July 2026| View Upcoming Events

July 2026 Newsletter

This year 4^th of July is special as it marks the 250^th anniversary of our Nation’s founding. It’s a time for hot dogs, baseball, ice cream, and fireworks (although not in our National Forests and open spaces, please … it’s just too hot & dry)

This is a great time to enjoy the many privileges and opportunities of our wonderful country. Whether it’s backyard barbeque, a long weekend in our national forests, or enjoying our National parks, or our many public lands. We have plenty to be thankful for.

June was a busy month for the Chapter. The annual fish camp was held June 22 – 28^th in Payson, AZ. This year we had a full camp with 24 young people attending.

This past month TU started its project to replace a culvert on Paradise Creek. Once completed this will open 9.3 miles of additional stream habitat.



Finally, we would like to thank all our volunteers and supporters for their continued dedication to Trout Unlimited and our mission. We could not do what we do without your support, and we are grateful for each and every one of you.

Enjoy the upcoming month and stay cool!

Tom Goodwin

Chapter President

Conservation

2026 Fish Camp Recap!

AZTU Fish Camp 2026 was a resounding success! 24 campers and 10 TU volunteers spent a week together covering numerous flyfishing and conservation activities. During the week, all participants were immersed in fly tying, knots, casting instruction, reading the water, rod construction, entomology, conservation instruction and practical application. Campers spent their days developing their newly acquired skill sets and having numerous opportunities to practice them in the classroom, on the field, and on rivers and lakes. In addition, many campers experienced campfires and a night hike for the first time.



Campers cultivated interpersonal skills and friendships that came from being in close proximity with each other, learning together, and traveling to numerous sites in the Rim area to fish. Campers also learned about bug life, stream health, and toured the Tonto Creek Hatchery. A lot of the campers caught fish for the first time. There was also a casting contest that resulted in an unexpected yet intense friendly sports drama between the two finalists during a cast off that captured the attention of all the campers and volunteers.  

An additional component included campers being paid a visit from members of the Phoenix based Be Kind People Project who spent a powerful hour with thought provoking discussions and activities reinforcing the power and awareness of the ripple effect of kindness and leadership.

Campers also participated in a service conservation service project. They cleared a large amount of foliage, rocks, and wood debris from a dry creek bed that channels water through the camp when it rains. After AZGFD Commissioner Jim Goughnour gave an opening welcoming greeting, he extended an invitation for the staff and campers to attend the monthly Commissioners meeting which was being held at the Payson Public Library later that week. The campers and staff arrived at the meeting in their AZTU hoodies and hats. The Commissioners took a break from their meeting and personally met with each of the campers and acknowledged their participation in Fish Camp. They also took time to take a group pictures.

It was exciting to see the participants coming from diverse backgrounds, outdoor exposures, and ages come together and bond with common goals, growth, and confidence in new found skill sets. Campers came from Flagstaff, Tucson, Metro Phoenix and California.  

The week was centered on intense hands-on activities with full-time interaction with the TU volunteers. The results were palpable. All campers felt that the week was fun and worthwhile. Most were asking when if we were doing this again next summer and would like to return.

This year's Fish Camp would not have been possible without the support of our numerous sponsors and supporters, both financially and in-kind. In addition, the dedication and expertise of our TU volunteers was unmatched. Their authentic interaction and participation with the campers and each other provided a positive and impactful impression on all who participated.  

On the last day, all participants were tired and pleased with a feeling of major accomplishment. We are already looking forward to doing it again next year.

If you would like to see more pictures, check out our Fish Camp Album!

Club Meetings

Arizona Flycasters Club (AFC) AFC is not having a meeting in July! Stay inside with the A/C or travel somewhere cooler!

They meet at the Italian American Club in Phoenix.

Desert Fly Casters Club (DFC) DFC's meeting will be on Tuesday July 8th, Joe Staller will be sharing everything you need to plan a successful trip fishing exotic species! They meet at the Elks Lodge in Chandler.

And, if you need to renew your TU membership you can do it here easily.

This link should take you directly to the renewal page.

Fish250 is part of the national celebration marking 250 years since the founding of the United States. To mark the occasion, Arizona Game and Fish Department is encouraging everyone to get outside, explore our waters, and connect with the landscapes that shape our state.

Now through August, sign up to participate in Fish250 and be eligible to receive a Fish250 sticker pack. Through fishing and outdoor recreation, Fish250 helps celebrate Arizona’s heritage as part of the work led by the Arizona America250 Commission.

The challenge is simple. Just take a selfie at the following locations:

• Fish 2 community waters.
• Fish 5 lakes or streams.
• Have 0 bad days.

Whether you’re a lifelong angler or picking up a rod for the first time, Fish250 is about discovering new places, spending time outdoors, and making great memories on the water. Learn more



Secure Your Fish250 Sticker Pack

2 Community Waters | 5 Lakes or Streams | 0 Bad Days

Once you have completed the Fish250 challenge, submit the Fish250 completion form to document your achievement and receive your Fish250 sticker pack.

