I’ve checked this board before but I just signed on and it’s my first post.
By way of background, I come from prairie Canada (Manitoba) where the ffing options lean more to warm-water species - pike, bass (smallmouth, white,) channel cats (we have one of the best sport fisheries in the world.), carp, walleye, lake whitefish etc. We also have some excellent stillwater trout opportunities (folks from Montana, and even Wy. and Col. have become regular visitors) but I don’t seem to get to those parts of the province much these days.
To the point of my post: my family is dragging me to Phoenix for a week and, given their itinerary, I’ve given up the chance of trying some fishing, but I wouldn’t mind checking out some good fly shops. Any suggestions for the Phoenix area?
They’re who I would suggest also. They “created” or “invented” many kewl materials in more color combinations than you could imagine, and will provide instruction on all of them. I’ve spent lots of time and money in there!! Have a ball!!
Agree with all the above. Just FYI there are three Sportsman’s Warehouse stores in the big Phoenix valley. So depending on where you are, you may want to visit the one in Goodyear/Avondale, or the one in West side of Phoenix, or the one south of Superstition Freeway (60) in Mesa on Greenfield road. If you go to their website (sportsmanswarehouse.com) you cannot order online…but do a store location search and it will provide you with the store location, the managers name, e-mail, and telly number.
BTW…just because you are going to be in Phoenix is no reason not to have a fly rod with you. There are numereous Urban Lakes in Phoenix Metro. Goodyear/Avondale has many many lakes that are state run (as opposed to classified “Urban Lakes”) and you only need a state license, not an urban license. There is good fishing south of Tucson this time of year, as well as in the White Mountains of Show Low where there are over 50 lakes to trout fish, and 800 miles of trout streams. I am not that familiar with Oak Creek, Lake Pleasant, etc. But there is also the string of lakes outside of Phoenix, Canynon Lake, Saguaro Lake, and Apache Lake, as well as Roosevelt Lake and East of Globe is San Carlos lake. And I am leaving out a ton of other fisheries. Alamo Lake…Salt River, Colorado River, Lees Ferry, Lake Havasu…
Just FYI
Gem
[This message has been edited by Plain Old Jim (edited 22 March 2006).]
I’ll loan you a rod. <grin> you can’t win now. Just kidding. You might want to visit a Sportsmans Warehouse store if you haven’t been in one. Especially the fly fishing and tying section.
I too would recommend Arizona Flyfishing in Tempe. I’m glad to see they’re still there. I last visited them in 88’ when my our daughter was at ASU and they were absolute helpful gentlemen. Let me use a rod, sent me to the Salt River just below a dam at a lake recreation area(??). I couldn’t even imagine trouting in 100 deg + heat but there I was. I didn’t catch many but the guy next to me chuckin worms was " haulen" em in. I came this close from buying a worm and a splitshot from him… but I resisted.
Weell, if a rod were put in my hand, or waved within ten feet, I suppose that I might just be obligated…oh, temptation is a terrible thing. To make things worse, we won’t see open water up here until early May! Am I a Family Guy or what?!..TIM