Tangled Lines and broken rods on the Pecos River...

October 1, 2011

This fishing trip was reminiscent of many trips we have taken with our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren over the years.

The Jemez River is where we usually take our great-grandkids Brandon and Kyra fishing, primarily because the Jemez streams are only about 45 minutes from our home. The streams in the Jemez Mountains are running murky and the fishing is slow. The Las Conchas fire this year in the Jemez Mountains has really done some damage to the area. The effects of the fire, as destructive as it was, continued its destruction with the runoff from the rains that finally came after the fire was extinguished. The streams have carried ash and other debris downstream with the small floods that ensued killing off many trout and leaving black sediment in the riparian areas along the stream banks of the beautiful landscape in the mountain range.  

We were finally able to get Brandon and Kyra together for a fishing trip with Grandma and Grandpa. I took Kyra fishing on the Pecos two weeks ago and did OK so we decided to fish the Pecos River. When we left for our trip the sun was just starting to rise over the Sandia Mountains. The ride up to the Pecos River was uneventful and we seemed to get there quickly.

After we arrived in the town of Pecos I gazed at the river as we crossed the bridge I saw the water was clearer than is was two weeks ago and as we continued through the canyon we saw fewer people than we did on our last trip. Fewer people and better water is always a good thing. We drove directly to Tererro where we would fish first. Tererro is located at the confluence of Holy Ghost Creek and the Pecos River. There is a camping area on one side of the Pecos river and a general store and riding stables on the other. The camping area is about two hundred yards in length and ends at a hiking trail.

I was getting the fishing gear setup for Grandma, Brandon and Kyra and I noticed my spinning rod tip was broken. It broke at the first guide down from the tiptop so Brandon was able to use it. Grandma, Brandon and Kyra started for the stream while I was getting my fly rod setup.

By the time I got down to the big hole that the guys were fishing Grandma had caught the first rainbow which turned out to be the biggest...well that is Grandma at her finest.

When I finally set up my all my gear I headed upstream to fish the pocket water the narrow braids and the large pools. I tied on a pheasant-tail nymph, size 18 and after a few long casts to the deepest part of the run I was fishing I got a hit and soon realized that the fish were on the bottom for sure. I tied on a couple of dry flies but knew after a few casts that my first assessment was correct...they were on the bottom.

Generally, the clearer the water the longer the casts need to be. I fished for about an hour using the pheasant-tail nymph again and got into several German brown trout and brought several to hand before releasing them. I was fishing another run and Brandon and Kyra came up behind me and informed that Kyra was getting hungry. We hiked back together downstream to where Grandma was still fishing. By then Grandma had brought to hand three nice rainbows and Kyra caught one nice rainbow.

We fished the area a little while longer and since the catching seemed to slow down and Kyra was starving, we loaded up the truck to head down to the Windy Bridge area to have lunch. Brandon and I cleaned the fish and put them in the cooler and about 20 minutes later we were at Windy Bridge setting up a picnic table for our lunch.

When we arrived at Windy Bridge I noticed to tip of my fly rod was broken. I bought this Generation 5 Sage TXL 7'-10" 3-weight  rod last year and I was really crushed, this rod casts very smoothly with little effort. A grown man is not supposed to cry, but it was close. I have no Idea how it happened because I am always so careful with all of our gear. But this stuff does happen.

Now back to lunch...

We had some sliced turkey for Grandma and some slice Virginia bake ham for the rest of us with all the fixins', chips and so on. There is something to say about eating out in the woods...the food always tastes better. Another great lunch together, eating, laughing and enjoying each other's company.

When we finished lunch I sent everybody upstream from the picnic area while I cleaned up and loaded everything back into the truck. I broke down my fly rod and put it back in the case and decided I would just take pictures the rest of the day.

By the time I grabbed my camera gear a got to the first big hole I suggested to grandma that she fish the second big hole a few paces upstream. Grandma, Brandon and Kyra fished the hole for an hour or so getting strikes from bait stealers and bringing no fish to hand. Kyra got her line tangled in her reel and asked if I could fix it. I spent some time untangling the line and before I was even finished Brandon asked if I would help him get him line out from under his reel. I told him he had to wait in line and "lo-and-behold" Grandma needed help. After what seemed to be an hour I had all the tangled lines untangled and they were all fishing again while I took a lot photos.

