HRO Event Highlights

HRO Fly Fishing Trip by Russ Johnson

Flyfishing May 1st - 3rd, 2026
From May 1–3, veterans and volunteers gathered at the R Bar C Scout Camp for another memorable spring fly fishing trip filled with learning, laughter, friendship, and plenty of trout fishing along beautiful Christopher Creek. Leading up to the trip, participating veterans spent four weeks learning the fundamentals of fly fishing, from casting techniques to fly selection and reading the water. By the time camp arrived, excitement was high as everyone looked forward to putting their new skills to the test on the creek.

This year’s trip welcomed a total of 21 veterans, spouses, parents, cooks, and guides, making it the largest attendance the program has ever had. Upon arriving Friday afternoon, veterans wasted no time preparing their gear, with several eager participants heading straight to the creek to begin fishing. That evening, everyone gathered back at camp for a hearty dinner of country fried chicken, green bean casserole, potatoes, and Hawaiian rolls prepared by the amazing kitchen crew. After dinner, the group spent the evening gathered around the campfire sharing stories, laughter, and meaningful conversations that are often just as important as the fishing itself.

Saturday morning began with a delicious breakfast buffet before the group spread out across Christopher Creek in search of rainbow trout. Fishing was productive throughout the morning, with several veterans landing beautiful trout in the early hours. Some participants explored different stretches of the creek while others ventured to the Box Canyon plunge pools to try their luck in deeper water. The group returned to camp midday for lunch featuring brats and hotdogs along with a relaxing break from the water. During the afternoon downtime, participants enjoyed games of cornhole and even received hands-on fly tying instruction from one of the volunteer instructors.

As the evening fishing picked up, more veterans made their way to the Box Canyon area, where the excitement continued. One of the highlights of the trip came when a veteran’s spouse landed the biggest trout ever caught during one of the program’s Christopher Creek outings — a catch that quickly became the talk of camp. After another full day on the water, everyone once again gathered around the fire pit to unwind, laugh, and strengthen friendships built through shared experiences outdoors.

Sunday morning started with English muffin breakfast sandwiches before camp was packed up for the trip home. While everyone left with incredible memories and new friendships, this trip also marked the end of an era. Unfortunately, it was the program’s final outing at the R Bar C Scout Camp, as the property has recently been sold. Although the location will be missed, the group is already looking forward to finding a new home for future fly fishing adventures. Programs like this are made possible through the support of generous partners and dedicated volunteers. A special thank you goes to Scheels for helping outfit the veterans with fly fishing equipment and gear.

We would also like to recognize and thank the volunteer instructors: Don T, Earlene S, Jim L, Denise and Brian T, and Leigh M. What makes this program especially meaningful is that all of the instructors are veterans themselves, allowing them to connect with participants through shared experiences while teaching valuable outdoor skills. The spring fly fishing trip once again proved to be far more than just a weekend of fishing. It was an opportunity for veterans to relax, connect with others, learn new skills, and build lasting friendships in the outdoors.

If you are interested, please email me: russj@arizonaelksociety.org or call me 406-539-1288

Bass Fishing Trip by Russ Johnson

March 1st our veterans came together for a fishing weekend they will not soon forget. As each person trickled in through the day on Friday, we had a boat or two ready in case they wanted to get some evening fishing in. Most opted to just hang out around camp and get to know everyone, but some went out scouting for the next day. We were able to let the veterans know which boat that they would be paired with for the first fishing session the next morning. We had a great time around camp and had some alfredo/marinara pasta and sides to top off the day.

March 2nd, we woke up early for a 5 AM breakfast, and after a great hot breakfast with sausage, bacon, biscuits and gravy, and eggs we started preparing for the morning fishing session. After each veteran had their gear packed, we all headed over to the main boat launch area and met up with our other 3 boats that had arrived that morning. The morning fishing session proved successful and most of our veterans caught fish. Around noon the guys came in for brats/hotdogs and a nice lunch break. During this time, we were able to do a raffle to give away 2 quilts to 2 different veterans, and 2 steering wheel covers made by one of the ladies who sewed the quilts to the volunteers. We also were able to pair up the veterans with different boats for the afternoon sessions.

The goal of pairing them with different boats was for them to get different techniques and ideas from multiple guides. The afternoon fishing session proved a little tougher because of windy conditions but still had a little success. Saturday evening after fishing, we had a Cajun fish fry prepared with hushpuppies for the veterans as they arrived. Saturday night we had a campfire and sat around for a couple of hours having great conversations, listening to the fishing stories for the day, and lots of laughter. We gave the pairings for the final morning session on Sunday also.

Sunday morning, we again had a nice hot breakfast around 5 AM with bacon, pancakes, sausage, and biscuits/gravy. Afterwards the veterans got on the water for the final fishing session, and this day was the nicest day of all. The lake was calm and the fish were biting. To say that our first ever bass fishing trip was a success would be a huge understatement.

The best thing that I was able to do this weekend was sit back and observe the veterans and their interactions with each other, with the guides, with the volunteers and see the smiles on their faces. Not only with the fish that they caught, or the quilts they were drawn for, but the ability to connect with others who have been through the same things as they have. Lifelong friendships were established, and that is why we at the Arizona Elk Society and Heroes Rising Outdoors have these events. We would like to give a huge amount of gratitude and thanks for those who donated not only of their time, but also boats this weekend. We have another set of bass fishing classes and trip scheduled for this fall.