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Waters

New Mexico offers the fly fisherman a wide variety of different types of streams to fish. We can take you to high mountain meadow streams, steep gradient freestone streams, small headwaters, larger rivers and tailwaters below dams. Below are descriptions of most of the waters, both public and private, that we fish and guide on. Please look them over to see if there is one river or area you are especially interested in. If you have a particular type of river or stream where you would like to go, or a specific type of fly fishing you would like to experience, let us know. We will do our best to take you to a spot that fulfills your wishes. If you have any particular style of fly fishing or technique you want to either learn or improve upon, we will gladly assist you and can take you to the stream or river best suited to your needs.

Public Waters

The Jemez River & Major Tributaries

The Jemez River and several of its tributaries including the East Fork of the Jemez, San Antonio Creek, the Rio Guadalupe, and the Rio Cebolla offer fly fishermen the opportunity to fish a wide variety of different streams. You can fish mountain meadow streams for browns and Rio Grande cutthroats or rocky freestone streams for browns and rainbows. All of these streams are small and they do not grow large trout, but produce lots of them! The fishing usually starts in March, before spring runoff. After the peak of the runoff in late May, most of the streams will have a stonefly and willow cicada hatch lasting through June. The fishing is good throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall.

Valles Caldera National Preserve: One of the most unique trout fisheries is the Valles Caldera National Preserve. This is the ultimate in mountain meadow fly fishing. Picture this, as you stalk along the banks of the stream, you are constantly seeing trout moving away from you. In some places you drop your fly over the grass and hope it’s in the water. When you hear the gulp of a fish you set the hook. The average number of pounds of trout per surface acre of water in the western United States is about 49 pounds. The streams on the Valles Caldera National Preserve contain approximately 350 to 400 pounds of trout per surface acre. Because of this amazing trout population the trout are not large but they are wild and full of fight and the scenery is beyond belief. The Valles Caldera also has a very large elk herd that often comes down to the streams in the early evenings. This is quite a sight to behold after a day of fishing.

 The Rio Grande & Major Tributaries

Rio Grande: The Rio Grande has fishable trout water from just north of Espanola upstream to the Colorado border. While this may seem like a lot of river to fish, much of it flows through the Rio Grande Gorge, which is extremely difficult to access. In general, the Rio Grande is a river of fewer but larger wild fish. We start to fish “the Rio” in the early spring before it becomes high and turbid from spring runoff, which can often last until mid to late summer. In early fall, when the water clears and big browns are getting ready to spawn, is often the best time to fish here, offering a chance of landing some really nice trout. The Rio Grande has a tremendous caddis hatch that usually starts about Mother’s Day and lasts for several weeks. If you want to fish big pocket water in one of the most beautiful canyons in New Mexico, the Rio Grande Gorge is the place to go.

Red River: The Red River flows into the Rio Grande from the east, north of the town of Questa. New Mexico Game and Fish operates a trout hatchery on the lower part of the stream. Some of the best fishing on the Red is found downstream of this hatchery where warmer water from springs enters the river and enhances fish growth. In mid to late winter there is a spawning run of cuttbows (rainbow/cutthroat hybrids) that move into the lower Red River to spawn. They are strong fighters, averaging 15 to 25 inches in length. The hike down to the confluence of the Red and the Rio Grande is on a winding trail down from the canyon rim. It is quite a hike back out but the incredible natural beauty of the area makes it all worthwhile.

Rio Pueblo de Taos: This tributary to the Rio Grande flows through a gorgeous canyon and contains some of the best pocket water fishing in the area. It has a great population of wild browns and fishes best in spring before high runoff and then again in the fall. Because of the steepness of the canyon walls that border the stream and the extremely steep gradient of stream, it is not a place for the faint of heart. This means that you will be fishing a stream that sees very few other fishermen and though easily accessible, it is still very wild.

    The Rio Chama & Major Tributaries

Rio Chama: The Rio Chama is probably one of the West’s most undiscovered and diverse trout rivers. Starting in the mountains on the Colorado border, it flows as a freestone stream for many miles through high mountain forests and meadows. Below El Vado reservoir, it runs for over thirty miles through rugged, multi-colored sandstone canyons and rough terrain with limited access. For six miles of this section it passes through the 50,000 acre Chama River Canyon Wilderness area. Another less remote stretch flows from below Abiquiu dam down to the Rio Grande. All of the parts of the Chama have good populations of large wild browns and rainbows (the state record brown trout was caught in the river below El Vado). The other nice thing about the Chama is that, by its being so diverse, there is almost always a section of it that is fishing well. Because most of the river is quite remote, you usually see lots of wildlife, the scenery is unrivaled and the fishing can be outstanding. The Chama River is truly a “wild river”, offering an unforgettable fishing experience.

