Big Papa catches a Big Brown while taking a Piss!

COMPAZ/GREER CABIN TRIP IN REVIEW: 1999-PRESENT

1999-2002 THE BEGINNINGS
Greer Cabin Campers History
Back in 1999, Jay Shaw, Joe Laguna, Louie Padilla & Terry Johnson took to the hills of Greer, AZ. for the very 1st Greer Cabin Trip. Since then we’ve averaged around 5-6 guys per trip, a dozen or so different guys have actually made the trip and countless others have considered it. Always expect the unexpected. The stories abound, some better than others but every year there is at least one memorable moment. From Terry Johnson's "Vicks" problem & "Hey Pops" episode the 1st year, to Bruce Taylor's "pen-knife" & "nude in the bed" episode in year II, to Manuel's "slinky in the chair" imitation last year, something or someone will always make it interesting.

2003 GREER CABIN TRIP (5th Annual)
Five people make 2003 Greer Cabin TripMay 17th - 20th was the date for the 5th Annual "Greer Cabin Trip" Only five people made the trip this year. This was the lowest turn-out since 1999, when the original four campers of Joe Laguna, Louie Padilla, Jay Shaw and Terry Johnson made the very first trip. Five year veteran campers, Joe Laguna and Louie Padilla were joined by four year vet Chin Marquez, while Chano Gonzales, making his second trip, was welcomed back after a one year absence. Newcomer Manuel Lopez made his first trip.

Three 2002 Cabin Campers "No Show" In 2003
Previous Greer Cabin participants Jay Shaw, Julian Aguilar and Louie Aguilar (no relationship) missed out on this years festivities. Each had a number of personal concerns that prevented them from making the trip this year. Even though they did not make the trip physically, they were with us in spirit. We all got a lot of laughs at their expense recalling some of their "Most Memorable Moments". Ok, ok, we did a lot of 'shit talking' about them but that was fun too.

FISHING
As Per Usual, Fishing Does Not Disappoint. As has become a custom on this trip, the fishing was great once again. Rainbow trout were being caught on everything from "Power Bait" to flies. Louie Padilla, who for some reaso n seems intent on trying to catch the "Albert Einstein" of trout, even managed to pull an Apache Trout out of a small creek near the cabin, using some custom made flies he had specially made just for the trip. In addition, Louie also caught a Brown Trout which he calls, "the smarter of the trout species". Louie takes a great deal of pride in catching 'brownies". "Anybody with a stick and some fishing line can spit on a hook and catch a Rainbow Trout", Louie says, "but it takes a great fisherman to catch a Brown Trout, a BIG Brown Trout. That's what I go for all the time."

As anyone who has ever been on this trip will tell you, the fishing has always been fantastic. It is a very rare occurrence when you don't at least catch your daily limit. More often than not, you will come back with at least double that.

Although all three Greer Lakes (located about one mile from the cabin) produce trout, River Reservoir and Bunch Reservoir seem to be our favorites. Bunch seems to be the best bet for catching the most fish, but River is said to hold the biggest. Pictures at the Circle B Market in Greer show anglers pulling 3-5 lb trout out of River Reservoir all the time. Many of those pictures are taken as recently as a day or two before we arrive. Some are even taken while we're there. Our goal is to one day have one of our pictures taken and displayed at the Circle B Market.

HORSEHOES

CHIN RECAPTURES HORSESHOE CHAMPIONSHIP!
Chin Wins! Chin Wins!
In the 4th Annual "Greer Cabin Campers" Horseshoe Tournament, Chin Marquez walked away with his 2nd Title in 3 years, after going undefeated in the 5 man, double elimination tournament. Chin beat Louie Padilla 21-11 in the title game. "I wasn't at my best today", said Louie. "My back was hurting, my legs were cramping, and my wrist hurt like hell".
"Can't nobody beat me, NOBODY", said the victorious Chin. "If we don't get any new people to come out here, I could win this thing every year".
As Chin taunted each of his opponents, it was clear that he was throwing a very good shoe. "I try and get in people's heads, throw them off their game", said Chin about his shit talking. "Plus, it's fun too".

Louie vows to reclaim his throne
After finishing 2nd again in the Annual "Greer Cabin Campers" Horseshoe Tournament, Louie Padilla was clearly disappointed. And having lost to Chin again did not make it any better. "My back hurt, my feet hurt. I just wasn't ready to play today", said Louie. "I just wasn't in the mood".
After narrowly defeating Joe Laguna 21-18 in the semi's, it appeared as if Louie ran out of gas. Immediately after the tournament, it appeared as if Louie was ready to announce his retirement. But after a few minutes, Louie collected himself and vowed to return next year. "I'm gonna go to "Hell Camp" and win that tournament, then I'm gonna win the "Chavez Reunion" tournament, and THEN I'm gonna come back here and win THIS tournament and then I'm gonna retire. "There's nothing like going out a champion and that's what I'm gonna do".

