Wade34/100
Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
All Arizona reports
Fly fishing report · Southwest
Tonto Creek
Is Tonto Creek worth the trip today? Check flow, weather, hatches, access, and rules for Arizona before you go.
See the flow chart ↓Photo: Richard N Horne Opens in a new tab. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Good day to fish?Latest river check
Poor
Not today. Make another plan.
34
No clear best access mode. Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
See update time and confidence
Live data checkHighHow much of the live flow, weather, and alert data came back.
Today's callMediumWater temperature not verified; do not use this score to clear warm-water risk.
Score calculated Aug 22, 2026, 7:33 PM MSTUsually checks again about every 45 minutes
Access choicesNo clear best mode
Wade, Bank / edge, and Float have the same top score. Use current access, footing, weather, and local rules to choose.
Bank / edge34/100
Bank and edge fishing remains a practical low-commitment option if access is legal and footing is safe.
Float34/100
A float is in play where this report supports boat access and wind, releases, and shuttle logistics are manageable.
Your plan
Today's Tonto Creek plan.
Tonto Creek can be a useful small-stream trout plan, but the current trip should start with Forest Service closure notices, fire restrictions, and the downstream gauge before you drive up the Rim.
- Check first
- Check the active Tonto National Forest bridge-construction closure before choosing Horton, Upper Tonto, or Lower Tonto access.
- Try
- Move slowly and fish upstream when possible so the first cast lands before your shadow does.
- Leave when
- Skip it when Forest Service closures affect the access you planned, monsoon storms or runoff stain the creek, road conditions are unsafe, water is too warm for trout, or the downstream gauge is rising enough to make crossings questionable.
Live river check
What the river is doing
Check the latest flow and weather before you go. A quick change can make the river harder or less safe to fish.
Showing the latest stored river check while current readings load.
- Flow
- 0 cfs
- From the latest stored river check. Open the official source for the newest reading.
- Air now
- 89°F
Current NWS forecast period
- Next 24h high
- 92.0°F
NWS air forecast near
- Rain chance
- 24%
For this forecast period
This is an air forecast, not a river-temperature reading. Check the water with a stream thermometer before fishing in hot weather.
Latest stored weather check
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
- Wind
- 1 mph
- Weather checked
Recent flow chart is loading
The latest stored reading is shown above. Check the official source below if you need the newest value now.
More forecast and source details
National Weather Service
Tonto Creek forecast point
The National Weather Service forecast is temporarily unavailable.
Live data
Where these readings come from
RiverReports gauge: Tonto Creek above Gun Creek near Roosevelt
How to fish it
How to fish Tonto Creek today.
This is a small-water report. Short casts, quiet movement, and flexible access planning matter more than long leaders or heavy rigs. If closures or storms make the upper creek impractical, shift to nearby Rim water instead of forcing the plan.
Low and clear
Stay back from pools, use one light nymph or a small dry-dropper, and avoid repeated casts through the same pocket.
Stable medium flow
Cover pocket water, plunge pools, and undercut edges with short drifts and frequent fly changes.
Rising or stained
Skip crossings and fish only soft edges if the water is safely approachable. Flash flooding can make the creek dangerous quickly.
Winter or post-storm
Road snow, ice, and bridge work can matter more than the fly box. Confirm access before leaving Payson.
Fishing words used on this page
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gauge
- A USGS gauge is an official river station that measures flow or water height.
- Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- Cubic feet per second, or cfs, shows how much water passes the gauge each second.
- Nymph
- A nymph is a young water insect. Anglers also use the word for a fly that copies it.
- Attractor fly
- An attractor fly is bright or bold. It draws a strike without copying one exact insect.
- Blue-winged olive (BWO)
- Blue-winged olives, or BWOs, are small mayflies that often hatch in cool or cloudy weather.
- Caddis
- Caddis are small water insects. The adults look a little like tiny moths.
- Dry-dropper
- A dry-dropper rig has a floating fly with an underwater fly tied below it.
- Midge
- Midges are tiny flies and a common trout food, especially in cold water.
- Pocket water
- Pocket water is a small calm spot among rocks or fast current.
- Soft hackle
- A soft-hackle fly has moving fibers that can look like an insect rising through the water.
Why this call
Why this score
Best mode nowHurts
Wade: Wading is in play only where your chosen access has clear footing, legal entry, and no forced crossings.
FlowUse caution
USGS shows 0 cfs. Recent readings do not show a clear trend. USGS marks this reading provisional and may revise it. USGS records for this date (1941-2025, 85 readings) show a median near 18 cfs and a low-water marker near 0 cfs; today's flow is unusually low for the date. Low water can make fish spooky, warm, pressured, or concentrated; check temperature and handling risk.
SeasonUse caution
Monsoon season: Fish only with a conservative weather plan.
