Apache Trout in Arizona

Photo: USFS Fish and Aquatic Conservation/Flickr

If you’re interested in the native trout of the American West, then you’re probably at least aware of the Apache trout. This fish is native to Arizona, and while it faced serious problems in recent years, populations are available for recreational angling.

Cameron Chambers does an excellent job of detailing all the fly fishing opportunities for Apache trout on Arizona’s Black River, in this recent story for Fly Fisherman Magazine. The entire Black River drainage is some of the best fly fishing in the Southwest, but the upper reaches in particular are home to good populations of one of the West’s rarest trout.

If you’re on the lookout for a trout adventure this summer, but want to get away from the crowds, a trip to the Black River might be in order.