We got off to a late start this year with the Valles Caldera National Preserve fly fishing clinics, primarily because of the uncertainty surrounding new administrative ground rules. We need a couple of volunteers to help with two clinics, one scheduled for beginner adults on July 23 and the second for kids and adults on August 20. You don't have to volunteer for both. These clinics will be abbreviated from what we did last year, focusing on a 50-minute introduction to fly fishing using our handout, followed by 50-minutes of casting practice. We will start at 8:30 am, and drive to the San Antonio cabin area ... Read More
July 13, 2016
The next general meeting will be held on Tuesday September 13. Jerry Burton will give a presentation on small lakes and ponds winter fly fishing. In other words, where to go in the winter when when you just need to get out and wet a fly ... Read More
July 1, 2016
Fly, Notes and Photos by Jake Villock Used by Permission From the June/July 2016 newsletter Hook: TMC C200BL 12-16 Bead: Tungsten Bomb Bead - size to Match Hook Rib 1: Mirage Tinsel - Small Rib 2: Ultra Wire - Small Body: Pheasant Tail - Yellow, Natural, Orange Splitback: Goose Biot - Yellow, Orange Shellback: Holo Tinsel - Black - Large Thorax: SLF (Synthetic Living Fibers) - Nymph Thorax Collar: SLF - Nymph Thorax Here is a great variation of an awesome fly that I have used all over the US. After hearing about it multiple times, I decided to tie a ... Read More
July 1, 2016
Ron Loehman, Conservation Chairman The 1.3 miles of the Rio Guadalupe from Porter's Landing to Llano Loco Spring is designated as a Special Trout Water by the NM Game and Fish Department (NMG&FD). These regulations restrict anglers to single barbless hooks on artificial flies or lures and require any fish caught to be released unharmed. Over the years, the signs posting these regulations have deteriorated or been knocked down so that many anglers seem not to know that they apply to the Guadalupe. Mike Maes (NM Trout Membership Chairman) recently observed this situation, which prompted an offer from us to the ... Read More
July 1, 2016
The New Mexico Central Arizona Project Entity, or NMCAPE, decided to abandon an estimated billion dollar plan for capturing the river's water, which entailed diversion of the Gila and storing waters in an off-stream reservoir near Turkey Creek. The NMCAPE directed its engineering contractor to continue studying only those projects that would cost $80-100 million to build, which is the amount of funding New Mexico anticipates receiving from the federal government to develop water from the Gila. The NMCAEPE also acknowledged that the project will be smaller, and would not be capable of delivering all 14,000 acre feet of water ... Read More
July 1, 2016
Noah Parker, Land of Enchantment Guides Releasing the fish we catch is the best way we have for preserving a quality fishery. If you want to have good fishing tomorrow, please release the fish you catch today. Just because a fish swims away after it leaves your hands, does not necessarily mean it is in good shape. A fish that is carelessly handled and then released, may die later the same day or may be so weakened and injured that it dies a week or month later. It takes care and caring to properly catch and release a fish so ... Read More
July 1, 2016
Ron Loehman, Conservation Chairman New Mexico Trout conservation volunteers worked hard and accomplished a lot earlier this month on a series of projects on the Rio Cebolla along Forest Road 376. As is customary, the first work project of the season also featured a barbeque lunch for all the volunteers. Our work was guided by Phyllis Martinez, a ranger with the Jemez District, and Cecil Rich, fisheries biologist with the Santa Fe National Forest. We had a good turnout, with enough volunteers to tackle three separate tasks. The first task, which was directed by Cecil Rich, was to plant willow ... Read More
July 1, 2016
On 1 June,18 of the 20 lucky winners of the club sponsored lottery to fish Cow Creek Ranch met at 6:30 a.m. at the Lowes on Paseo Del Norte's parking lot. Car pools were organized and we set off for Cow Creek Ranch. Knowing that folks would get separated driving the interstate, we all met at the Glorieta/Pecos exit where many of the anglers had a cup of coffee from a coffee truck. The truck is like a food truck except it serves all kinds of coffee drinks at lower prices than Starbucks. We departed the exit and traveled caravan ... Read More
July 1, 2016