Joe finishes 3rd…...AGAIN
For the third year in a row, Joe Laguna finished 3rd in the annual "Greer Cabin Campers" Horseshoe tournament. After having both 2nd place finisher, Louie Padilla and eventual champ, Chin Marquez on the ropes, Joe was unable to seal the deal in either game. In the best game of the day, Chin edged out Joe 21-19 in a back and forth affair to give Joe his first loss. In a disappointing loss to Louie, it appeared that Joe was stuck on 18 forever and let Louie come back to win 21-18.
"Those were both very disappointing losses. Louie got hot there for a while and although I was throwing shoes capable of scoring, Louie was throwing them closer", Joe said after his loss. "But, there's always next year. I'll be back".

POKER
Manuel Loses His Money..... And His Lunch During Poker
Seventeen year old newcomer, Manuel Lopez learned a few very valuable lessons during the annual Cabin Poker games. The young "pup" was playing with the "Big Dogs" and as usually happens, the "pup" got bit.
After starting out strong winning 3 out of the first 4 hands and feeling pretty good about himself, the table rules were changed. In addition to making the "low hand" drink a 4oz shot of beer, we added "mis-deals" to that as well. Naturally, shit talking Chin was able to talk Manuel into a few of those misdeals and that was the beginning of the end for him, as he eventually lost both his money and his lunch. As he was being led to the porcelain throne, he was heard to utter the words, "I can't hang with you mailto:f%@$!"
We could have told him that before he started.

2004 GREER CABIN TRIP (6th Annual)

Record Low Turnout For 2004 Cabin Trip
A record low turned out for the 6th Annual "Greer Cabin Trip" in 2004. Only founding members Joe Laguna & Louie Padilla kept the tradition alive and made the trip this year. Past Cabin Trip participants and would be new ones all had reasons for missing the trip this year. Heres hoping that the 7th Annual 2005 edition has better turn out.

Big Louie Gets His Picture on the Circle 'B' Wall
Every year, one of the main goals of the trip has been to get one of our pictures up on the wall at the Circle 'B'. Getting your picture on the wall at Circle 'B' has come to be know as a badge of honor, traditionally honoring anglers who produce worthy fish.
Along with renowed Arizona outdoorsmen Bob Hirsch, the Circle 'B' annually sponsors a fishing derby that normally takes place while we're there. Well, on this last trip, Big Louie was lucky enough to have finally gotten on the wall..... and actually led the derby for 3 days!
Louie pulled a 15 1/2 inch rainbow trout out of Big Lake, which stood as the weekly leader all the way up to Wednesday of that week. If he only could have held on one more day, he would have been the weekly winner. Oh well. At least one of us finally got on the board. Louie has set the bar and now it's time to see who can challenge.

2005 GREER CABIN TRIP (7th Annual)
Well, another cabin trip in the books. The 2005 edition included rain, snow flurries and high winds. We got shut out the first day with hardly a nibble and had two vehicles get stuck in the snow on day number two. BUT WE STILL HAD A BLAST!! Seven-year vets, Joe Laguna and Louie Padilla were joined this year by returning campers, Chano Gonzales and Louie Aguilar as well as newcomer, Carlos Macias.

FISHING STARTS OUT SLOW
The fishing on Friday was unexpectedly disappointing. We stopped at two reservation lakes (Horseshoe Cienega and Sunrise Lake) on the way to the cabin. These lakes had been hyped all month long by every fishing report we read. We went there feeling "Muy Chingon" thinking we were gonna catch our limit in just a few minutes. Well... it didn't turn out that way. We threw everything we had out there; from Power Bait to worms to fly's to lures and didn't even get a nibble. Needless to say, we were all a little frustrated. And the next day didn't start out any better.

