towickgnar for sure (or maybe not) - Adam S.

so today (and probably the next few days as well), i am going to something that i havent done since turning 30. and yes i turned 30 in the middle of march.



what does this monumental event consist of you ask? well ask and you shall see.

thats right, i am doing laundry for the first time since the middle of march. it was pretty fun going through the pile of clothes and remembering all the towickgnar events that i ve been upto. there was the grand canyon hike, kick ball, mcdowell mountain music fest, NM rafting, browns peak, moe., making beer, lake havasu, and some strange things i am not to sure about.

pretty damn towickgnar if you ask me.

moe. - Adam S.

so i just got back from moe. the show was pretty awesome and not too crowded. we are actually 3rd row and had plenty of room. i ran into billy, moe (not the band; billy's friend), and ray, sunny, and skye (a family i camped next to in moab last year). after the show i bought a copy of the show on a jump drive, with these photos. i told a girl that i would send her a copy, so maybe that means good karma for me. then we went to another campsite and partied there for a little while. it was someone's birthday and they had a keg of double esb, very tasty.

Seattle Trip - Nate

Went up to Seattle this weekend to see the fam. Bro just got back from a towickgnar trip to S. America. I'm sure his posts will come.

Saturday, did some sweet sea kayaking. Saw some good wildlife and such. Bald eagles, hawks, coyotes and sea lions to name a few.

Sunday, did a hike up in the North Cascades, just outside of Seattle. I had to remind myself how green that place is. And it is green. More pictures here if you're interested.

Nate's Seattle Trip, originally uploaded by Towickgnar.

Fly Fishing Canyon Creek (near Payson, AZ) - Adam L.

I just finished a great fly fishing trip near Payson on a stream called Canyon Creek. So often in Arizona you end up at a creek with rocks everywhere, narrow banks, excess foliage, and few good fishing holes. This location put the stereotype to rest. I spent two days fishing every hole possible (enter Michael Scott - "That's what she said") on this creek. I drove up from Scottsdale early on Monday morning (left at 5am) and was on the river with my frist cast by 7:45. Day one was more getting back in the groove of things. This was my first time out since last year. It felt good to be on the water though. There is something very ToWickGnar about being out fly fishing on your own...know what I mean?

Anyways - day one was a strike out. Probably for a multitude of reasons: 1)on the river a little late 2)shitty casting early on 3)I was fishing with no pants. BUT, there were great areas to fish with some good deep sections in the stream where the fish were looking at my bait and laughing at me. With little to no foliage, you can really get some good long casts out and find your groove. After the morning, set up camp and got ready for the evening session where I would take the stream by storm and have my picture in the weekend paper for the catch of the summer...but, it started raining like hell and I was stuck in my tent playing solitaire and reading Pillars of the Earth all night (bummer!).

Tuesday morning I was up by 4:30 getting my things ready and on the water by 5:15. Another Arizona stereotype: "Arizona is hot in the summer time." Correction: "Phoenix is hot in the summer time." Where I was, it was as cold as a microwave dinner pre-microwaving. I spent the morning fishing in my hoodie and stocking cap. But, luck at last. Three fish in the morning session - all rainbows. I was using a hopper-dropper set up with a stimulator on top. Caught all three on a Pheasant Tail nymph. Man, what a good feeling when a fish hits! Rain hit again that afternoon so I decided to head back home.

WHERE TO FISH HERE:There are two entry points to this river. When driving towards the river you come to a Y in the road and can take FR33 to the hatchery (top portion of the creek) or FR34 to the lower section of the river. If you take FR33, you will drive until you have to cross the creek. Parking is just on the other side. I fished below this crossing to little luck but spoke with a father/son who said it was much better above the crossing. I'd try there.
If you take the FR34 route to the bottom of the creek, there are a few places you can try. First of all, there is an old ranch out there called OW Ranch. There is a bridge that crosses the creek to get to it. Anything you catch above the bridge you can keep (up to 4) anything below the bridge is catch-and-release. I found the better fishing to be below the bridge. When driving on FR34, you will come down a hill and then see the creek and follow the creek for some time. I would recommend pulling off the side of the road (there are a few designate spots) and hopping on the creek. Fish it upstream until you hit the OW Ranch bridge and then walk it back to the car.

This is Towickgnar

This is Towickgnar, originally uploaded by Towickgnar.

Wow. Just towickgnar...