Fishing for the Rare Native Apache Trout in Arizona! (Tenkara Fly Fishing)

In this video I go after a rare fish that is native to exactly one state: the Apache trout of Arizona.
DATE FILMED: September 2021
LOCATION: Arizona
GEAR USED
** SEE MORE INFO ABOUT MY FLIES AND GEAR HERE: tenkaraaddict.com/gear/​​​​​​
** ROD: TRC Yari and then Zen Tenkara Suzume
** LINES: 12-foot level line (#3.5) with a few feet of tippet, 7-foot level line with a few feet of tippet
** FLY: Size 12 Idaho Killer Kebari (Yari) and then size 12 Black and Gold Kebari (Suzume)
** NET: Medium Measure Net with rubberized net bag
OTHER LINKS
** Instagram (@TenkaraAddict): / tenkaraaddict​​​​​​
** My main KZbin channel (SUVRVing): / suvrving​​​​​​
** My other store: KamchatkaGear.com​​​​​​
#tenkara​​​​​​ #fishing​​​​​​ #flyfishing

[@TenkaraAddict]

Thanks for watching! Be sure to follow me on Instagram if you haven't already: instagram.com/TenkaraAddict/ -Tristan

[@davidthomas8531]

That size creek is perfect for trout. These are my main style of creeks I fish for browns and rainbows. Great video!

[@BigBass-xf5yi]

Never thought that I could enjoy watching someone catch guppies out of a trickle, but this video was fantastic. Everything about it. Cheers dude.

[@intothewildwego7085]

Fishing in my backyard! Well done and congrats on your first Apache Trout! One of our most treasured species.

[@TenkaraAddict]

Thanks, it was a lot of fun!

[@ashleyrichards5966]

Thanks for the trout adventure. I can smell the mountain air along that stream from many hours fishing in my youth. Thanks for leaving no foot print.

[@dannorris8478]

Watching your videos keeps my dreams alive of hiking the high country one day (i’m from Iowa) and trying my hand at catching these little beauties. Thanks.

[@samvodopianov9399]

mate im worse off than you I have to fly to the USA first XD

[@pegg38]

Really enjoyed watching this here in PA mid February. Putting the arrow in to highlight an impending catch is genius. Thanks!

[@capturehishonor9292]

You are the KZbin master of small stream trout fishing. My favorite kind of fishing. I like to practice more stealth. Though small, some of these trout have lived in the same place for many years and have become very sensitive to light changes. I've caught 13" native brookies creeks much smaller than this.

[@jimc4839]

For a guy that likes to catch big fish I enjoyed the heck out of this. So cool. Great video. Tranquil spot.

[@michaelcapurso]

Congrats on the Apache, for sure a bucket list Trout.

[@raymondbonito5905]

Nice to see u catch our native WhiteMoutainApache trout.

[@ericblair1011]

I caught Apache and Apache hybrids on a stream off MT. Graham. Big plung pools with boulders. Super spooky! Had to hide behind the rocks and blind cast nymphs to catch. If I peaked to high, all I would see were fish shooting for cover.

[@andrewrosales83]

That’s exactly my experience Fishing all Arizona trout

[@ralphmarrujo1491]

I enjoyed that video, since I only no of two streams in AZ that have Apaches and Brooks have a thought where you are. That looks like a wild Apache to me, don't always have cut marks in my experience.

[@TenkaraAddict]

Thanks for watching, Ralph!

[@joeindependent8518]

No Apache trout has ever had Cutthroat marks,

[@GLDNTRT]

I’ve got them on the Black River in the Apache Reservation

[@edmiller4149]

Nice! I might have read about Apache trout but thanks to you , I know what one looks like. Thanks, Tristan.

[@stephenzachary5745]

Great video as usual . keep them comming I look forward every Saturday to your videos.

[@LuniZuni]

Thanks for taking me back home... I grew up in Lakeside (Go Yellow Jackets), fished for the Apache Trout all around the streams of Hawley Lake , Reservation Lake, Big Lake and such. Yep, You definitely landed some nice Apache Trout.

[@EvilBlonde1]

Tristan, you made my Saturday.. again. Lovely Apache Trout to cross off your list...

[@XploreAz]

I live in Arizona and I have yet to fish for these awesome fish. That's awesome man! Another great video as always.

[@J_Dillaa]

I just caught my first apache trout a couple weeks ago. Glad to see you make it out to AZ!

[@bijanmarkazi4166]

I love your content it has gotten me into tenkara wich is super fun!

[@No_mans_flies]

Just found this channel, really cool. We don’t have a lot of tenkara water in Australia but I’d love to give it a go one day. Been an obsessed fly fisho for 30years and always liked the idea of tenkara. Keep it up 👍

[@JoseloPezoa]

it is very beautiful ! wow it is very nice and green over ,i thought it was very dry all over down there! clean water too!