JOE LANDS A LUNKER…………....SORT OF
We decided to try Big Lake on Saturday. South Cove had proved to be a good spot the previous year where Louie & Joe had found good success. An hour and a half after getting there, Carlos was the only one to have pulled a fish out, so we decided to try another location.
The frustration we had felt yesterday was starting to creep in again and for Louie P, it didn't get any better when he snapped his pole.
Just as we were getting ready to move, Joe latched on to a lunker. Actually the lunker latched on to Joe. After casting out, Joe left his fishing pole leaning against his chair while he bullshitted with the other guys. Suddenly Joe’s fishing pole is being dragged closer and closer to the lake. A fish hit his line and almost took the whole thing into the lake with him. After an epic battle pitting man against beast, Joe finally landed the nearly two-pound (1 lb, 14 3/4 oz, officially weighed at the market), 18-inch brook trout. This fish is believed to be the biggest fish caught by anyone on our trips to date. Maybe our luck was about to change. After an hour and a half and only two fish, we decided to move down to Railroad Cove and try to change our luck. But It didn't start out very good there either.

HOW MANY MEXICANS DOES IT TAKE TO GET A CAR STUCK IN THE SNOW?
The road to the parking area at RR Cove had a patch of snow about 15 feet wide, 40 feet long and about a foot and a half to two feet deep. Chano, Louie P and Carlos had already m ade it across in Chano's Explorer when Little Louie (Aguilar) and Joe came along in Louie's little Dodge Neon.
The others were waiting for Little Louie on the other side and strongly advised him NOT to try to cross. But, being the pendejo that he is, he went for it anyways. Well.... we all know what happened next que no?. Yup!! He got stuck. But after enduring the embarrassment of getting stuck (and having to listen to EVERYONE give him shit), Little Louie then had the pleasure of watching Chano get his Ford Explorer stuck.... trying to get back across to get us! Ay yay ya!!
Luckily, two cowboys in a 4x4 (do ALL cowboys own 4X4s?) showed up to help us get both vehicles out.
But determined as we were, none of that kept us from piling EVERYONE back into Chano’s Explorer and going right back across..... again!

RAILROAD COVE SAVES THE DAY!!!!!
Our determination and persistence finally paid off! Saturday's fishing at Railroad Cove turned out to be great! We pulled 30 plus trout (rainbows & brooks) out of RR Cove. Most everyone had great success that day. The only reason we stopped was because we were over the bag limit for 5 guys. Most of the guys were fishing with worms (night crawlers), while Joe was using chartreuse Power Bait. It almost didn’t matter what you were using though. I think at one point Little Louie actually spit on his hook and caught a fish. As we trudged across the snow-covered banks, dragging our catch behind us, looking like old west mountain men, it was clear that we had rediscovered our machismo. No matter what happened the rest of the trip, we walked off that lake feeling like the bad-ass chingones we thought we were.

COMING SOON..........."I tot we same culla"!

2006 8th ANNUAL "COMPAZ" CABIN TRIP
Orale gente. What’s up peoples? Well, it’s that time again. Yes, time to start thinking about the 8th Annual Greer Cabin Trip, which, from this day forward will be known as, The “CompAz Cabin Trip”. It’s hard to believe we’re planning our 8th trip.

Let me just recap a few basics about the trip. The “CompAz Cabin Trip” is a guy’s only, 4-day, 3-night fishing trip to the beautiful White Mountain community of Greer, AZ. Greer offers close access to some of Arizona’s best Trout Lakes, such as Big Lake, Crescent Lake, Sunrise Lake and the Greer Reservoirs, as well as some excellent stream fishing.
The trip usually takes place sometime between mid-April and mid-May (we try to keep it right around the end of April) . The early spring date of our trip (right after the thaw) helps contribute to a history of great success on our fishing weekend.
This year, we are looking tentatively at the weekend of April 22nd through the 25th (Saturday-Tuesday). Horseshoes & poker tournaments are a couple of the other activities that we take part in during our trip.

The cost of the trip includes your share of the cabin rental plus $30 for food and $25 for gas. IMPORTANT NOTE: The food money does not include beer or other alcoholic beverages. That is on you. We do provide milk, coffee, OJ & soda
The actual per-person cost of the trip depends on a number of things, such as; the number of people that go, cabin cost increases, the size of the cabin, transportation (gas prices), etc, but over the years, we’ve found that the 4-day, 3-night trip, including gas & food usually cost us around $200 each.
Deposit money ($100) is usually due in mid February and is roughly equal to ½ the total trip cost. It is sent in to secure our cabin reservation and is always NON-REFUNDABLE. Once I send it, it’s gone.
Accommodations will only be made for those who gave deposits. If 3 people give deposits, accommodations and reservations will only be made for 3 people. If 4 people give deposits, then accommodations and reservations will be made for 4 people, etc.
Getting your deposit money in on time guarantees you two things:
-A spot on the trip, and
-A spot in the “Bed Draw”.
The “Bed Draw” is our way of determining sleeping assignments. Different cabins have different sleeping accommodations, ranging from King size beds to twin beds to couches.
Basically, we draw cards to determine order of choice. High card gets first choice, next highest has next choice and so on.
If others decide to go after the initial deposit money has been sent in, the following steps will be taken:
-If the accommodations already made allow for additional participants, we will add them once we get their deposit. (Please Note: Only those who originally gave deposit money and met the deadline are eligible for the original bed draws. All others will participate in a secondary draw if necessary).
-If the original accommodations do not allow for additional people, we will try to upgrade to a bigger cabin after we get your deposit but there are no guarantees though. (If we cannot make suitable arraignments or if you are not satisfied with the arrangements that are available, deposit money given at this time will be refunded).
OK, so now, if the dates indicated above work, let us know, mark your calendars, put in your “time off” request, start kissing the old ladies ass, do whatever you have to do to make sure you can join us for the 8th ANNUAL “COMPAZ CABIN TRIP”.

