Well … I admit it – I always on for the best fly fishing in the White Mountains region. Our designated agent Bob Pollock in Greer Land & Investments is a legendary fly fisherman in the Greer area, with experience of over 25 years. Besides, my wife Wendy Krueger has been fly fishing guide in the area Alpine and Greer in the past 9 seasons. Between the two of them, they have covered as much water surrounding us like any other …

I like very much fly fishing, but usually gravitate toward the Yellowstone, Gallatin and Madison Rivers in Montana. I like great dry fly fishing in waters with plenty of space for my backcast. Unfortunately, outside of Lees Ferry on the Colorado River, there are very few areas in Arizona that I really get excited about fishing. Of course, I'm fine with entertaining the down day in the south of the Lower Black River of wet fly fishing for Brown Trout Crossing Wildcat – but I prefer the surface strikes and a lot of them. When feel the need to snag some great hook jaw Brown Trout were an Elk Hair Caddis, I turn to the Upper West Fork Black River.

How arrive – From Alpine take U.S. 191 (formerly US666) north of the city of 1 mile and turn in Big Lake Road or Forest Road 249. Travel west approximately 16 miles past Sierra Blanca Ranch, then the Three Forks Area to Forest Road 249E. Continue west travel beyond the head Springs, Indian Trail, about the back of recent South Cove Big Lake, down a big hill to the junction of Forest Road 116. Turn left (west again) on Forest Road 116, you fall into the drain old cabin on your right, continue another 1 / 3 mile and there will be a Forest Service parking area ramada. To the south is the 100 meters walk Thompson Trail and the Upper West Fork Black River.

There is a culvert in the road right is right for a bath line, but I like the head directly south along the trail. After 1 / 4 mile will not be a barrier to protect Apache trout fish, you can not fish in this area, travel another 1 / 3 mile and there will be another barrier to fish, you can begin fishing below this area. Everyone likes to fish a little different, my style is to walk as far as I feel like that day – then start fishing again upstream against the current.

I overall increase of 45 minutes on the road that is approximately 3 miles. The first 1.5 miles of the hike is fairly wooded along the river, small meadow, a hole, then it opens up a large meadow meadow. Continue southward along the path of Thompson, who is actually an old railroad grade, about half of the large meadow the trail to fall a bit (probably a location Old Bridge). Walk through the dive and after a few hundred yards you will notice that the track deviates to the west, ski trips background started directly on the grass in a southeasterly direction. You do some traveling and fishing down to the bottom clear of the prairie.

There is a large camping site picnic where the prairie ends and this is where my cane usually meets. If I am traveling alone, I carry a gun, an old habit of Montana. Overall I'm concentrating on both the water that can come up and scare a bear or a mountain lion … (although I have not had experience myself with the bugs in this area). If we have been receiving a lot of rain, especially during the monsoons of the pools are pretty cloudy. These are good for a few models, but I've had much better luck casting immediately preceding usually around the corner from my side of the stream, and my floating dry fly blind by the river's edge. Nice catch Brown Trout routinely in this way, using a variety of flies including hoppers. Generally the fish in the meadows all, large and small at about 2 hours and catch and release a fish very few.

To to fish this area successfully, you need to be an early riser. I like being in the water around 6am. This means to stop the Alps at about 4:30 AM in the summer, the drive for 45 minutes and then rise in 45 minutes. I tried fishing the area later in the morning and afternoon with limited success. I guess if your goal is catching fish must be present when they are feeding.

For more information on visiting the Alpine/Greer area including Lodging, Weather, Trails and Real Estate please visit my website at http://www.AlpineNutriosoRealEstate.com – If you’re interested in a half or full day guided fly fishing experience please visit Wendy’s website at http://www.AzMtnAdventures.com

Eric Krueger
Alpine, Arizona

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