Generally clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable..
Generally clear. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.
Camden Strogen fishing with his dad at Green Valley Lake.
Addi Strogen at Green Valley Lake. She used mealworms and caught trout and bluegills on this trip.
Trout being stocked by AZGFD into Green Valley Lake 3.
Camden Strogen fishing with his dad at Green Valley Lake.
Addi Strogen at Green Valley Lake. She used mealworms and caught trout and bluegills on this trip.
Trout being stocked by AZGFD into Green Valley Lake 3.
October is a great time to fish the Green Valley Lakes here in Payson. It is also a perfect time to sort through your fishing equipment, and maybe even learn how to fly fish.
Trout are scheduled to be stocked in Green Valley Lakes for the first time this fall during the week of Oct. 3. Arizona Game and Fish Department will continue to stock them every two weeks through early May, so these lakes are a convenient destination for trout fishing.
There are bass, crappies and bluegills in all three lakes in addition to trout. Kids are quite successful fishing with mealworms under a small bobber for bluegills along shore, or a bit deeper, right along the edge of the big dock for crappies.
PowerBait, worms, mealworms, and corn are all good baits for trout. Many anglers also use spinners or small jigs effectively. I like to fish with flies, and find that woolly buggers in size 10-12, or wet flies and midges in size 12-18 work well. While I strip in the woolly buggers to impart action, the wet flies and midges work best fished slowly a few feet under an indicator.
If you do not have a fishing license yet, you can purchase one online at azgfd.gov. It is valid for a full year from purchase. The daily bag limit for trout in Green Valley Lakes is four trout per day.
Have you sorted through your fishing equipment lately? Is there some stuff that you no longer need? Or perhaps you are looking for some fishing gear, but don’t want to spend very much money. You are in luck.
The Payson Flycasters Club/Gila Trout Chapter of Trout Unlimited (PFC/GTTU) will be at the donation drop-off location of the Humane Society Resale Store on Oct. 7 and 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to collect donations of used fishing equipment. We will add those donations to our inventory and offer equipment for sale the following week.
We will have quite an assortment of used rods, reels, tackle boxes, lures and other fishing equipment for sale on Oct. 14 and 15 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Humane Society Resale Store at 510 W. Main St. Your donations and purchases will help two great causes, the Humane Society and the PFC/GTTU after-school fly fishing programs at Julia Randall Elementary and Rim Country Middle School.
With the cooler weather and trout returning to Green Valley Lakes, this might be the perfect time for you to try your hand at fly fishing. The Payson Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Department is offering an Introduction to fly fishing class on Saturday, Oct. 22.
The morning session will help participants learn the basics needed for success in fly fishing. That includes a look at rods, reels, equipment, flies, the bugs that the flies are intended to imitate, and important fly fishing knots. You will also learn where to look for fish and why they are found in those spots.
The afternoon session is when participants learn how to cast a fly rod, and catch fish on a fly. This will be done at Green Valley Lake. Instruction will be provided by PFC/GTTU members. Fly rod outfits and flies will be provided as part of the class. This is a great way to see if fly fishing is something that you would like, without having to invest in any of the equipment. If you are interested in signing up for the Oct. 22 class, you will need to do so by Oct. 14. You can sign up at paysonrimcountry.com under the adult programs tab or stop by the Parks, Recreation and Tourism office in Green Valley Park to register. Every fish feels bigger on a fly rod. I will teach this class and hope to see you there.
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