get to spots will always be my favorite. The long fight of a trout in big water is a rush, but not quite as much as the short battles in log and tree crowded creeks. There is something special about casting into something so small that only a bow and arrow cast with a dry fly can make its way through the thick cover along the bank. The fish may be smaller, but the challenge in finding, hooking and fighting them can be greater than their larger brethren in bigger waters.

Another draw to these small creeks is often they are isolated from hatchery fish making their way into them. While a hatchery fish can be a fun trout to target, they are not the same as their wild counterparts. They often lack the brilliant colors of wild fish, as well as the instinct and fight. One of the most incredible things about Arizona fishing is  the variance in fish from creek to creek. It seems as though each creek has its own distinct population of fish, with their own look and even types of fly they are preferential to.

Any day on the water is good, but they are always better when they are spent tossing foam flies to hungry and wild trout!