Oak Creek Fishing Guides
A spring-fed red rock canyon stream below Flagstaff, holding trout in its upper reaches and smallmouth in the lower creek.
Guides on the Oak Creek
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About the Oak Creek
Oak Creek falls off the Mogollon Rim below Flagstaff and cuts a red sandstone canyon down to Sedona, and it is the most photographed piece of water in Arizona. It is also a genuine trout stream. Cold spring flow at the head of the canyon and heavy shade from sycamore and pine keep summer temperatures workable, which in this state is rare enough to matter. The creek runs perennially in a landscape where most watercourses do not.
The upper canyon from Pine Flat down through Slide Rock is the trout water. Arizona stocks rainbows heavily through the season and there are holdover browns and a scattering of brook trout in the coldest pockets. Below Sedona the creek warms as it runs toward the Verde, and the fishery changes over to smallmouth bass and catfish, with some genuinely good bass water in the lower miles that almost nobody fishes.
The fishing is close-quarters and the casting is short. This is a canyon stream with overhanging cover, deep green plunge pools and a great deal of streamside vegetation, so a short rod, a roll cast and a willingness to get wet will serve better than distance. Early morning is the answer to the other problem, which is people – Oak Creek Canyon is a heavily used recreation corridor and the swimming holes fill up by mid-morning through the summer.
Access is straightforward from Arizona 89A, which follows the creek the length of the canyon, with pullouts, day-use sites and campgrounds along it. Several of the state park and day-use areas charge a fee and fill early on weekends. Arizona sets specific regulations for parts of Oak Creek including seasonal artificial-fly-and-lure water, so check the current rules for the reach you plan to fish rather than assuming statewide limits apply.
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Access
AZ 89A corridor - the highway follows the creek with pullouts the length of the canyon.
Pine Flat Campground - upper canyon access near the coldest water.
Cave Springs Campground - a developed campground with direct creek access.
Slide Rock State Park - popular day use, with fishing above and below the crowds.
Grasshopper Point - a day-use swimming and fishing site below the canyon narrows.
Red Rock Crossing - lower creek access on the Sedona side.
Page Springs and the lower creek - warmwater smallmouth reaches toward the Verde.
Seasons
Spring: strong flows from snowmelt off the Rim and heavy trout stocking in the canyon.
Summer: fish early - the water holds up but the canyon fills with visitors by mid-morning.
Fall: the best months, with cool water, thin crowds and colour through the canyon.
Winter: cold and quiet, with occasional snow at the top of the canyon and open access below.
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Questions
What is the current flow on the Oak Creek?
As of Sep 17, 5:45 am, the USGS gauge OAK CREEK NEAR SEDONA, AZ reads 77 cfs, with water temperature 62.8 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Oak Creek?
Anglers target Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass on the Oak Creek in Arizona.
Where can you access the Oak Creek?
AZ 89A corridor - the highway follows the creek with pullouts the length of the canyon. Pine Flat Campground - upper canyon access near the coldest water. Cave Springs Campground - a developed campground with direct creek access. Slide Rock State Park - popular day use, with fishing above and below the crowds. Grasshopper Point - a day-use swimming and fishing site below the canyon narrows. Red Rock Crossing - lower creek access on the Sedona side. Page Springs and the lower creek - warmwater smallmouth reaches toward the Verde.
When is the best time to fish the Oak Creek?
Spring: strong flows from snowmelt off the Rim and heavy trout stocking in the canyon. Summer: fish early - the water holds up but the canyon fills with visitors by mid-morning. Fall: the best months, with cool water, thin crowds and colour through the canyon. Winter: cold and quiet, with occasional snow at the top of the canyon and open access below.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Oak Creek?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Arizona agency site: https://www.azgfd.com/fishing-2/licenses-and-regulations/