Skip to main content

First-Ever Gila Trout Season Proposed in Arizona

First-Ever Gila Trout Season Proposed in Arizona
First-Ever Gila Trout Season Proposed in Arizona

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission on Feb. 4 is being asked to create the first-ever season on native Gila trout at Frye Mesa Reservoir on the Pinaleño Mountains in southern Arizona.

"Arizona has never had an open season on Gila trout. They were thought to have been extirpated from the state before we had regulated fishing seasons," said Fisheries Chief Kirk Young.

The Gila trout proposal is possible because the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mora National Fish Hatchery in New Mexico has surplus Gila trout available. The department is asking the commission to establish an open season for Gila trout with a one-fish bag and possession limit for Frye Mesa Reservoir.

"We would like to stock those surplus Gila trout into Frye Mesa Reservoir, which is located below Mt. Graham in the Pinaleño Mountains, to provide a unique angling opportunity," Young said.

That's not the only unique angling aspect to the proposal. "If the commission approves the proposal, we would create another unique possibility for anglers - fishing for five species of trout on the same mountain - Gila trout, Apache trout, brown trout, rainbow trout and brook trout," said Don Mitchell, Tucson regional fisheries program manager.

In fact, Mitchell said, Mt. Graham would become the only mountain on earth where anglers could fish for both Gila and Apache trout.

Gila trout were reintroduced to Frye Creek on the mountain above Frye Mesa in the fall of 2009. Frye Creek is closed to fishing while the population establishes. From Frye Mesa, you can look down upon the town of Safford.

New Mexico already has a limited season on Gila trout in specific waters.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Allen Hunt 1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Allen Hunt 2

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Cooking

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Draper Hunt 1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Draper Hunt 2

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - California Hunt #2

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - Patterning Your Turkey Hunt

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kevin Steele - California Hunt #1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Hunting

Kali Parmley - Florida Turkey Slam #1

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Fishing

Bass Crash Course: How and When to Fish a Buzz Toad

Packing all of your essentials is a necessity when heading out to camp. But you must have a vehicle to get everything fr...
Destinations

Polaris – Pack Up and Play On

Game & Fish Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Game & Fish App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Game & Fish stories delivered right to your inbox every week.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use