Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Trapp Technology pro Kevin Finley just came home from the California Open where he took 13th out of 87 pros. If he looks familiar to you, it's probably because he fishes tournaments all over the West, plus he was just on the Fishing with Johnny Johnson television show. Kevin is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, plus he's one heck of a stick - he's been fishing out of the Trapp Technology boat for quite a while now, and as a business owner himself, he appreciates their expertise in IT solu... Full story
At 5000 feet, Payson stays quite a bit cooler than Phoenix in the summer. Temperatures may reach the mid 90s, but if you're in a shady forest, it seems a lot cooler. We love to go to Payson, and started taking the granddaughters there years ago. There are plenty of good hotels and lots of great places to eat in Payson and the surrounding area, and there are great hikes as well. Tonto Natural Bridge One of the places near Payson that we love the most is Tonto Natural Bridge. It's actually more... Full story
Having lived in Canada for over two decades, I like to add its early July holiday (Canada Day, July 1) to the celebrations I enjoy for my native land on Independence Day, July 4. Happy Birthday to these two wonderful countries that remain good neighbors and friends. About Canada Day Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada) is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the Constitution Act, 1867 (then called the British Nort... Full story
Johnny Johnson is one of the best-known and best-loved fishermen in Arizona. With his popular television show Fishing With Johnny Johnson http://fishingwithjohnnyjohnson.com/ and his trademark hee-hee-hee laugh, he has made thousands of fans. At the recent Wild West Bass Team Championship, crowds of people jumped up and ran over to take photos the minute his truck and boat came into view. He has a way with kids and never turns them down when they ask for a photo with him. We once fished with him... Full story
The best gift ever, though, is spending time with him. Chances are, your dad is the one who introduced you to the outdoors. I know that was the case with me. My dad took me hunting and camping all the time, starting when I was really young, and that gave me a love of the outdoors that is stronger than ever, even now. If your dad is outdoorsy, here are some gift ideas that are sure to make his day this June 18th. ATN Smart HD Binocular Let's just start right out with the splurge – the ATN S... Full story
The Wild West Bass Trail is a relative newcomer on the bass tournament scene, but it was founded by people with tons of tournament fishing experience. They wanted to make the best tournament circuit out there, and they have spared no expense and worked their tails off - with great success. Their mission is to promote the highest quality companies and provide premier fishing events in the western U.S. They have the highest guaranteed payout on the West Coast, and tournaments are televised so pro... Full story
There are 90 wilderness areas in our state - a total of 4,512,120 acres. That's a lot of country! But what exactly is a wilderness area, what can you do there, and how does a place become a wilderness area? A wilderness area is a place where the lands are designated for preservation and protection in their natural state and where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by men (from the Wilderness Act of 1964). These lands remain undeveloped and no permanent improvement or human... Full story
Tai Au is one of the best-known bass pros in Arizona - he started a Facebook page called "AZ Anglers" and there are now over 13,000 members. Tai is all about sharing his love for and knowledge about fishing, which is why he created a place where Arizona anglers could share, ask, learn, and even brag a bit now and then. Started As A Kid Tai got into fishing when he was just a kid, going out with his dad. His mom and dad were actually "Boat People" from Vietnam, and he was actually born in a car... Full story
The only bad thing about camping is putting all that stuff away when you get home, right? Well, when I was a kid, we camped and hunted all the time, and my dad had a big old Army field desk that we called the Camping Box. The front panel of it was removed, then it became a table by hooking the front panel to the side of the box and folding the legs out. The inside was all drawers, and we put all the usual camping stuff in there - paper towels, dish soap, seasonings, silverware, dishes, matches... Full story
Gary Senft is an Arizona icon when it comes to bass fishing. I've been doing stories with him for decades, and he has a wealth of knowledge about techniques and tactics for catching bass in our desert reservoirs. The amazing thing is, he doesn't try to keep this information to himself – he loves to teach other people about fishing. Started Early Gary's mom and dad started taking him fishing when he was just a tyke - they'd hit the local lakes and ponds twice a month or so. The bass fishing b... Full story
This is the perfect time of year for an outdoor adventure in Tucson. The weather is great and the wildflowers should be amazing this year after all the rains we've had all winter. All four of these places offer nice hikes (or at least walks), and all four of them let you see different aspects of the glory of the outdoors around Tucson. Saguaro National Park Saguaro National Park is actually two districts - one to the east of Tucson called the Rincon Mountain District, and one to the west called... Full story
I've known Matt Shura since he was just a kid, and he's been a heck of a stick all that time. He started out catching bluegills at a pond at Power and Guadalupe with his dad when he was about five or six years old. That first bluegill had him hooked for life. Going to the lake? Check out the lake level at http://data.hydrometdataservice.info/dwr/ Then he started watching bass fishing on television, and he was fascinated. By age ten he had his first boat - a ten-foot jon boat with a trolling... Full story
If you have been reading my stories here on Arizona Boating & Watersports and Western Outdoor Times for long, you know that my husband John and I love to go outdoors adventuring with our granddaughters. We've been taking them fishing, hiking, shooting, exploring, and hunting almost since they could walk, but we had never been kayaking together until yesterday. I found a Groupon for the Clarkdale Kayak Company and it was such a bargain I signed up the four of us. First off, let me tell you that I... Full story
