[OneBlade]

The July 2023 AZCA Meeting/Lake Mary Extravaganza & Crawfish Boil will be held the weekend of Friday, July 28th until Sunday, July 30th with the meeting being held on Saturday, July 29th.

Dave (Sparkchaser) will again this year be doing his now “world famous” Crawfish Boil on Saturday evening.  You do not want to miss out on this!! Stay tuned here for more details on that and what you can bring or how you can help.

As in past years, we will be camping in the Coconino National Forest near Marshall Lake.  There are many dispersed campsites in the area along with it being very close to Upper Lake Mary.  I have attached a map with directions for reference.  This will be the thread for all your Lake Mary Extravaganza & Crawfish Boil questions, comments & answers.

We will be dry camping in the Coconino National Forest so it's important you understand that there will be NO facilities such as electric, water or toilets!! Please plan accordingly.

If you would like to camp in a developed campground, here is a Forest Service Link to nearby developed campgrounds: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/coconino/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5320191&width=full  The closest developed campsites are Lake View, Pinegrove & Ashurst/Forked Pine.  Most are first come-first served, all have toilets but there are no electrical hookups in any of these developed camps.

We will be fishing Upper Lake Mary.  The boat ramps, picnic areas & parking lots, including The Narrows, have been designated by the forest service as a fee area.  Which means that to launch your boat or use the parking lots - you have to pay a daily fee.  It's around $9-$12 per day or you can buy a yearly pass for $50.  There will be a little guard shack at the parking lot entrance with volunteers that'll be happy to take your money.  There are NO motor size restrictions on the lake.  See the following link:  http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/recreation/wateractivities/recarea/?recid=55044&actid=78

Some AZCA members have plans to head up there earlier in the week to secure a campsite location that can accomadate our group.  After securing a site, we will post further information & location of this year’s camp.  Please check this website daily on that week for more info on detailed campsite location.

Right now, we have these people interested and likely joining the event:
Dave (Sparkchaser)
Matt (OneBlade)
Tommy (FishMan)
Bill (FishHawk)
Steve (Stevert) and Mike
Cameron (Crappie Whisperer)
Larry (cousinlll)
Scott (TweakJr)

Please make a reply post if you aren't listed but plan on joining us this year as it'll help determine what size camp we will need.

This event has been going on for over 10 years, see picture of me with my 4lb walleye from 2012.

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For information and history about the AZCA, please see our Club Information thread.

If you would like to become a member, please see our Club Membership and Club Meetings threads.

[OneBlade]

Also, stay tuned to here regarding exact campsite location.  A few members are headed up Wednesday morning and first going to look along the area of Marshall lake, where we've gone in prior years. But we've seen this area get busier and busier with campers and those living off the grid.  So if that area is full or no available larger sites available, then they'll be looking along the road to Ashurst Lake as well as along the road to Kinnikinick Lake.  They or I will post here as to directions to where we setup camp likely mid-day Wednesday.

[OneBlade]

Dave (sparkchaser) will be doing the crawfish boil and boiling traditional stuff like crawfish, potatoes, corn, garlic, onions, pineapple, and sausage.  Please bring your favorite extras to drop in the boil as in past years some people brought shrimp, lobster, crab, asparagus, mushrooms, etc.  I'll bring some mushrooms.

And if anyone wants to bring dessert.... I'm sure a few of us wouldn't mind.

[OneBlade]

FishHawk going to bring brussel sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, and asparagus.

I'll bring some shrimp.

[OneBlade]

OK Larry, Tommy, and Steve have arrived at our campsite location and it's the similar as prior years near Marshall Lake.  You can click the "Marshall Lake Map.pdf" link at the beginning of this thread for instructions and main thing to keep in mind is once you are on Forest Road 128 and switch from pavement to gravel, then it's about 0.4 miles.  Hwy 87 was marked as closed because of fire but I heard it might be open.  Check road closures/conditions before heading up.  I'll be taking the I-17 route.

Also - repaving lake Mary road from boat ramp to past turnoff to Marshall lake. They are using pilot car system so long-ish wait times.

GPS: 35.103014,-111.541541

Google Maps link: https://www.google.com/maps/place/35%C2%B006'10.9%22N+111%C2%B032'29.6%22W/@35.1021575,-111.5458608,16.13z/data=!4m4!3m3!8m2!3d35.103014!4d-111.541541?entry=ttu
Apple Maps link: https://maps.apple.com/?address=Flagstaff%20AZ%2086005,%20United%20States&ll=35.103014,-111.541541&q=My%20Location&t=h

I-17 Option #1: Take I-17 north to Flagstaff. Exit I-17 @ exit 339 Lake Mary Road. This is the exit just before the I-40 exits. Turn Right onto Lake Mary Road and follow it for about 9 miles or so. As you come up to Lower Lake Mary on your right, start looking for the Marshall Lake/NPOI turnoff sign. Following the sign, turn Left onto the paved Forest Road #128 and drive up the switchbacks until your come to an intersection with a gravel road. From the point where you leave pavement to gravel road it is 0.4 miles and look for the LLL sign on the left (see pictures).

Route 87 Beeline Options (might be closed, check for closures/conditions first): Take State Route 87 (Beeline Highway) north thru Payson, Pine, Strawberry and finally Clints Well. At Clints Well, turn Left onto Lake Mary Road (County Highway 3) towards Flagstaff. Follow Lake Mary Road for about 35 minutes or so, passing Mormon Lake, Ashurst Lake and then finally Upper Lake Mary. About a mile past the damn for Upper Lake Mary you will come upon a sign for Marshall Lake/NPOI. Following this sign, turn Right onto the paved Forest Road #128 and drive up the switchbacks until you come to an intersection with a gravel road. From the point where you leave pavement to gravel road it is 0.4 miles and look for the LLL sign on the left (see pictures).

[OneBlade]

Thank you all who attended the Arizona Crappie Association annual July Flagstaff Lake Mary fishing trip and crawfish boil. Everyone who attended helped out tremendously to make this event happen successfully.  Here are a few pictures from the event.  Hope you all can attend next year 'cause it was a blast.

[OneBlade]

A few more pictures.  From Tommy Rufrano:
Annual July Flagstaff trip and Crawfish Boil was a great success. Huge thank you to Larry Larsen for finding us an amazing spot in the woods, Dave Thompson for prepping, catching, and preparing the bugs,  Dave and Fish Hawk for making the boil. Steve Dossett for taking care of the tree stump. Bridget J. Wisniewski for the Birthday Cake, and everyone else for joining in the festivities and doing all the camp chores and making the forest cleaner then when we got there. Cameron Gilliam Randy Blachley Jr. Randy Howton Matt Rokusek Greg McElvaney Krystle Marie Blachley Scott Wisniewski Donna Bryant ...and anyone else I missed.

[OneBlade]

A few more pictures

[apenland01]

Thanks for posting up a report of the event, looks like a great time had by all!