Vallecitos: Located northwest of Santa Fe in the Carson National Forest, the Vallecitos is a small stream that sees very little fishing pressure. It contains several canyons and stretches running through high forest land that are easy to access. In the stream’s lower canyon reaches it has good populations of wild browns and a few rainbows. Further upstream there is a natural barrier that prevents brown trout from moving upstream. In this upper part of the stream, which is seldom fished, there is a large population of wild rainbow and brook trout. When fishing the Vallecitos, one can expect to catch lots of small to medium size fish in some of our most beautiful high desert and mountain country.

Brazos: For the most part, the Brazos River flows through private land (see the “Private Waters” section below). However, there is a short section of the river that is open to public fishing. This short reach provides good fishing for wild browns and stocked rainbows. It offers accessible and easy fishing with great views of the Brazos cliffs.

    The San Juan

The San Juan River is a fishery that everyone should experience. It is world renowned as one of the greatest tailwater trout fisheries there is. In the top 4 miles of river below the dam, there are over 20,000 fish per mile, averaging 17 inches in length; you couldn’t ask for more. Most of the fish are rainbows but the population of browns is increasing. It is primarily a small fly fishery with size #20 to #26 midges on light tippet being the standard setup. It is quite a thrill to hook and land a large fish on this type of gear. The river is big by New Mexico standards but very easy to wade and, with the density of fish being so great, long casts are not usually necessary. Fishing on the San Juan is excellent at any time of year. There are often many other fishermen on the river but because it is so large, you can always find a good spot of your own. The one drawback to fishing the San Juan is that it is not close to anywhere so it makes for a very long daytrip. If you can do it, we would encourage booking at least an over night trip. We offer packages to the San Juan that cover all food, lodging, guiding and travel.

   Costilla Creek

Costilla Creek is possibly New Mexico’s best wild Rio Grande cutthroat stream. It is actually a small tailwater flowing out of Costilla reservoir, down through the gorgeous mountain meadows and gorges of the Valle Vidal. Most of the upper Costilla is fly fishing only. The wading is very easy and casting is unobstructed in the wide open meadows. It is a great stream for relaxing fishing with dry flies and small nymphs. When the conditions are good, you can expect to have non-stop action all day long. Day trips to Costilla Creek are possible but it is up by the Colorado border so we would encourage you to consider an over night trip. We offer packages to Costilla Creek that cover all food, lodging, guiding and travel.

   The Pecos River & Tributaries

The Pecos River is a beautiful, small to medium sized, stream that flows through many different types of terrain. Because it has a road that follows most of its course, it gets a lot of fishing pressure during the summer months. Even so, one can go to areas that are not too crowded. The Pecos River has a good population of wild brown trout and is heavily stocked with rainbows. A major tributary of the Pecos is the Rio Mora. Where the two streams converge, each carries about the same flow and is about the same size. Like the Pecos, the Mora has a good population of browns and is stocked with rainbows in its last half-mile upstream of its confluence with the Pecos. For the angler who wants solitude and the chance to fish for Rio Grande cutthroats, the various small tributaries that form the Mora offer this opportunity. Another major tributary of the Pecos is Cow Creek. Unlike the Mora, Cow Creek has very limited public access. All of these streams fish well before spring runoff. After the runoff, the fishing picks up and is good throughout the summer and into fall.
 

Private Waters
 

Cow Creek Ranch: This ranch is the place to go if you are after that trophy rainbow or a native Rio Grande cutthroat. It has seven lakes that are filled with rainbows and brook trout, and about 4.5 miles of stream that has been improved to provide excellent trout habitat. This is a good place for the beginner to get into catching and for the expert to go after that big one. The ranch controls access to the stream above it. This section of stream is full of wild rainbows, cuttbows, Rio Grande cutthroats, browns, and brook trout. The record for this upper section above the ranch is 126 trout caught by one angler in one day. Cow Creek flows through a high mountain meadow filled with wildflowers, making it a very easy and relaxing place to fish.

High Country Ranch: Located in high mountain meadows, this remote ranch has approximately 7 miles of fishable trout streams. Three miles of the upper Vallecitos and another four miles of Jarosa Creek meander through the ranch. It offers excellent fly fishing for wild rainbows, brook trout, cuttbows, and Rio Grande cutthroats. This is fly fishing in a very beautiful, remote spot where you will not see another person.

Brazos River Ranch: The reach of the Brazos River that runs through this ranch offers the best dry fly fishing in New Mexico. It’s a long drive to get to, making for a long day, but well worth it. At an elevation of 10,000 feet, this part of the Brazos runs through a massive, breathtaking meadow. Casting is not a problem since there are no trees and this section of the river is packed with trout! If you ever wanted to see brook trout collide with one another trying to get your fly, then the Brazos River Ranch is for you.

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