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

Northern AZ offers some pretty awesome scenery, great trout fishing, and cold clear rivers that you'd expect in most high elevation places 🙂

[@gtoutdoorexcursions2938]

Had a go at them this spring myself. I had been putting off going for the longest time because it's so hard for me to break away from small stream cutthroat, but totally glad I did, I had to put some miles on the boots, but so glad I did. Planning to head back this spring again. I stopped through Gila N.F. and got a few of the small steam Gilas as well.

[@RedRiverWilds]

Still remember the two Apaches I caught, first was on a Mepps spinner the second was the next day and my first time fly fishing. Love being up in Canada but miss Arizona.

[@liquidquad]

Beautiful places and species, congrats and keep up the good work!

[@carybertoncini9595]

Eye stripe is the dead giveaway ;) Nicely done :)

[@missouritroutbums598]

Awesome video used to catch those out of Christmas 🎄 lake on the Apache Reservation.

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

Heck yeah, solid fishing on the Apache Reservation!!

[@jimpyle560]

You did put in the effort. Nicely done.

[@markgunnell2149]

Beautiful fish, gorgeous creek, Well Done, thanks

[@blackflycreations]

Awesome Tristan glad you found some apachies! I lived in AZ and Fished the White Mountains often but never caught the elusive apache. Great video look forward to next week's!

[@haroldmiller6853]

Love watching the tiny streams you fish very pretty, awesome vid and congratulations on the new species of trout .

[@henrymasters8319]

Congrats! Beautiful coloration on those. Interesting seeing their shape too.

[@j.t.patton7820]

Hey grats on the Apache! That's awesome.

[@reggiebald2830]

Congratulations on your success in Arizona!

[@marcguerino5645]

Awesome stuff, those are some beautiful trout

[@limmaanka]

Awsome! Beautiful stream!

[@flyfishingwestvirginia]

Awesome man! Congratulations on the Apache

[@bengardiner1652]

A fine day fishing! The Apaches are good looking fish. Good Job!

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

Love fishing Apache Trout. Have you had the opportunity to fish for them?

[@VOLKANCA]

I haven't heard Apache trout before. Beautiful fish 😊

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

The Apache Trout are native to Northeastern AZ, only found there! They are really really cool! I did an episode on them recently over on my channel! 🙂✌️🎣

[@gilvietor1918]

Grats man, glad you got one.

[@jaytaylor2435]

I loved your video . Thanks . Greetings from London 👍

[@jarrettlandreth285]

This was such a cool video, love these kinds of small stream adventures, you got my subscription!

[@TenkaraAddict]

Thanks Jarrett! Except I can see if a commenter has subscribed or not, and it looks like you haven't 😄

[@jarrettlandreth285]

@@TenkaraAddict huh, I coulda sworn I did, well either way I am now! Thanks for letting me know I don’t want to miss your vids!

[@themancave1980]

I saw those at the aquarium in Scottsdale...cool to see them in the wild.

[@michaelsmith7193]

Congratulations on a new species! That’s part of what makes your channel so exciting and enjoyable. Fabulous scenery, as always - thanks for taking us along!

[@g.w.moorman3887]

Nicely done. Fisheries folk (at least here in PA) will tell you that the Number of fish in a stream is related to the number of good feeding stations and the Size of the trout is related to the amount of food in the stream.

[@pablophilipps2032]

I enjoyed this one a lot!

[@daleleavitt]

Your fish are well-treated. I live in Japan but I'd love to hunt the Apache trout! Nice post!

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

Apache are stunningly awesome fish! It's awesome fishing them and catching them on camera!! ✌️🎣

[@yourgetinbit7711]

Beautiful. My home state. Thank you for the entertainment.

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

Same here! Love people getting exposed to our awesome Apache (and Gila) trout!

[@paulmanzone8373]

That was cool!!! I've been to Arizona several times and had no idea there was nature like that. Great job brother!!

[@jtmills86]

It's a super diverse state

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

Yeah, Northern Arizona has some pretty awesome trout fishing! I have a few videos of trout fishing a few different areas in AZ, including these Apache Trout! 🙂

[@vincechan455]

At 10:44, that certainly does look like an Apache trout. Congratulations!

[@lennytheleopard]

Great vid. Really appreciate the white arrow - makes a big difference!

[@aircommando505]

A good bucket list fish.

[@jamesgaul3544]

Well done!!

[@kenwintin3014]

Retired fishkeeper with a large institution who has raised many Apache Trout. Also fished for and caught many. What you caught definitely IS an Apache Trout.

[@markcamarillo4295]

What an awesome name and fish

[@ianjones6910]

Neat - another one of my target species; I'm putting together in my mind a trip for next year, in an effort to bag as many of these isolated species as possible. I want to get some Gila Trout, Apache Trout, Bonneville and Lahotan Cutts, and maybe a few others. The ultimate would be a Paiute Cutt - they're extremely isolated.