It became apparent by about 3:00 or so that the fishing had somewhat turned off and all the anglers were ready to call it quits. We hiked back to the truck and loaded it for our trip home. We were driving through town when Kyra said, "Grandpa has Grandma had ever seen the Pecos National Monument?" Grandma replied, "No, I haven't." Kyra suggested I take her and I did. After a short visit through the ruins we drove towards the Pecos DQ for the family tradition of ice cream after a good or even a bad day of fishing. After our ice cream consumption we headed for home.

What do think the odds of two rods getting broken and untangling three reels a couple of times in a day of fishing? Actually not as high as you might think. The best part about it is I am probably good for a while. I will clean my reels and put new line on them and take my rods to get them fixed and have them ready for a new trip in the near future.

A man could not ask for more than to spend a day fishing with his wife and his children or grandchildren.

...tight lines...Phil Springer

Finally again...

Northern New Mexico has been tough to fish for us this year with high gas prices in the Winter and the Spring, high winds in the spring, fires during the summer and ash from the burned areas running off in the late summer choking the streams in the Jemez Mountains area.

The last time we went fishing was in October of last year which is very unusual. My Great-Grand Daughter Kyra has been anxious to go fishing all year. Kyra sent me an email last week which said "Grandpa, do you know when are we going fishing?"  Well, I replied "next week." After all, that is my job.

I picked up Kyra Friday after she got out of school and when we arrived at our home we loaded my truck with all the stuff we needed for a day trip to the Pecos River, north of Santa Fe in the Sange De Christo Mountains (Spanish for "Blood of Christ").

We hit the road early Saturday morning and arrived at windy bridge about 7:15 am ready to fish. The water was a little high but clear and the weather was nice. It was evident that it rained the night before. I was hoping to take a lot of pictures  while fishing with Kyra so I was prepared for that also.  After we setup our gear, we hiked a couple of hundred yards upstream where a large pool formed around a boulder was and began casting in the water with little action for awhile and about 9:30 the fish started to feed.

She has been a quick learner and it is evident when I let her use Grandma's open face spinning reel.  I showed her how to use it once and the first time she cast it perfectly. Her Dora fishing pole with a Zebco reel will no doubt  be handed down to her younger brother Conrad soon. I guess it is time for her to graduate to the next level. By early spring I will start her working with a fly rod.

And Kyra caught her first rainbow of the day shortly after.  The fish were picky to say the least but that did it not dissuade Kyra's stick-to-itiveness. We got several hits but no more fish to hand. When a man and his young son came up across from us and started to fish the same hole we were fishing we decided to go to another spot. So much for fishing etiquette...and a valuable lesson for Kyra.

We decided to fish in Dalton Canyon in the day use area and fished there for about an hour with a few bites from "bait stealers." The fish were there in the stream today but difficult to catch. Kyra asked, "Grandpa, when do think we will have lunch?" and since it was 11:30 I said, "We can eat now, let's go back to  Windy Bridge where there are picnic tables." She agreed...

We drove back to Windy Bridge and broke out a great lunch we prepared together while swatting some bees away. Once the bees left we began eating our lunch. While we were eating I told Kyra, "I wish the fishing was better, but just you and I enjoying being together is more important and she agreed." Saying, "You are right Grandpa, that 's what is really important." We say these things to our children and Grandchildren hoping to make easier for them, after all, when they are catching a lot of fish it is more fun...but Kyra really meant what she said.

We finished our lunch and chose to fish the original fishing hole where we started and within an hour Kyra caught a nice German brown. After that, she got several hits but no fish to hand. She finally said "Grandpa are you ready to go home?" and I said "Whenever you are." So we packed up our stuff and drove around the town of Pecos and visited the Pecos National Monument to take some photos and we rounded off our trip with the traditional ice cream cone at the Pecos DQ and started for home.

I used to take Kyra's Mother Valene and her brother James fishing on the Pecos when they were Kyra's age. I was hoping to take Kyra to all those spots where her Mother fished but most of the spots were crowded with other anglers.

Glad to be a Grandpa...

...tight lines...Phil