Since returning from Montana last year I’ve been in a real funk. I’ve been throwing flies in AZ for 6-7 years and while fly fishing is fun no matter where you do it – I’d really given up all hope of catching a large trout in my home state. (Yes I know there are large fish in the lakes – but lake fishing bores me to tears) Don’t get me wrong here – I’m perfectly happy catching 6 inch wild trout all day long. I’m far from a ‘trophy’ fisherman, but lately I’ve had an itch for something bigger. Well yesterday in finally happened!

I was out with my friend Joe and we were investigating a small stream we’d heard of but hadn’t really explored very much. I was using a 3 wt rod and throwing a green foam hopper. I had just started investigating a fishy looking pool and had my hopper on the water ten feet out and to my left. There was a bush to my left and I wanted to lean way out and side arm a cast into the pool. I was shaking out more line, preparing for the cast when Joe (who was still climbing down the cliff we had to scale to get to the pool) yelled over the noise of a waterfall ‘there’s a big fish cruising your way!’ I leaned out and looked around the bush and saw a large trout cruising right toward me. I slowly moved my hopper directly into its path and it stopped, backed up, and looked at my hopper for a very painful two seconds – then slammed it!

The fight was on and my little 3 wt rod got quite a workout. I was rigged for the usual 6-12 inch trout we’d been catching all weekend. I remember a voice in my head screaming “don’t break off – please God let me land this fish”. Then I was suddenly aware of two things, I HAVE a camera – I DON’T HAVE a net! After a while, I handed the rod to Joe and said “it’s your turn to fight this fish”. I got down in the water on a little sandy ‘beach’ and Joe expertly guided the fish toward my outstretched hands. Four times it got within my reach – four times it exploded back out into the current. The fifth time was a charm, and I emerged from the water with the largest brown Trout I’d ever caught. Joe and I just looked at each other in shock. Joe snapped a picture…

The hook was firmly embedded in roof of its mouth and it took a while to remove it. This thing had some evil looking teeth. I got it back down to the water and placed it in some gentle current. But it wouldn’t move and I thought “oh no – I’ve killed it”. After a full minute of rocking the fish back and forth I thought the worst. I slowing loosened my fingers from around the fish and watched it pump its jaws for a good 30 second, then it slowing started moving its tail and glided away…

I know ‘big fish’ is a relative term, but two things made this fish very special to me:
1. It restored my excitement for fishing here in AZ
2. I caught it with my best friend and the man who taught me how to fly fish

It was a good day…

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