2006 Greer Cabin Trip Dates Are Set
Ok guys. Dates are official, so mark your calenders, put in for your time off request, start kissing the Old Ladies ass, do whatever you have to do. This years trip is scheduled for April 22nd through April 25th. Contact Joe or Louie or check back here for more info.
The picture is of "Sargents Hacienda", one of the cabins we stay at on our trip. This is a 5-bedroom, 3-bath cabin that sleeps 8 guys comfortably. The cabin is equipped with satalite t.v., washer/dryer, dishwasher and has a detached game room behind it. It is hooked up!

Deposit $$ for 2006 CompAz Cabin Trip Due By Feb 28th!
Just a reminder that deposit money ($100) for the cabin trip is due by Feb 28th. Since it looks like this years trip is gonna be filled, it is very important to get your money in on time. Remember.......only those with deposit money by the deadline are eligible for the initial bed draw.
Drivers Needed......
Another reminder. Please let us know if you can or are willing to drive. Doesn't make a lot of sense to have EVERYONE drive up on thier own. If we can arrange to have some people ride together, that will eliminate the number of vehicles we'll need.

2006 COMPAZ CABIN TRIP: DEADLINE FOR INITIAL DEPOSIT HAS PASSED
The deadline for the initial cabin deposit has passed. This years trip is shaping up to be one of the best ones yet. Eight guys have confirmed and committed by laying down at least $100 for their deposit.Joe Laguna, Louie Padilla, Chano Gonzales, Louie Aguilar, Carlos Macias, Miguel Saldana, Pete Mesquite & Joe Garza have gauranteed themselves a spot on the trip AND a spot in the initial bed-draw.Deposit money has been sent in to reserve "Sargents Hacienda", a 5-bedroom, 6-bed, 2-sofa sleeper cabin. If you do the math, that comes to 8 sleeping areas, so the guys have also gauranteed themselves a spot OFF the floor. (Click on " Sargents Hacienda" here to check out the cabin on-line). If you have any questions, contact either me or Louie at DosCompaz@yahoo.com

MENU (TENTATIVE) FOR GREER CABIN TRIP
Below is a tentative menu for the trip based on comments and feedback we have received.

*Menudo with all the fixin’s will be available all weekend for breakfast in addition to the breakfast menu.
Saturday
Breakfast
On the Road in Payson
Lunch
Chips and Sandwiches
Dinner
BBQ Country Style Pork Ribs, Corn on the Cob, Potato or Macaroni Salad
Sunday
Breakfast
Chorizo, Eggs & Potatoes
Lunch
Chips and Sandwiches
Dinner
Carlos & Chano's Chimi's w/Rice & Beans
Monday
Breakfast
Bacon, Eggs, Potatoes
Lunch
Chips and Sandwiches
Dinner
Rib Eye or New York Strip Steak, Baked Potato, Ranch Beans
Tuesday
Breakfast
Leftovers
Lunch
On the Road

If you have any other ideas or suggestions, let us know by calling us or e-mailing us at doscompaz@yahoo.com

18th Annual Quihuis "Hell Camp Weekend"

Hola my fellow Hellcampers, it is that time of year again. Yes, this letter is a duplicate of the last 4 years. Don’t give me any Shit!!! This year’s Hell camp will be held on June 23rd, 24th and returning home on the 25th. And for you men that don’t mind shitting in the woods, Commanders Joe Q. and Chuckie Love will be there on Tuesday the 20th. B.Y.O.B. if you go up early. Please let your employers know NOW so there won’t be any confusion. Yes, once again, it’s yours truly and my 2 brothers of mine, and adopted brother Chuckie Love, that will be heading up this years 18th annual Quihuis Hellcamp!! We’re keeping all events the same, like horseshoes, washitas, card games, volleyball, darts, tug of war, etc. (Events subject to change at Commanders discretion)

