November, 2016

Last Logbook Entry  � for previous day   

10/30-11/1:  This year we had the vanagon available to take to our quickie trip fishing in Northern Arizona - specifically Silver Creek - which has been a favorite destination in past seasons.  It turned out to be something of a negative experience this time around.  Roughly a four and a half hour drive from Green Valley, Silver Creek in the fall months has always been a fun though challenging experience to try to hook and release some of the whopper rainbows that have been living there for many years.

Both days were exceptionally windy which is a put off for both of us.  I hooked an octet of large fish the first day but didn't land and unhook any of them.  After finishing up on the creek, we drove way too many miles hoping to camp and fish a section of the South Fork of the Little Colorado River.  Big mistake.  That stream was running almost dry due to a lack of seasonal moisture.  So we made it back to Show Low and camped again on the Forest Service land just south of town.  Back to Silver Creek we went the next morning.  Sue opted out of fishing due to the ferocious winds.  I opted in though not enjoying much of the day.  Finally released a nice rainbow of roughly eight pounds on a black clouser streamer.

Here are our main issues with Silver Creek.  Too many rainbows that are hooked, played, and handled badly which results in too many dead fish on the mile of stream above the parking lot.  No sign of Apache Trout, which were the main attraction for coming here.  Really stupid management by the AZ Fish and Game Dept. something that seems to be endemic with this poorly run state operation.  Don't know if we'll be back here again.

Here's the short video of out trip: 

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