[@matteoborry244]

amazing trout !!!

[@Afro408]

Nice going! 👍👏 The spots either side of the eye pupil is the giveaway. For your merchandise, print teeshirts with ‘Got one-Lost one’ Or ‘ Got-One, Oh No!!’ It seems to be your mantra. 🤣🥃🥃

[@denisbandurin2775]

Small beautiful trouts.. . im amazed. Nice stream. I would never mind to fish in such tiny streams)

[@fredcox6994]

Have caught 3-4 pound trout in such streams. Learn to read the water.

[@robertperman8967]

Some tough fishing!

[@feralgrandad4429]

What a gorgeous fish.........

[@sleigh4019]

I'm in Maine have caught blue trout witch are super rare ..this is cool

[@Droptineful]

Congrats! 👍🏻🇺🇸

[@billcochran4072]

Awesome! I live in Arizona but have never caught an Apache trout, congratulations.

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

Caught my first Apache Trout this year! They are a blast! I did an episode over on my channel! 🙂

[@steveparsons6324]

If you don’t have a copy, pick up Robert Smith’s Native Trout of North America. I knew him in his later years, a well travelled and interesting gent.

[@RobertOrozcoapx]

Great video!

[@tedsell1455]

Great Vid Thanks

[@skeating2818]

Great video. The apache trout is a lovely fish!

[@TenkaraAddict]

Sure is!

[@blue_ridge_on_the_fly4174]

The Apache is a special trout that is on my bucket list. Searched for months for information on them and where to get them. But the Apache are somewhat like the brook here in NC. All the other trout are more aggressive and therefore will take over their habitat so like the brook trout here in NC. They moved to higher elevations to avoid the other species. At one time I do believe they were determined extinct but were found in a higher elevation stream. I may be getting this mixed up with the Gila trout. Will need to check on that. But no matter the size, the thrill is still the same!!!

[@fluxcapacitor05]

VERY hard fish to chase. I've chased them 4 different times empty handed. Most of the info you get on the Apache trout is essentially garbage -- just general tips and info, sometimes with area maps with town names on it to give you a false sense of encouragement. Just recently I was back at it again, but this time I threw it all out there. I could have done the research like you but didn't have time for it, so I found a small flyshop/outdoor sports shop there and decided to play a little game. I'd start chatting it up with whomever worked there, and if I determined I thought they knew something I would start putting flies in the bucket. After around $120 I FINALLY started getting some good info that I could rely on, LOL. The info lead me to an area that was breathtaking, but unfortunately I spent so much time prospecting the place that I had just only started to get into them before I had to leave. Shame, it's starting to become something of an expedition adventure for me. Guess I'll have to clear out my schedule next spring I suppose.

[@Honeybadger_525]

At the beginning of the video when you were only catching brown trout, I was starting to worry that the information you were given may have been the result of mistaken identity, which does happen sometimes. Glad you finally caught your first Apache trout! Congrats!

[@erichood3169]

Nice looking fish.

[@Cabmaker]

Beautiful country

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

White Mountains in AZ is pretty dang beautiful!!

[@flyer037]

Nice! I caught an Apache last August and I spent about 7 hours to catch him! It was some HARD fishing!

[@TenkaraAddict]

Congrats!

[@supermash1]

Very green for Arizona!

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

White Mountains, Rim Country, AZ is higher elevation and very green and beautiful! 🙂

[@kramnevets8712]

Just between you and me....I would have pulled the brookie. I enjoyed the fishing trip,Thanks

[@marksleeper9385]

great vid

[@gringopines3476]

COOL DEAL FISHIN' MY HOME STATE! CONGRATS ON THE ELUSIVE APACHIE TROUTYOU CAME ACROSS MY RADAR YESTERDAY AND SUB. YOU TODAY... GOOD FISHIN'... PEACE...

[@scottinnh88]

Makes me wanna go brook fishing

[@John-ve3gg]

Good one!

[@kevinbuggie3808]

Apache trout are known for their lightning quick strikes and are quick to reject a fly before you set the hook. Fished that same stream a few times... Try the Gila, and Rio Grand cutthroat too in neighboring NM.

[@massimilianoromani9271]

great job! amazing video!! ✊🏻Now I try Tenkara fishing..👋🏼🇮🇹

[@bernhardnizynski4403]

In Australia we mainly have Brown and Rainbow trout with the occasional salmon and Brook trout!

[@davidriley7997]

Nice one. Well done.

[@TenkaraAddict]

Thanks David 👍

[@davidgale4597]

They actually stock Apache trout in some of the streams in the Arizona white mountains but a few years ago the hatchery had some disease and they started doing rainbow. I didn’t make it up there last summer so don’t know if they’re doing Apache again or still rainbow. A few years back I read they’re trying to make the west fork of the black river all Apache trout like it was traditionally before the introduction of other species. They’ve put up a lot of fish barriers and were going to kill all the fish in the west fork and then reintroduce only the Apache and make it a catch and release only stream. I’m not surer where they are in this process presently.