If you are looking for easy hikes with great scenery close to Phoenix, I've got a couple for you. Both of these are easy enough for very small children and older folks, but one has a waterfall (sometimes!), and one has a flowing river. Both have entry fees, but they are small. The Hassayampa River is a hundred miles long, but for most of that distance it runs underground. At the Hassayampa River Preserve near Wickenburg, however, the water comes to the surface and runs crystal clear over the... Full story
Randy Spray has been putting in for a bighorn tag for 43 years and had never drawn one. He told a friend, "I really need to draw a tag, I'm getting older and pretty soon I won't be able to do a bighorn hunt." That friend suggested that Randy try putting in for Rocky Mountain bighorn instead of Desert Bighorn, and that did the trick. He was already in the max bonus point pool, and this year he finally drew his tag for the archery hunt in 6A. Shooting the ram was not a problem. Spray is an avid... Full story
This show is for trade only and is not open to the public, but Western Outdoor Times writers John and Margie Anderson, who are both members of the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA), will be at both the Range Day and at the Show, and will be sending daily updates from the show on the latest equipment and news. The SHOT Show ® is owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation http://nssf.org/, a trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting, and shooting... Full story
If anything, the show is even busier today. There are always long lines at the registration booths, and the aisles are bustling. We found some great products for all kinds of outdoor sports today - here are a few. Personal Security Products (PS Products) has a full line of non-lethal self defense products. The Pit Bull Keyring is something anyone could carry all the time. It's shaped like an animal head with sharp ears, and has a couple of holes for your fingers. If a mugger comes up and... Full story
We are staying in the Luxor hotel (which is incredible, by the way), and when we go out to dinner or are just walking back to the room after the show, we see and talk to a lot of people - waiters and waitresses, attendees of some of the other trade shows in town, the people who work in the shops, etc. They all seem to have major misconceptions about the SHOT Show. Everyone seems to think it's like the worlds biggest gun show, with people buying and selling guns all over the place. That isn't wha... Full story
Niko Romero has been fishing since he was a toddler, and fished his first tournament at age eight. He fishes Phoenix Junior Bassmasters, Phoenix High School Bassmasters, Wild West Bass Trail, and JML Outdoors. He already has a slew of sponsors, too, and he's only 14 years old. Niko is an avid bass angler who spends just about every free minute on the water, gaining the skills that made him the 2015 TBF Arizona Junior State Bass Fishing Champion and the 2015 TBF Junior Angler of the year. He... Full story
I'm an Arizona native, yet there are still countless sites in Arizona that are on my bucket list. My dad took me hunting and camping hundreds of times, and I've seen some gorgeous places – places that aren't on the typical tourist list of places to see. For instance, on a deer hunt off Dugas Road, I was walking along a small wash when it turned a corner and opened up into a little canyon. There was small stream, maybe a spring, that flowed just a short way before going underground. I'll Never F... Full story
Whether you are an angler, a hunter, or an outdoors enthusiast, one of the treasures we share is the abundance of wildlife in the Southwest. From rainbow trout in the high country to majestic elk in the forest lands to the antelope on our open plains, to the perky Gambel quail, to the endearing little black-footed ferrets, these beings who share our world can certainly be considered precious residents of our outdoors. At Thanksgiving time, when many concentrate on expressing gratitude for the... Full story
It's finally getting cool enough to do some exploring and hiking in the central deserts of Arizona. There are plenty of beautiful things to see in the desert - you just have to know where to look. A great place to base your adventure is Wickenburg, which is central to recreational areas, mining towns and sites, hiking trails, and tons of opportunities to learn about the plants and environment of the area. Wickenburg is a thriving town with plenty of places to stay - everything from dude ranches... Full story
Havasu Hosts IJSBA Fans from nearly 40 countries around the world will be watching as more than 750 competitors vie for titles in the 35th Annual International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) World Finals at Lake Havasu City. Included in the many competitions and events will be vendors with food and beer stands, a Parade of Nations that honors the participants and their respective countries' flags, and a Pro-Freestyle Expo. This is just one of several exciting Watersports events taking... Full story
In summer, we always seem to think of going to the high country - Flagstaff, Payson, the White Mountains - but Southern Arizona has some absolutely gorgeous places to visit, and the weather is great. We head south often because there are plenty of things to do and places to see. Here are five of our favorites. Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve This summer was the first time we've visited this amazing place, but it definitely won't be the last time we come here. We took our teenaged... Full story
The Phoenix at Lake Pleasant is one of several Arizona "girls" who offer scenic cruises on Arizona's spectacular lakes. From Lake Pleasant to Saguaro and Canyon lakes, these vessels, whom I like to call "hostesses" ply the waters while providing wonderful experiences for their guests. During the summer heat, The Phoenix, Desert Belle, and Dolly Steamboat invite you to cool off onboard and at the same time you are savoring the scenery, you can also enjoy some dinner perhaps, some music, and... Full story
