08-06-2008, 08:10 PM
Here is a tip from 4-year-old Shawn Rizzo who caught a 4.78-pound, 20.75-inch trout at Hawley Lake - you don't have to be big to catch a big fish. This youngster's fish will be a contender for Arizona's big fish of the year honors. Now that is catching a big memory.
I just finished reading about the majority of youngsters in Great Britain not being connected to the outdoors, so my biggest tip of the week - or year - is to get your kids out fishing, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, wildflower viewing or some other outdoor pursuit. Don't let them grow up with an outdoor deficit disorder. Of course, since you are reading this report, I am probably preaching to the choir. So do the future of mankind a favor and take some neighborhood kids along with you as well.
Back on subject; the big trout from Hawley also highlights another tip - the higher elevation lakes, especially the larger ones, will likely be the best producers right now. Big Lake on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest and Hawley or Reservation lakes on the White Mountain Apache Reservation are probably the top three contenders. By the way, an angler wrote that the store and boat rentals at Reservation Lake are closed. So get a tribal fishing permit etc. before going there (try the Hondah Resort near Pinetop).
I just finished reading about the majority of youngsters in Great Britain not being connected to the outdoors, so my biggest tip of the week - or year - is to get your kids out fishing, hiking, camping, wildlife watching, wildflower viewing or some other outdoor pursuit. Don't let them grow up with an outdoor deficit disorder. Of course, since you are reading this report, I am probably preaching to the choir. So do the future of mankind a favor and take some neighborhood kids along with you as well.
Back on subject; the big trout from Hawley also highlights another tip - the higher elevation lakes, especially the larger ones, will likely be the best producers right now. Big Lake on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest and Hawley or Reservation lakes on the White Mountain Apache Reservation are probably the top three contenders. By the way, an angler wrote that the store and boat rentals at Reservation Lake are closed. So get a tribal fishing permit etc. before going there (try the Hondah Resort near Pinetop).