December 15, 2023 – It has been almost a year since I started my exploration of the Salt River. And one task I wanted to accomplish before twelve months ended was to catch a Sonora sucker, something I had failed to do when this journey started in January. I nicknamed the Sonora sucker the “Bronze Ghost” because, try as I might, I could not hook and land this fish. Indeed, I felt I had been ghosted by it. So, armed with just my waders, fly rod, and a few select flies, I returned to the lower Salt River below Stewart Mountain Dam with this single purpose in mind.
When I arrived at the river, the water was clear and cool, running about 30 cubic feet per second. There were already a few other anglers, so I made my way downstream to a run where I had had some success before. I fished up and down the long run for several hours but to no avail. Eventually, I moved even further downstream and fished hard there, too. Once again, nothing. I was feeling discouraged and thought I might have to face another ghosting, but I trudged back upstream to my starting point and launched my final attempt.
After a few casts, my line twitched, signaling a bite, and I quickly set the hook. My heart was racing as I hoped this was the Bronze Ghost at last. I knew immediately it was when it made a powerful run downstream and pulled line from my reel. This was no “rubber trout” from the hatchery. I carefully fought the fish and eventually brought the three-pound specimen to my net. I took a quick photograph of the sleek, bronze native before safely releasing it back into the wild. I had finally done it: after more than four trips I had accomplished my goal of catching and releasing a native member of the Salt River biotic community.