Attention: This Year, there will be NO 6am meeting on Friday morning!
This years hell camp fee will stay the same at $35.00. Did you know that the fee for hell camp has only gone up $10.00 since it has originated in 1989? That’s pretty good, so why you crying? I need the money in by mid month of May. If you wait until hell camp weekend to pay, then the fee is $795.00!!! Just kidding. No discounts for coming up on Saturday! Please pay A.S.A.P. If you don’t, that means I have to cover you for $300 to $400 for supplies. So please send your money in on time. The quicker I get the money the quicker I take care of business.
Remember, the $35.00 includes 8-10 kegs of beer (any suggestions on beer, let me know), ice, menudo, chilidogs, and 2 J-johns (bring T.P., it runs out quick). Please bring enough food to eat for Friday and Saturday. Menudo and hotdogs will not be enough food. Also, bring plenty of water. I don’t need you guys passing out on me because you pendejos are getting dehydrated on just drinking beer. I’m not is singling out anyone in particular (OSCAR). Besides, there is not a store in sight for miles. One of my rules when it comes to eating is that we all eat together, especially for breakfast and dinner. We have been doing a good job with that in the past, so let’s keep up the good work!! It is pretty fun when we all put our food together so we can all have a variety to eat.
Speaking of rules…
No GUNS! No Fighting! And especially NO DRUGS!
Comprenday!!?? I know I spelled it wrong assholes!
If you have any problems with any of these rules, don’t bother coming. If you have a problem with any of our fellow hell campers, please let one of us Quihuis clan know and we will extinguish the problem. They don’t call me the ROCK for nothing. It’s more like; can you smell what kind of steak I’m cookin’? Seriously, we are all here to have fun. If you want to take a rookie with you, I will trust your judgement on their character. Please, if you think your rookie will cause an inch of trouble, don’t bring him! I am really serious about that. I haven’t had to kick a rookie’s ass in awhile, so let’s keep it that way.
I will send an attachment on the location of hell camp just in case you guys forgot.
When you guys receive this letter, please call me so I can update all of your telephone numbers. I know times are hard sometimes so, if some of you guys can’t send in the money right away, call me. We can always work something out.
My phone #s are:
(Work) 602-365-4065
(Cell) 602-686-0070

That’s it folks. I am looking forward to seeing all of you there. It will be a blast.

Sincerely and best regards,

COMANDERS IN CHARGE
Steve Quihuis
Lionel Quihuis
Joseph Quihuis
Charles Garcia





Veteran info:
Name: ______________________________
Address: ___________________________
Phone numbers: ________________________

Rookie info:
Rookie Name: ________________________
Rookie Address: ________________________
Phone numbers: ________________________
Check one: □KY Jelly □ Vaseline




Please remit payment to:
Lionel Quihuis
10445 S. 46th way
Phoenix, AZ 85044
(H) 480-893-9093

Qty: _____ X $35.00 = $________

Note: Late fee of $10 if paid at Hell Camp

There is an “Ass Kicking” fee for any returned checks! (Just kidding)

Dave Mitchell Pulls 5 lb Bass Out Of Salt River

CompAz affiliate Dave Mitchell caught a whopper bass on March 10th on the Upper Salt River. Fishing the upper most area, as far up as you can go, just as the river opens up (by the Water Users parking area) of the Salt, Dave pulled this 5 lb 10 oz bass using minnows and 4 lb test.

"Caught this monster on 4 lb test, I was able to do that cause I am a pro. You should all aspire to be like me", Dave said.

Dave also caught 3 other bass about 2 lbs or so prior to catching this big one.

All in a good day........

Compadres Favorite Outdoors Links

Greer Cabin Keepers

Greeraz.com

Nestled in the forest of Northeastern Arizona's white mountains you will find a piece of heaven called Greer. Adjacent to millions of acres of national forest land and wilderness area, Greer is one of Arizona's most loved destinations. Whether its a luxury Bed & Breakfast getaway you desire, or a base camp cabin in the woods for your weekend expeditions, this place has it all. Four seasons of outdoor fun include hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding, hunting and skiing. At your doorstep there are miles of trails covering Mount Baldy and its surrounding area. Allowing endless opportunity for discovery on horseback, cross country skis, hiking boots, mountain bike or ATV. And just minutes away, Apache Sunrise Park Resort provides downhill skiing excitement for the whole family! Don't worry if antiques and artwork are more your sport, you'll find plenty of that too. And when you've finished with a day of bargain hunting, (or if you don't catch any fish for dinner) there are restaurants to suite many tastes for your dining pleasure. Plan your trip to Greer around the many actitivies. Art fairs, fishing contests, and music festivals are not uncommon in the spring and summer. In the fall, the colors can be seen for miles. Green turns to yellow turns to gold, and the landscapes look like giant patchworks and calico kittens! You have to see Greer in every season to truely apreciate all that it can be. So be sure to put GreerAz.com on your Favorites List. We know that if you ever visit . . . . Greer, Az will be on your list of places to come back to, year after year.

