Corpusfishing.com

[ziacatcher]

This morning is another day decided to go down to the Rio Grande to do a little bit of fishing. Before going there Mary and I decided we want to get some exercise so we went for a 2-hour hike. We stopped at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge and Hike the west rim trail for a couple hours.



This bridge is 700 feet above the river where I'm eventually go to fish. Buffalo's bridge but Downriver more. The bridge also is in various famous movies such as wild hogs, Easy Rider and Terminator Salvation among others.

The Gorge was caused by the Earth separating and the river dropping down as opposed to erosion by the river itself. In this picture you can see how the Earth separated with the fingers pointing towards each other



Was hoping to see some Wildlife including bighorn sheep along the way. And one point we stopped and looked over the edge and down at the river itself there was a small flock of about 7 sheep. We watched them climb up the Rocks about half way before we continued on our journey. A short while later we looked around and all of them were on top of the Mesa. Awesome how they could Traverse 700 feet straight up on the rocks. A short while later we see a flock of bighorn sheep in front of us and it about 150 yards. We kept walking closer and closer to see how close we can get to take better pictures. Here's where the title of my post comes in; not in all my wildest dreams did I think I can get close enough to sheep that we whould be surrounded by them. I didn't realize they were such docile creatures





Here's Mary among part of the flock


Here is one that was more ham than Ram. Look like he was mugging for the camera



On the way back Mary had to stop and retie her boot. I took a walk over to the edge and looked down and about 15 ft below me there was a bald eagle flying. It was just hunting back and forth on the Rocks. Pretty awesome to be higher than an eagle.

On the way to the river I stopped at a fly shop in Taos and pick up a couple things I needed then talked to one of the workers there. I told him that I was only able to catch one trout a day basically when I went to the river. He said that if I was catching one a day I was doing pretty good because this time of year that's not normally the case. Water is so cold that the fish are real inactive. Finally made it to the river and much to my surprise I picked up three rainbows. Surprised me after talking to the worker at the shop



we get home and I sit down in my recliner looking through my phone at the pictures. I look it up and look out my window and I see this gorgeous sunset. Can't have much better day than I had today

[bulldog1935]

from Chama, Rio Grande gorge is on the way to Taos Pueblo (also filmed parts of Easy Rider there)




Some more good water to fish nearby is the Rio Brazos and Conejos.
The Conejos access is National Forest land.
There's a public-access state lease on the Rio Brazos not far from Chama, and of course really good pay access at the Meadows below Corkins lodge.
Very different from the snow-melt creeks, the Rio Brazos is a spring creek.

If you don't have it, the bible for the fishing the CO/NM border is Fly Fishing Northern New Mexico, put together by the Sangre de Cristos FFF chapter.

Its amazing how the country varies in different parts of the east slope in NM. The Mora and Coyote Creek, part of the Pecos drainage, is like a little rain forest tucked in the arid country.

If the train is running this winter, the ride to Cumbres pass would be great.

[landlocked beachbum]

Very cool report Zia!🖖
_________________
Dave


"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

[ziacatcher]

Hey bulldog will be spending Christmas Eve at Taos Pueblo watching the procession of the Virgin. It is just awesome.
Also I have that book that you are referring to. Also have a book written by Nick Streit who is the owner of the Taos Fly Shop. That's who I talked to today

[Frederick dunphey]

Awesome pic's, thanks for sharing.

[shallowsport]

Amazing stuff there. Fantastic adventure .
_________________
"I do hunt and I do fish and I do not apologize to anyone that I hunt and fish." - Norman Schwarzkopf

[bulldog1935]

[Central Scrutinizer]

Beautiful pictures Zia, but for those of us with Acrophobia, no more pictures from the rim!!!

[fishinglady]

Thanks so much for sharing your pictures of such a beautiful place.

[manuel9622]

Just awesome! Thanks for sharing
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Shallow Sportn' it

[hillcountryfisherman]

Fished Monday around C.C. Bay. Lots of Drum, One Trout per Twenty Five Dinks, Caught two limits of reds, several 17" to 19" Reds went overboard, several Sandy's.

Tuesday with the fog was slow start heading to 9 mile, no fish, very windy. Saw around 11 dudes in Blaze Orange with rifles being taken South to i guess El Toro to shot Nilgi or deer. Use to be the best kept secret. Land cut was ripen south with strong winds all day. Also dudes running the Land Cut glassing the shores for deer several times. Killed the Red fish at Sunday House. Limits of Drum hitting the spoils around the Meadows. All Live Shrimp from Clem's. [ $ 18.00 a quart there $ 20.00 at Bluff Landing.

Yesterday , Wednesday was beautiful Quick Red fish limits around Shamrock and Sinclair channel and several Drum. Only three quality trout. Also some small flounder. Bite stopped at 1:30.

[saltyhook]

Thanks for the photos Zia. Really brought back memories of 1970 when I crossed the Gorge. Not a place people forget. You have defiantly seen more wildlife then I did, I suspect those Rams are another successful restoration program .
Please carry on with your vacation post's I have enjoyed them all.
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Fishing is not a matter of life or death it is much more important then that !
Saltyhook

[Tyler]

Tremendous pictures. Really awe inspiring. Thank YOU!
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[TroutChaser]

Great pics

[landlocked beachbum]