Sedona Fly Fishing Adventures

The fishery is Oak Creek Canyon, a river gorge cut along the Mogollon Rim in northern Arizona between Flagstaff and Sedona, which the guide service describes as a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon. State Route 89A drops into the canyon at its northern end through a series of hairpin turns and then follows the canyon floor for about thirteen miles before reaching town. The creek gives up fish the year round, with rainbow trout and wild brown trout holding in its pools from the West Fork down to the confluence with the Verde River. It is not easy water: the operator is candid that it demands patience, a stealthy approach and agility getting in and out. Trips come in two lengths. A half-day four-hour adventure runs $295 for one angler, $525 for two, $725 for three and $900 for four; a full-day six-hour adventure runs $395, $725, $995 and $1,300. Parties of three or more are asked to phone rather than book online. Wildlife along the canyon is part of the draw, with otters, bald eagles, blue herons, deer and the occasional black bear about.