About Us
Derek Rivchin (owner, operator)
Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert and Surprise Premier Fly Fishing Guide Service. Where to begin! One of the few to be born in Phoenix, Arizona I was raised on our local lakes, which led to me fishing from a young age! I started fly fishing in 2013. Carp came into my life after driving hours to fish for trout got exhausting. Like any angler, I was always looking for a new chase, and carp were the answer. A local legend first got me on carp and from that day forward I became 100% addicted. There have been countless hours, boats, boat motors, trucks, money, and memories made over the years! These are the perfect fish for the ones who want to experience salt but just aren’t able to. It’s all sight fishing for these, very up close and exhilarating. If you think trout eating hoppers is fun, try carp eating giant foam cicadas patterns! -Derek Rivchin
Why Carp?
Carp, aka Desert Bones. Where do I begin… Despite what 98% of American’s think, these fish are some of the strongest and smartest species there are. Carp are some of the hardest fish to catch because of their early warning radars. Carp are equipped with eyes that are more sensitive than ours and a sensory system that detects the slightest noise and movement. These fish don’t get big by being stupid. Grass carp eat 2-3 times their weight a day! White Amur aka Grass Carp were imported into the SRP canal systems as a means to rid vegetation without chemicals or machinery.With 50 miles of this river, there are a lot of carp!! I have also recently gotten into using a flats boat to stalk these fish in 6″ of water, a true salt experience and right here in the desert!! I have spent countless hours chasing these intelligent fish. They are tricky and take persistence. This is Arizona, so please bring sunglasses, sunscreen, and wear long sleeves.
Media
A nice koi caught on a fly 
A mirror carp. Their scales are a mutation. Some consider them rare 
Maybe someones goldfish? 
A wild carp caught on a crawfish fly. these wild lake carp are one of my favorite to stalk. 
Another wild carp caught near Phoenix 
Large mouth bass are one of my favorite on a fly rod! 
Matt (owner of @thetrashhatch) with a nice koi while on a trip from Colorado 
Sam of California with a mirror carp 
Matt with a Grass carp or white amur. these carp are stocked to help keep vegetation under control 
Chris with a nice healthy common carp. This was on a flats trip. Our flats trips are really unique way to catch carp. This method is often used in salt water 
Guide Derek with a personal best small mouth. 
Hundreds of carp can be seen during a urban day trip. These grassies are stocked into our canal system instead of using herbicide. They can eat their weight in no time! 
Billy with a nice carp while on a flats trip. Billy, hasnt used a fly rod in years. still managed a few on big dry cicada fly pattern 
Local guide Nelson, hooked up on a big channel catfish! We have a ton of species in our canals 
Jake of AZ with a large common carp. Jake, is pretty new to fly fishing but that didnt stop him 
Local Tattoo legend Mikey Sarrat with one of his first carp on the fly 
Gilly and I in search of some carp near Phoenix 
Some times old tricks work but others, you gotta give the fish what they want. 