White Mountain Online

White Mountain Apache Tribe Wildlife & Outdoor Recreation Division

Arizona Game & Fish

The Weather Channel.com

Big Louie's favorite AZ Fly Pattern's

Two great fly’s for you serious trout fisherman here in AZ. You'll immediately notice an increase catch rate of all species of trout with either the AZ Peacock Lady (upper left) or the Sunrise Special (upper right). They can be fished wet, dry, in stillwaters and in moving waters. You float tubers will love them. You can fish them in almost all scenarios here in AZ. They work great as a trailer behind a larger streamer pattern or fished as a lead fly with a smaller trailer about 18” behind it. Both patterns contain the red and peacock colors AZ stillwater trout love so much. They are extremely versatile nymph/wet fly patterns that can be tied with or without a beadhead. Use beadheads and red tails for best results. Kent Frie (928-536-4432) of Frei's Flies in Snowflake, AZ, does all my custom fly tying. Kent has tied them for me with red beadheads, red beaded bodies and some even with 3/8" prop blades. I like casting the prop bladed ones using my spin rods or trolling them behind a boat. On the lower left is a picture of what Kent calls the Pregnant AZ Peacock Lady. The pattern on the lower right is a Sunrise Special made of Semi Seal. Give them a try, they are productive year-round in Arizona for trout in the White Mountains or Mogollon Rim lakes. Don't catch them all and please practice Catch & Release.

Must Read Articles by Bob Hirsch

Salt River Trout Float
Professional bass anglers claim fishing is mostly mental; that you have to concentrate, stay focused and shut out all extraneous distractions. They've never floated the Salt River below Saguaro Lake, trying to catch rainbow trout amid a crowd of bikini-clad tubers. It's impossible to keep your mind on 'bows when you're confronted with a panorama of buns and boobs. Luckily, fishing is so easy you can see the sights and still limit-out on trout. There were anglers here and there along the shore and some wading out a ways when we fished the river late in July, but we saw no other fishermen floating. The water from Saguaro Lake is taken from deep in the lake, so it's cold enough for trout. By early June it's too warm for new tout - coming from a hatchery at 60 degrees or less to water that might be in the low to mid-70's is too much of a shock, so stocking has ended for this year. But the trout from previous plants have adapted gradually and they are doing fine. It takes about 90 minutes to make the float from the big parking lot where the bus drops off tubers (what is called Water Users or Stop #1) down to Blue Point Bridge. We used inflatable boats, parked a pickup at each end and ferried the boats back up to make a second float. In years past we've caught fish on wet flies like wooly buggers or wooly worms or various nymph patterns and on hardware (usually Z-Rays or Panther Martin type spinners) but the best bet is bumping bait or tiny plastic curly tail grubs along the bottom. Most of the trout on the most recent float came on night crawlers rigged on a #4 or #6 hook on four pound mono and with a split shot clamped about18" up the line. I shared a boat with my son Bill. He used one hand as an oar to keep the boat broadside in the current, the other to hold his ultra-light spinning outfit. The idea is let out enough line so you can feel the sinker bump along the bottom. The worm rides up behind it and the current is swift enough so the fish don't have a chance to look things over, they either hit or the worm is gone down stream. Bill's wife Diane was in a small boat by herself; as was grandson Austin. We all caught fish. Most were released and taking home a limit would have been no problem. We found long stretches where the water was too shallow. Those areas undoubtedly held fish but it was too easy to lose hooks, so we reeled in until deeper water was under us. In fact, the bottom grabs hooks almost as often as the trout, so take along plenty of extra tackle. Arizona Game and Fish stocked the river weekly all spring and early summer but water temperatures have begun to warm, so there've been no "new" fish since early July. Still lots of "leftovers" however and the trout grow quickly. Most of the trout we caught were in excellent shape, deep-bodied and pink inside. And while the average was probably 10" or so, the best was more like 13". I'd guess there'll be some 15-16" fish by early October, when the water level will drop, as releases are switched to the Verde River side. Stocking will resume in November (or so) but in the area below the confluence of the Salt and Verde. Meantime, you can catch rainbows in the shade of a saguaro, rather than a pine tree. And there are all those interesting distractions you don't see in the high country. SALT RIVER ACCESS: To get to Water Users/Stop #1 and Blue Point Bridge, take Highway 87 (Beeline Highway to Payson) from Fountain Hills to the Saguaro Lake turnoff. Turn right; go past the lake entrance and on down the hill to Water Users parking lot. Begin the float there, where the tubers enter the water. From the East Valley, take the Hwy 60 freeway to Power Road and go south. The road swings east as you hit the river at Granite Reef, continue to Blue Point Bridge, then on a mile or two to the put-in point. Both routes are paved. Good luck and try to keep your mind on your work!

