Canyon Creek is one of the best trout fishing streams flowing out of the Mogollon Rim, about an hour east of Payson.
The creek is nicely stocked with hatchery rainbow trout during the prime season and also has a self-sustaining population of wild brown trout that are hard to catch but can reach good size at times.
The part of Canyon Creek in the White Mountains has long been a popular destination for fly fishing, especially in the spring and fall if you’re after wild trout.
However, bait and lure anglers also can do very well through much of the season here in the areas the state hatchery regularly plants with trout and open to more angling techniques.
Following normal to heavy snowfall, the creek will swell from snowmelt off the Mogollon Rim area each late winter or spring before settling down. The timing will vary according to conditions.
And then, as with just about any fishing spot in Arizona, drought also can have a big impact on fishing conditions and may at times alter when the river is stocked.
Lower Canyon Creek eventually joins the Salt River outside of the trout fishing area, and largemouth and smallmouth bass are more likely catches than trout. Parts of the river can all but disappear in places during prolonged dry periods, so it might pay to check ahead in summer and early fall.
The stream flows through a mix of pine and fir forests and more open high-desert areas. A wildfire heavily damaged the area a couple of decades back, but while it killed trees along parts of the creek, the fishery has fully recovered.
Stocked Rainbow Trout Fishing
As of last check, Canyon Creek tended to be stocked with new trout weekly during the prime season, starting roughly in late April and going throughout the summer into September. But, of course, poor water conditions may alter the schedule, so it’s best to check ahead.
The areas stocked are on both sides of the Canyon Creek Hatchery, located south of Forest Lakes Estates and raises several fish species, including Gila trout, but its rainbows are primarily the stocked fish here. Brown trout are the other major trout species anglers attempt to catch in the stream and can reproduce on their own.
Rainbow trout don’t have to travel far, because the stream is stocked on both sides of the state Canyon Creek Fish Hatchery south of State Route 260 near Forest Lakes Estates.
You can get to the stream along Fish Hatchery Road and National Forest Road 533. Likely stocking spots include near the bridges on both roads and nearby areas, as this stream isn’t planted across a large area like some rivers.
The area immediately around the hatchery is fairly wooded, while some other areas are sparser.
As of this writing, these stocked sections of stream, as well as the entire creek above the OW Bridge, are open to all legal fishing methods, including bait, lures and fly fishing. Typical trout harvest rules apply in this area.
Stocked trout are easy to catch with proven trout fishing tactics.
Drifting a piece of nightcrawler or a whole redworm with little to no weight is nearly a sure way to catch stocked trout, as long as they aren’t spooked. Drifting or still-fishing with salmon eggs, mealworms or artificial trout baits should also be effective.
Casting and retrieving lures also can be a great tactic and is a little more active and challenging. In small streams, I prefer using the lightest spinners I can find. I’ll switch up to a bit heavier models with stronger currents you might find early in the season or after a big rain.
Fly fishing can also be very effective for stocked trout like it is for wild trout. Stocked trout are less choosy, and often drifting something as common as a wooly bugger is enough to seal the deal.
We’ll cover the best fly fishing approaches in more depth below.
In terms of where to look, freshly stocked trout often will be found in the highest numbers near the stocking locations, such as under the bridges on either side of the hatchery and in closeby pools.
Stocked trout often concentrate in deeper and slower water initially, but my experience fishing many small streams through the years is that the survivors will start taking on more wild characteristics.
As they acclimate to natural conditions, rainbows are less affected by current and will hold in riffles. They also hide behind boulders and other cover. I’ve pulled many a rainbow trout out of surprisingly small pockets of water that other anglers likely skipped.
So after fishing those obvious spots, move away from the crowds and look for any little pocket or riffle where trout might hide and drift through it with your fly, lure or bait.
Use fairly light rods, reels, and especially lines to increase your odds of hooking trout and make the experience more fun.
Wild Trout Fishing
Canyon Creek has long held a population of wild brown trout, especially in areas away from the heavily pressured stocked zone around the hatchery.
As mentioned, regulations shift below the OW Bridge, roughly a mile downstream from the hatchery. From the bridge downriver to the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation (Fort Apache), the stream is strictly catch-and-release.
Anglers must use artificial flies and lures with single barbless hooks to protect wild trout in this area.
Forest Road 188 runs near the stream for part of the way south of the OW Ranch, while other areas will require hiking. Don’t go into remote areas unprepared for the extremes in weather, lack of services, and potential encounters with wildlife, including rattlesnakes, mountain lions and black bears.