It’s our way of celebrating your time on the water and recognizing your participation in this statewide outdoor initiative.

June Meeting Summary

The AZ Council of Trout Unlimited Public Policy Committee (AZ TU PPC) held its normal monthly meeting on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 7:00 pm. Our guest speaker was Jim Strogen, a member of the AZ TU PPC and the Adaptive Management Work Group for the Glen Canyon Dam meetings, who provided an update on the Glen Canyon Dam and the Lees Ferry trout fishery. The Lake Powell water level is currently about 23% of its capacity which is about 3,530 feet. There is concern that the water level could drop low enough, to about 3,490 feet, where electrical generation at the dam would cease, and that the water temperature through the dam could rise enough for the trout fishery to reach a temperature above 60 degrees where the small-mouth bass (an invasive species) could begin to spawn. Unless the lake level rises significantly, the rainbow trout fishery will continue to suffer!

Legislative Update

The state legislature has sent a State 2026-2027 budget to the Governor for signature and the Governor signed it on June 13, 2026, which ended the regular legislative 2026 session. The 2026-2027 budget includes the AZ Game & Fish Department's appropriation request for $11 million to modernize the Tonto Creek and Bubbling Ponds hatcheries!

In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its intention to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. The rescission notice was posted on August 27, 2025, in the Federal Register. Without the Roadless Rule, 45 million acres of National Forest land across the country, impacting fish and wildlife habitat, will be open to harmful development! The Forest Service has nearly $11 billion of deferred maintenance currently on 370,000 miles of roads in our National Forests; do we really need additional roads? TU National is now encouraging all state Councils and chapters to start a mailing campaign from TU members to congressmen and congresswomen to stop the discontinuance of the Roadless Rule. The USDA is in the rule-making process to rescind the Roadless Rule and expects to finalize the repeal in 2026.

The National Office of Trout Unlimited has created a new TU Advocacy Champions online community group. If you are interested in receiving the periodic emails from the Advocacy Champions, please email Doug Agee at doug.agee@tu.org and request to be put on the email list.

Groundwater Management in Rural Arizona

Tom Osterday - Past Chair AZ TU PPC

The Rural Water Working Group (RWWG), which AZ-TU is a member, should be incredibly proud of its efforts to defend Arizona’s groundwater resources against a significant number of legislative proposals that

threatened to weaken existing safeguards. Among the most notable victories was the defeat of

House Bill 2758, legislation backed by New York-based Water Asset Management that would have

facilitated the transportation of groundwater from the McMullen Valley Groundwater Basin

without adequate protections for the affected communities. The proposal was supported by a well-

funded coalition of influential interests, making the RWWG’s successful opposition campaign a

significant accomplishment.

Upcoming Public Policy Events

The next regular scheduled AZ TU PPC monthly meeting will be held on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at 7:00 pm. The July 2026 AZ TU PPC monthly meeting has been cancelled due to the large number of members traveling in July 2026.

The AZ TU Public Policy Committee hosts a virtual meeting on the second Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm. If you are interested, please contact Ron Stearns at PublicPolicyChair@az-tu.org.



The Arizona Council consolidated the Arizona Trout Unlimited chapters. Effective January 1, 2025, much of eastern and southern Arizona, Kingman and Navajo County east and south including White Mountains: Show Low, Greer, etc., is becoming a part of the Old Pueblo Chapter based in Tucson.

The Mogollon Rim, and areas west of Kingman, including Flagstaff, Lees Ferry and the Colorado River down to Yuma become part of the "new" Zane Grey Chapter based in Phoenix. The below map will give you some idea of the new alignments. The Green areas are the new Zane Grey Chapter, while the Blue areas are the Old Pueblo Chapter's new alignment. The non colored areas are National parks, Military reservations, or other government areas, do not have postal delivery Zip code, and few if any residents.

The Arizona Sportsmen for Wildlife Conservation (AZSFWC) license plate fund is derived from the sale of wildlife conservation license plates and member organizations as well as non-member organizations are eligible to apply for those funds. 

The Arizona TU Council and Chapters have received funds over the past thirteen years to support the Annual Native and Wild Trout Conferences, Fish Camp, Trout in the Classroom program and various conservation projects.

The next time your registration comes up for renewal, choose the conservation license plate option at registration to show your support for conservation and our projects. 

Social Media: 

Check out our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/zanegreytu Check out the Instagram page for

Arizona of Trout Unlimited: @Trout_Unlimited_Arizona

If you're more traditional, try signing up for the private Facebook group: Arizona Women of Trout Unlimited.

Below is a list of fishing organizations in Arizona. Feel free to join, explore, visit their websites or attend a meeting to find out more information:

Make sure to follow our Instagram @Trout_Unlimited_Arizona