TROUT ON BAIT
God must love those who fish for trout with bait - He made so many of us. I'm one of them. And, truth to tell. I'd guess more rainbows, browns, cutthroats, brookies and native trout are caught on bait each year in Arizona than on all the other techniques combined. So if you're gong to fish with bait, do it right. As with all fishing methods, there's no absolutely correct way. Here's what works for me. Do exactly as I suggest and you'll catch trout. First the line. It should be four pound test monofilament; either Trilene XL, Stren Clear or Excaliber Silver Thread. Yes, yes, I know. You have problems believing that filmy four-pound line will whip a big trout. Number one, you and I aren't going to catch any really outsized trout. Number two, I've used four pound to play and land rainbows to 8 1/2 pounds, so set the drag on your reel properly, take your time playing the biggie and quit worrying. Let me put it this way: there are no trout in Arizona that cannot be landed on four-pound line. It is so easy to cast, so sensitive to the bite and so much fun to use, there is no other alternative. If you persist in using 10 or 12-pound test, don't bother to read on - you're beyond help. Second, the rod and reel. I assume you're fishing for fun, rather than food, so use a tiny splinter of a rod; the so-called ultra light. I have two outfits I currently am in love with - a 5 1/2 foot Enders IM6 graphite, coupled with a Quantum Micro XLT spinning reel and a 5-foot Quantum Micro rod with a tiny Micro MS00 spinning reel. Both give me the ultimate thrill when a fish is attached - and that includes trout but also bass, carp, bluegills, catfish and. especially, crappies up to three pounds.I used the Enders to muscle a three-plus pound smallmouth bass out of some rocks on the Black River in May. Sure it took a long time and sure I held my breath a lot (or temporarily lost it altogether) and sure I shook when it was all over but that's why we all go fishing, isn't it?Finally, let's talk about weight; sinkers of one kind or another. We've all been fishing from the bank at Ashurst or Big Lake or Sunrise or Willow Springs and seen some guy haul off and whip his rod over head like the Hungarian Hammer Throw; seen the line whiz out - way out - then seen and heard the big chunk of lead go "chung" when it hit the water. Friends, the trout is mostly a picky eater. When it eats the worm or corn or salmon egg or Power Bait on that guy's hook and begins to move away, it will feel the weight; the unusual pull will tip off the trout and it will spit out the bait. Our hero will never know, his lead weight is so heavy he doesn't feel the delicate pick up and misses his chance to catch the fish. In fact, he's using line so heavy he must have that anchor size gob of lead in order to cast any distance at all. I have three messages for this angler. First, you're missing all the fun. Second, you don't need to cast that far, there are just as many trout closer to shore. Third, your best chance of getting a trout is to hit it in the head with your weight and stun it, then net it as it's blown to shore. What we need to do, fellow believers, is use the very lightest amount of weight possible. In fact, if you use a night crawler on four-pound mono, you can cast just fine without any weight at all. Now you're presenting the bait as naturally as possible. There's no trout ever born that can pass up a wriggling worm, wafting gently though the clear water. It will not reach the bottom!One more piece of the puzzle - a small hook. Occasionally, if I'm fishing live night crawlers, I'll use a hook as large as a #8. Usually, it's a 10 or 12. No trebles, please, that makes it too hard to unhook the trout and release it and trebles do nothing for your hooking percentage. So stick with a single hook. Don't ever, that is never, use a hook on a snell. We've dropped down to four-pound mono so it's more or less invisible to the picky trout - most of the snelled hooks are tied with 10 or 15 pound - a super turn-off to a line-shy trout.All right, we have our ultra-light outfit loaded with four-pound mono and with a #12 light wire hook tied to the end. Now pinch on a tiny split shot weight about 15" up from the hook. If you need more weight (you shouldn't) clamp on one more.Now for the bait. The most popular trout fooler is Berkley Power Bait. It comes in a small bottle, in a number of colors. I like pink, yellow, green and rainbow-sparkle. Yes, it is sort of strange that this romantic fish would fall for a bit of something that looks and acts like modeling clay but it's deadly stuff. Pinch off a bit and mold it on the hook, covering it completely, including the eye. The result should be the size of a small grape, not a walnut or a golf ball. Power Bait works three ways - it is colorful and trout often feed by sight; it has built-in scent that fish love and it "milks" in the water, spreading the good odor; and, most importantly, it floats. Now your bait is not down on the bottom in clump of weeds or rocks, it is floating above them. The split shot sinker goes to the bottom, the Power Bait floats up and is visible.Use the same sort of set up for night crawlers, corn (thread a couple of the kernels up the line, cover the hook, then slide them down to cover everything); a combination of worm and corn; salmon egg; cheese; or marshmallows. Whatever you choose, be sure the hook is covered completely.Leave just a little slack line twixt you and the bait and watch closely. When the mono begins to move, whip up the rod and yell Whoopee!All elements of this method are important, don't skip or fudge. It's worked for me and countless other folks for many years. One favor: as you catch and release trout all morning, please be kind to the non-successful anglers that share the bank with you - the ones who haven't heard that "light is right."