HeatUse caution
The current NWS air forecast is about 89F, and the next 24-hour high reaches about 92F. This is an air forecast, not a water-temperature reading. Fish early and check the river with a stream thermometer.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
Trip notes
Trip notes
Check these before you choose a reach.
Use RiverReports and USGS 09499000 as a trend and safety reference, then verify upper-creek clarity and access. Stable or slowly falling clear water is best. Rising, stained, or storm-fed water should move the day to scouting or another route.
Skip it when Forest Service closures affect the access you planned, monsoon storms or runoff stain the creek, road conditions are unsafe, water is too warm for trout, or the downstream gauge is rising enough to make crossings questionable.
Start with the closure and fire-restriction check, then compare Horton, Upper Tonto, Lower Tonto, and accessible pocket water only after flow, weather, and road conditions still support the trip.
If Tonto Creek is closed, storm-stained, warm, or too low, compare Canyon Creek, Oak Creek, Silver Creek, or a legal Rim lake after checking current rules and access.
What to try
Tonto Creek flies through the year.
Match the time of year, then let rising fish and current speed guide the next change.
SeasonWhat to look forFlies to try
Late winter to early spring
What to look forMidges and small olives
Spring
What to look forCaddis, mayflies, small stoneflies
SummerCurrent
What to look forTerrestrials and sparse caddis
Flies to try
Also try dry-dropper nymph
Fall
What to look forSmall mayflies, midges, attractor windows
Each fly name opens its matching Fly Box guide.
Access and safety
Tonto Creek access and rules.
Use these places as starting points. Open the access link below and check posted signs before you park or enter. Verify the current Arizona fishing rules, special fishing rule tables, license requirements, Forest Service closures, and posted signs before fishing. Do not assume campground, trailhead, or hatchery-adjacent access is open just because older reports describe it.
Horton Creek and Tonto Creek access area
Useful Rim-country access when open, but it is affected by the 2026 Forest Road 289 bridge-construction closure notices.
Upper and Lower Tonto Creek campgrounds
Forest Service campground access can put you near fishable water, but seasonal closures and construction notices must be checked.
Tonto Creek Hatchery area
Good for orientation and learning, but public access to fish-rearing areas is restricted and the hatchery is not a fishing beat.
Forest Road 289 area
Road access can be affected by bridge work, winter storms, and fire restrictions. Read the current alerts before relying on it.
Tonto National Forest published a temporary closure affecting Upper and Lower Tonto Creek campgrounds and Horton Creek trailhead parking from March 9 through Dec. 31, 2026.
Forest Road 289 may remain passable during work, but delays or changing site access can still affect the day.
The hatchery road is paved to the facility, but AZGFD warns winter weather can still close or complicate public visitation.
Lower drainage access can involve private property, reservoir conditions, and seasonal bald-eagle closures near Roosevelt Lake.
Use official signs, current fire restrictions, and Forest Service alerts if they differ from older fishing reports.
River sources
Official Tonto Creek sources.
Official agencies and primary river operators come first. Secondary tools are labeled so you know what carries the most weight.
How this report was checked
How this report was checked
Reviewed byBlueStreamFly River Review Team
Trip guidance checked
What was checked: This report starts with official regulation, access, flow, weather, and public-river sources, then adds practical planning guidance for anglers.
Live measurements and forecasts keep their provider timestamps. Rules, access, and trip guidance use the source-review date shown here. BlueStreamFly planning advice is editorial interpretation, not an agency notice.
First-hand experience: BlueStreamFly does not claim a first-hand visit or local field test for this report unless a real contributor is explicitly named and linked.
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
See all 8 checked sources
Rules and closures
Check what is allowed, where the rule applies, and whether the river is open.
What this source covers
Open the current rules and check the river section, season, and special limits.
Flow and weather
Check the latest river reading and forecast before you leave.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
What this source covers
Open this river reading to check the latest level, flow, and update time.
Access and land
Check public entry points, land rules, and seasonal access changes.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
What this source covers
Open the land or access page, then check signs before you park or enter.
More helpful links
Use these links for stocking, safety, and other local details.
What this source covers
Open this page for more river information and check when it was last updated.
What this source covers
Open this page and check the latest safety advice before your trip.
Quick answers
Quick Tonto Creek answers.
Is Tonto Creek good for fly fishing?
It can be, especially as a small-stream Rim-country trout plan, but current access and water conditions decide whether it is worth the drive.
What flow should I check for Tonto Creek?
Use RiverReports and USGS 09499000 for trend context, but remember the gauge is downstream and may not perfectly describe upper creek pockets.
Are there closures on Tonto Creek?
Yes, current Forest Service notices affect key campground and trailhead areas in 2026. Check official alerts before leaving.
What flies should I bring?
Bring small caddis dries, parachute Adams, ants, beetles, pheasant tails, hare's ears, zebra midges, perdigons, and a few small buggers.