From the October/November 2016 newlsetter by Patrick Welch During the cold dark winter of 2002 in Valdez, Alaska, I was looking for a pattern to fish the interior lakes near Chitina. When the ice goes out in May, the rainbows in these lakes can be very aggressive. If you haven't had something to eat for six months, you would be hungry too. After some experimentation, I ended up with an attractor pattern that seemed to be very effective in these lakes. After three years of experimentation, I completed what I call the Pumpkin Bugger, basically a wooly bugger with a ... Read More
November 9, 2016
A non-traditional fly tying material is making waves across the nation. The fly is made from a fuzzy strand cut from a cheap mop and tied to a hook. Several colors are available including salmon pink and fluorescent green. The mop fly originated with a visit about 10 years ago to a North Carolina dollar store that sold a chartreuse mop with thick microfiber nubs. "I just saw that thing and thought it would work," says Jim Estes, a 72-year-old retiree. He cut off some pieces and tied them to hooks weighed down with metal beads. Trout devoured them. The ... Read More
November 9, 2016
A local attraction known for fishing will officially be closing its doors on 30 October. Jan Phillips is one of the owners of Shady Lakes, which has been a part of the Phillips family since 1962. Even though the Phillips family is closing the door on Shady Lakes, Jan hopes whoever ends up buying the fishing hole can keep the tradition going. The owners have yet to put the property on the market. Shady Lakes was originally just a bait farm when it was first purchased by the Phillips family in 1962. Once they bought it, they quickly converted it ... Read More
November 9, 2016
Oasis State Park in Portales, with support from the Friends of Oasis is holding their 26th Annual Kids Fishin' Clinic on Saturday, November 5, 2016 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Kids aged 6-17 will have the opportunity to learn all about various fishing techniques, water safety, fish biology and learn the difference between a trout and a catfish by rotating through nine learning stations. Lunch for participants is provided at noon and sponsored by the Community Services Center and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Portales. Following lunch, awesome outdoor prizes like fishing rods, sleeping bags and sports equipment ... Read More
November 9, 2016
The Upper Colorado River Commission is offering $1.8 million in funding for pilot projects in which users in the upper basin states of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico voluntarily reduce their demand on the Colorado River. Drought is turning the nation's largest reservoir dry - Lake Mead reached its lowest levels this summer since the 1930s - and Lake Powell is limping along, just a little over half full. The major tributary in New Mexico to the Colorado River and Lake Powell is the San Juan River. The idea for these pilot projects is to test what works and ... Read More
November 9, 2016
News from the October/November 2016 newsletter. 1. Bamboo rod raffle. 2. Santa Fe National Forest Plan 3. Looking for a Youth Director 4. Conclave is February 11 ... Read More
November 9, 2016
We had a technical problem at the September monthly meeting, so here are Jerry's slides on winter fishing in New Mexico ... Read More
October 11, 2016
SANTA FE, NM – July 25, 2016 – For Immediate Release. While Forest Service crews were constructing a fence to protect critical habitat for the endangered New Mexico meadow jumping mouse, a 10-person team of researchers from Northern Arizona University (NAU) confirmed that the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) is home to the species. Wildlife ecologist and NAU School of Forestry professor Carol Chambers, Ph.D., and her crew surveyed 10 sites in or near suitable habitat for the mouse and confirmed its presence in eight of the 10. Dr. Chambers' team used Sherman traps, which are box-style traps used for live ... Read More
July 25, 2016