Location: Southern New Mexico near Cloudcroft and Ruidoso.
Species: Rainbow and brown trout.
Equipment: 8- to 9-foot rods for 4- to 6-weight line.
Notes: Think small. Small flies, small tippet. This is one of the premier fisheries in the West. Few anglers know about it, but many anglers fish it incorrectly. If you like to fish with big flies, use streamers. The Powell Ranch stretch does not advertise, but its four or five miles are fishable, if not exactly prolific. And it only costs $5 to access. The Bernard Cleve section, the only public water on the river, has plenty of gravel, which means the fall spawners end up on this water come autumn, although it does get awfully low at times.
Contact: There are three main sections of the Rio Peqasco: the Foley Ranch, the Mulcock Ranch, and the Bernard Cleve Ranch, although parts of these (and a few others) often share the river as a boundary. Both the Foley and Mulcock sections, about seven miles of water, charge day fees and require anglers to fish with a guide. The total cost for each river is $300 a day. To fish the Foley section, the most pristine section of this spring creek, anglers should make reservations through the Reel Life shops in Santa Fe (505-995-8114), or Albuquerque (505-268-1693). To fish the Mulcock section, anglers can make reservations through the Reel Life Flyshops or by calling Mulcock Ranch directly (505-687-3352 or 746-6785).
Where are you going?
What do you want to do?
