I've fished Arizona for more than 30 years now. Arizona is a unique, special place to fish. I've fished in other states where the fishing was probably easier. There was more water, more fish and they were generally easier to catch. But Arizona is different. Arizona is special. Why? I think Arizona makes you work for your fish more than any other state I've personally fished.
Arizona is a desert. We have less water. We have fewer lakes and rivers. Those that are easily accessible are often crowded and highly pressured (by fisherman and recreational boaters) often forcing anglers to adapt, experiment and really work to catch fish. You might have to use lighter line, fluorocarbon line, smaller baits, or slower moving baits. You might have to fish at night rather than during the day. Some of our most memorable fishing trips are those where we have had to think, work, adjust, experiment and really grind it out to catch a few fish or the specific species we were after. That's fun. Those trips are rewarding and you go home feeling accomplished.
To fish lakes and rivers that are not highly pressured and crowded, we often have to hike or 4x4. We've caught species in Arizona where we've had to backpack 4 or 5 miles down a steep trail, fish, spend the night, fish some more and hike back out in the morning. Some of our favorite, most productive fishing holes require us to walk a ways and get off the beaten path. And we've put more than few desert pin stripes on our 4x4 truck and had a couple of flat tires chasing fish. But, we seem to value more what we've worked harder for and those experiences won't be forgotten.
Fishing might be easier elsewhere. But there's nowhere I'd rather call fishing home than Arizona.
