Most anglers hike up and fish the West Fork (aka upper Santa Barbara). It’s the largest of the forks and has the best developed trail, a pleasant hike, and lots of different trout water habitat. There is a stream crossing over a log that can be interesting. You can also hike up the Middle Fork or East Fork if you don’t mind being all by yourself in beautiful, wild, mountainous country.
RIO EMBUDO
Formed by the confluence of Rio Santa Barbara and Rio Pueblo, this is a decent, but very pretty, brown trout stream that fishes best in cool spring and fall and runs west along NM 75.
EMBUDO BOX
This little tributary of the Rio Grande is one of the prettiest places on the planet, and the fishing’s not bad either. Embudo means “funnel” in Spanish, and this place lives up to its name. The river foams through a deep gorge of layered sandstone. There are no real trails down; anglers must scramble. A 4WD to get there is a must. Once at the water, your reward is feisty little browns. The window to fish the Embudo is short, and spring is your best bet. Flows between 35 and 80 CFS are fishiest.
RIO CHIQUITO, POT CREEK, LITTLE RIO GRANDE
These are small streams south of Taos, ideal for dry fly fishing. You’ll find little wild trout, lots of brush, and good camping spots. Access the streams from NM 518 south from Taos. NM 518 follows Little Rio Grande; FR 437 runs alongside miles and miles of Rio Chiquito; and FR 438 follows Pot Creek (also known as Rito de la Olla).
Angler fishing the Rio Chiquito.
RIO PUEBLO DE TAOS
This is almost exclusively a cold-weather fishery because the water heats up and the rocks and boulders get slippery. The only public water is on the last few miles of the river before it dumps into the Rio Grande near Taos Junction Bridge. It can be tough wading at times because of the slippery rocks, but the pocket water holds some big trout, both browns and rainbows. Rio Pueblo de Taos fishes well in fall and even in the snowy days of winter.
CABRESTO CREEK AND LAKE
This alpine lake is loaded with cutthroat and brook trout, but getting there is not all that easy. Passenger vehicles can make it if there is no rain, but to be safe we recommend a high-clearance vehicle, preferably a 4WD. Take NM 38 north through Questa, turn north at NM 563/FR 134. Follow the gravel road to the turnoff at FR 134A. Follow this for a short ways till you reach the lake. The lake is hard to fish from the bank (weedy) so you’ll want to consider a float tube. The 12 miles of bubbly creek are productive but brushy and small, loaded with small brook, brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout. FR 134 runs alongside the creek.
RIO GRANDE
This is a big river with miles and miles of rugged angling and plenty of access points. The Rio Grande is one of the wildest, one of the most productive, and one of the most unsung fisheries in the West. Fish by wading, standing on the bank, or by floating a raft.
This big river used to enjoy a reputation in the 1950s and 1960s as one of the top trout spots in the nation, but the river’s trout population and the numbers of large fish declined in the 1970s and 1980s. Today, to a large degree, the river has recovered.
The Rio Grande cuts a mighty path on its 70-mile southward course from Colorado, through the wide valleys and a deep rift. The Rio Grande is a wide freestone river with deep pools, wide glides, boulders, big pocket water, and riffles, and is inaccessible except in a few places due to the 600- to 1,000-foot deep canyon. Various springs and several streams feed the river.
Pike have become the winter draw on the river. Look for deep, slow pools and fish rainbow trout streamers and hold on. Trout lovers can drop a line for big browns and fat rainbows and a decent population of cutthroat trout. Cast around rocks, along current edges, foam eddies, and at the head and tail of pools.
For trout, use an 8.5- to 9-foot rod for 5- or 6-weight lines. Anglers will want an 8- or 9-weight outfit for pike. Pack a daypack, first aid kit, and some warm clothes. You won’t need to wade, so wear hiking boots with good ankle support. Allow plenty of time to get into the canyon and start hiking out early. This is not for the faint of heart because there are some very steep trails.
Runoff in late May can be heavy, but the Rio Grande is productive year-round. You’re in for a serious hike along rugged trails to reach many of the best and out-of-the-way spots. There are a number of trails leading to the river. Most are steep, many are unmarked, and many shouldn’t be tried unless you are in good shape. It’s a long way down and a long way back out.
If the water is off color and high, fish to the edges and in clearer water. No need to fish when the sun is off the water. Fish late and leave early. For light hiking, the best access to the Rio Grande is at the John Dunn Bridge, west of Arroyo Hondo, at the confluence of the Rio Hondo and Rio Grande. As you travel north on NM 522, you will cross the bridge over Rio Hondo and turn left (west) on B006 and, after a bit, B007 to go to John Dunn Bridge over Rio Grande. The river can also be reached at Pilar, at the confluence of the Red River and in several points in the Wild and Scenic River National Recreation Area.
COYOTE CREEK
This is a highly fished, highly stocked small stream south of Angel Fire. From Angel Fire, take NM 434 south about 30 miles. You’ll enjoy a twisting, narrow road to get there, but you’ll also enjoy a half day angling for small wild browns and stocked rainbow trout in a pretty place.
You can fish in Coyote Creek State Park, a pretty little park in a valley famous for its wildflowers and forests of pine and spruce. Lots of sections of the creek have riparian habitat, willows and cottonwood trees, that will interrupt your casts, but there are some nice open meadow stretches too. There are several miles of public fishing outside of the park but the trout are skittish so be invisible.
Don’t wear the chest waders; this is small, shallow water ideal for wet wading and fly fishing. The public water is limited but marked. Because of the tightness and difficulty, the stream doesn’t get lots of pressure. The creek is less than 10 feet across in most places and has lots of brush and overhanging limbs to mess with your casting. The two access points are Coyote Creek State Park and Harold Brock Fishing Area.
Angler fishing the confluence of the Rio Grande and Red River.
CIMARRON RIVER
The Cimarron River shouldn’t be overlooked. A twenty-nine-inch, nine-pound brown trout was caught in its quality water section a couple of years ago. This dry-fly haven has some of the highest density of catchable trout in the southwest.
From Eagle Nest, take US 64 east through scenic low-slung mountains that spill into the fishing town of Eagle Nest. Eagle Nest Lake is loaded with rainbow trout, mackinaw, and kokanee salmon. The Cimarron flows from Eagle Nest Lake, so the tandem is close enough that you can fish and enjoy both in a single day. You can park at any number of pullouts in the 8-mile stretch. There may be a car at every pullout, but don’t be discouraged. Find a parking spot and just hike a bit. Soon you’ll have plenty of water to yourself. We recommend a guide for your first go at the Cimarron. It’s a tailwater, and while the choppiness and freestone nature will have you believing it fishes with big dry flies, you’re going to have a long day until you figure out the hatches, the feeding times, and the locations where the wild browns and stocked rainbows tend to hang throughout the day.
Spin fishermen will have success when the water is up, but when the flows are low, you’ll be in for a long day casting Rooster Tails and Panther Martins through skinny pools.
The Cimarron River has a high