[@chubsteriffic]

The white on the front edge of the pelvic fins of the first Apache you caught….imho confirms that it was an Apache Congrats

[@ExploreNewEngland]

very cool! we struggled to find fish in the whites of eastern AZ last summer on the Black River. Of course, heavy rains made for some dirty water. I think the tenkara setup would be ideal for many spots along the upper Black.

[@MichaelDeMersLA]

Is this video somewhere over by Snowflake or Show Low?

[@terrancewilhite9260]

I thought I was the only one who caught tiny fish in a tiny stream, lol.

[@yoopermann7942]

congrats!! tip, when fishing those skinny waters think out side the box on where a fish might hide,,, i dont fish for one species of fish i fish to catch fish all/every trout, bass, catfish i catch i release the only fish i keep to eat are pan fish and yellow perch

[@adamschoenfeld3284]

One of my favorite creeks, not an easy creek to master!

[@MichaelDeMersLA]

Where is that? Eastern AZ by NM or somewhere in Coconino?

[@Elvisfan-bf3ic]

New sub here. Great job Love to fish. I’m in Montana

[@KevinRapkochFishing]

The Apache Trout is amazing (I did an episode over on my channel). I'm originally from Montana, but now live in AZ and get to fish for native AZ fish like the Apache and Gila Trout! That said, I'm excited to get back to Montana soon to do a Westlope Cutthroat episode!!

[@fishdog001]

Great videos . I was wondering have you tried rod from the tenkara rod co. The make the bear claw. White cloud,and saw tooth are a couple of there rods. Iam interested in the bear claw . Thanks for the great videos

[@ashleyhockenberry2187]

A+

[@dansherwood9851]

Looks like upper black river. I cut overland fishing there once and ended up in a little tiny overgrown creek using a small rooster tail spinner. Ended up catching a bunch of Apache trout there. It might have been pacheta creek.

[@jeremyratliff5175]

This video clearly demonstrates why I personally do not like tenkara, or at least would find it difficult. There are times like in a stream such as this, I would need to adjust my line. I might want to allow the stream to take it down twenty feet or so, or, I might only need three feet of lead in a hard to get to place. I love your videos, I would just find it hard not to be able to adjust the length of my line at any given moment. However, please keep up the videos… I love vicariously through them!

[@TenkaraAddict]

I find tenkara's inherent limitations an interesting challenge. Thanks Jeremy!

[@yourgetinbit7711]

Yes that one you caught was an Apache Trout

[@derekspace]

I love fishing for smallmouth bass but back in the day I only wanted to catch trout and one day I caught a 2 lb smallie in the lower reaches of a trout stream and was disappointed...cause I wanted to catch trout THAT day and nothing else. Any other day I would have been thrilled at a really nice smallie. Yeah, I know the mindset. Nothing wrong with that. Enjoyed the video! BTW, the lower section of that creek was definitely more silted. I'm guessing livestock erosion.

[@michaeltichonuk2176]

Kudos for sure on Apache! I went after them last year. Flow was 80%low then too. And craw dads were thick. Well Done, Tristan!!

[@hyunsyu]

Congratulations dude! Question; as you catch the non-native species like Brown and Brook, should you be releasing them back into the Apache habitat? I know, it seems sort of counter intuitive as an outdoorsman's/sportsman but from the conservationist perspective I wonder if it makes sense.

[@johnnyskied]

I had a calander of rare trout years ago. Theres a stream in CA that has a 1 mile stretch of water that holds a species that only occurs in that 1 mile stretch. The river was cut off by a landslide or other occurrence that didn't damn up the river; it dissapears underground and then reappears down river. The fish above the disturbance evolved into a different species. Can't find any info on it. I'm wondering if maybe the big drought after 2011 caused the stream to dry up???

[@stevekrieg5334]

I enjoy watching you fish. You describe your fishing and the fish clearly and in an interesting way. I also appreciate the types of streams you fish. With respect, I don't see the advantage of Tenkara over regular fly fishing. I have fly fished for over 50 years, and I haven't seen you do anything that can't be done with a fly rod. A fly rod allows you to do many more things, mainly because you can lengthen and shorten the line without changing it.

[@jackyichan4759]

I suppose it’s like *really* primitive bow hunting/archery. Sure, a modern traditional recurve bow with an arrow shelf, ergonomic handle and fiberglass limbs is probably more practical…but it’s the simplicity, challenge and taking part of that particular history that makes shooting with something more ancient a unique experience. I mean, wouldn’t you be curious to see what it would be like to fish with the equipment and techniques of the old samurai?