The hatchery is close to the headwaters, so there’s only a modest amount of creek farther upstream along NF-533.
It’s best to fish for wild trout in the spring and perhaps early summer, and then again in the fall, when they feed more actively in cooler water and also will survive their release in better condition. Fighting a trout in the hottest weather can be hard on these fish (and you as well), so don’t overplay them so you can release them quickly to recover.
Wild trout in small streams tend to be about the wariest fish around. Even more so when the water is crystal clear.
Be stealful, stay low, and try to cast from a distance where possible. Definitely use lighter lines or tippets, and consider smaller lures and fly sizes.
Brown trout will often hole up in deep spots, pockets, undercut banks, and similar spots just out of the main current, where they reserve energy while waiting to ambush a meal in the passing current.
A brown trout’s diet may consist of smaller fish, crayfish and various insects, depending on what’s available. Artificial lures and flies to match those types of forage can often fool them.
Canyon Creek Fly Fishing
Canyon Creek has a variety of insect hatches that not only interest the trout but attract fly anglers as well. The stream’s riffles and pockets are prime fly fishing targets for wild trout.
The Phoenix Orvis store has detailed various hatches on the creek, including more common hatches of Blue Winged Olives, March Browns, and Caddis flies in the spring. In the fall, more Blue Winged Olives hatch out, along with Tricos and Mahogany Duns.
During active hatches, the Zane Grey Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Orvis and other sources suggest that dry fly patterns such as a Parachute Adams, Blue Winged Olive and Elk Hair Caddis are often effective. Your success with dry flies is likely to rise along with more trout during early morning and again in the evenings.
If trout may be feeding beneath the surface, nymphs such as a Prince, Hare’s Ear or Pheasant Tail are excellent choices. If it’s mid-day and you are seeing little trout activity, these flies would be solid choices.
Bring a few sizes and color options as well as any of your own go-to stream patterns.
Again, this water is small and often very clear. Keep your presentations as light as possible to avoid spooking these more sophisticated wild trout. A 5X or 6X tippet is about right.
Be stealthful and stay out of sight, without creating a lot of commotion from casting or walking and wading. Casting upstream to trout facing away from you can boost your odds of catching them off-guard.
Take a few moments to scan likely holding water before that first cast to see if you can spot active trout to target with your first cast.
Your lighter fly rods and a pair of waders or at least decent shoes for wet wading (when it’s warm enough) will come in handy. A soft rubber catch-and-release net will help you safely corral a wild trout in the water long enough to get it unhooked and on its way.
Canyon Creek Fishing Report
The most actively updated fishing report we found for Canyon Creek is the Orvis Store in Phoenix’s Canyon Creek page.
Planning Your Visit
Where is Canyon Creek?
Canyon Creek at the fish hatchery is roughly an hour from Payson. Head east on AZ-260 to Young Road (260), then take Colcord and Fish Hatchery roads.
To get to the wild trout sections below OH Ranch, turn south off Fish Hatchery Road a bit earlier on NF-534 and then head north on NF-188 to follow the stream to find good catch-and-release fishing.
Forest Service roads closer to the creek can be rough and winding, so plan to drive the final miles slowly.
It’s about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Phoenix and slightly more from Flagstaff. So just head to Payson and pick up the previous directions from there.
Accommodations and Supplies
There are several close campgrounds in the Tonto National Forest.
Upper Canyon Creek Campground is a short walk to Canyon Creek near the hatchery. Airplane Flats Campground also is nearby. These campgrounds are likely to fill during prime seasons, so plan accordingly.
Additional lodging options, as well as supplies, are located along the highway, including near Forest Lakes Estates and Willow Springs Lake.
Sources and Resources
We relied on the following sources to make sure this article is as helpful and accurate as possible. You also may find them useful if planning to fish at Canyon Creek.
- Arizona Game & Fish Department
- Zane Grey Chapter of Trout Unlimited
- Phoenix Orvis store
- Discover Gila County
- Mogollon Rim Visitor Center
- AZGFD Canyon Creek Fishing Hatchery
We also found the following books instructive for those looking for additional info on fishing Canyon Creek.
- Fly Fishing Arizona by Glenn Tinnin
- Fishing Arizona by G.J. Sagi
- Fly Fishing Northern Arizona’s Canyon Streams by Terry Gunn
- Arizona’s Official Fishing Guide by Arizona Game and Fish Department