HIGH COUNTRY AUTUMN TROUT
Big Lake is one of the most popular trout lakes in the state. The White Mountain "mother of waters" puts out two or three hundred thousand trout every year. Have you ever fished it when you and your buddy were the only ones there? No other anglers, no campers, no rental boats, no store; nobody but the two of you and thousands of hungry fish. How is this possible? The truth is, it was just after Thanksgiving and nobody else was crazy enough to put up with the cold and the wind, just to catch some fish. Big Lake's brook trout spawn in the fall and we could see them cruising the shallows - the big males hook-jawed and arrayed in crimson and black spawning colors. They wouldn't hit anything but night crawlers and when, toward dusk, we dumped the worms out on the ground to save time, they froze solid into tiny railroad spikes. So we decided to give up. But my partner, fellow outdoor writer DeWayne Smith, did catch a new state record brookie before we left. Smith and I were all alone at Reservation Lake another November. Nobody measured wind chill in those days but it must have been way down in the minus digits. It was so cold it took your breath away to take a breath. So we hid from the wind below the crest of the dam, not far from the spillway. A gold Z-Ray, cast out in the whitecaps and allowed to sink, then retrieved slowly, got us brook trout, browns and rainbows, often on consecutive casts. It amazing what you can put up with when that happens.
Another time Gary Fanning joined DeWayne and me and we fished off the dam at Sunrise in a raging snowstorm. It was actually warmer than some of the other years and the snow banks were a good place to toss the big rainbows we kept. They thrashed around a bit, then froze. And when we picked them up later they looked like they were coated with powdered sugar. We quit fishing - reluctantly - when the snow was coming down so thickly we couldn't see each other.Perhaps all this is not something you'd like to try. It turns out the tag end of fall - just before the lakes freeze and the roads get closed by snow - is a favorite of mine. But you can enjoy the good fishing anytime from mid-October through November and not have the extreme conditions we put up with.

Browns, Brookies & Fat Rainbows
High country trout have been putting on weight all summer. Action improves dramatically in all trout lakes but the White Mountains offer the best chance for big fish. Browns and brooks spawn in the fall and they are up shallow and lose some of their wariness as they fall in love. You remember how that works. Everything works - from night crawlers to dainty flies. Rule of thumb - give them something of a decent size to eat. Use big wooly worms or wooly bugger flies. Throw gold Z-Rays in 1/4 ounce, or Panther Martin or Mepps in # 2 or #3 sizes. Gold Rapalas in # 7 to 11 sizes work very well for browns. Rebel crankbaits in crawdad colors are another winner. I like to fish the shorelines and shallows early and late; the brook trout, especially, seem more active late in the day. Troll the rest of the time, with any of the above lures or flies. Go prepared for cold - longies, down jackets, stocking caps, gloves. October weather is generally pleasant, chilly at night, glorious during the day. November can be O.K. too - just be prepared for the worst.

Hot Spots in the Cold

For browns: Reservation Lake (new state record 22-15 brown here in August, 1999), Hawley, Horseshoe Cienega, Little Bear - all on the White Mountain Apache reservation - plus Bunch and Tunnel lakes at Greer. Rainbows: Big Lake, Sunrise, Reservation, Crescent, Luna, River Reservoir at Greer. Cutthroat: Big LakeGrayling: Lee Valley Lake O.K. gang - go get 'em!