Author Archives: Karl Moffatt
Tribal Lakes Make for Good Spring Fishing with Acomita Lake the Newest Hot Spot
It’s a Saturday morning and the sounds of kids playing drifts across Acomita Lake on a slight breeze. Waves lap at the shoreline while the lonely wail of train’s horn sounds in the distance. Mount Taylor looms on the horizon and the shoreline is busy with early spring anglers despite the fact that Acomita … Continue reading
Santa Rosa Lake Headed for Dangerously Low Levels But Efforts May Save Some Fish.
Santa Rosa Lake is expected to drop to perilous levels as downstream agricultural irrigators call for their water later this month but this time they hope to leave enough behind to help keep the popular fishery alive. “We don’t want to see another environmental disaster,” says Dudley Jones, Manager for the Carlsbad Irrigation District (CID) … Continue reading
Remote Forest Cabin Makes for Great Romantic Getaway
Looking for a romantic getaway in the great outdoors after being cooped up all winter? Then the Forest Service has got just the place for you, a neat little cabin in the woods, tucked in among a vast stand of aspens with a babbling brook and beaver ponds right outside the front door. And it’s … Continue reading
Lack of Runoff This Year Cramps Rio Grande Rafting Style.
White water thrill seekers will be lucky to see a high water rafting season this year due to below average snowpack and a lack of real runoff. Complicating matters is the ongoing drought, low soil moisture conditions, warm, windy weather and a storm stingy La Nina pattern. “It looks like it’ll be poor runoff season … Continue reading
Bandelier Now Even More Spectacular with New Theatre and Film
It’s already a magical place that captivates visitors with its mysterious caves, ancient Indian history and soaring cliff walls. But now Bandelier National Monument is all that much better with the recent addition of a new high tech theatre showcasing a visually stunning film of the monument and its surroundings. And that’s just another … Continue reading
Villanueva State Park- A Charming, Secluded Get Away
Gazing out from the overlook trail at Villanueva State Park one can see the Pecos River sparkling in the sunlight as it meanders through the scenic valley below. It’s a short but steep climb to the top of the hill overlooking this tidy little state park, but the rewards are spectacular views of the surrounding … Continue reading
Fisher-Chick, Clarissa Lopez, Shares Old School Fishing Tips, Top Spots and Great Gear
Got fat, lazy, kids dominated by cell phones, captivated by video, stupefied by TV? Maybe it’s time to drag them out of the house and teach them one of New Mexico’s favorite outdoor pastimes, like how to fish, the old fashioned way, with a simple pole and some bait down at the local fishing hole. … Continue reading
Newly Reopened Acomita Lake is Hot Spot for Trout, Scenery and a Good Time
Tim Davidson, 57, of Shiprock shows off a nice rainbow trout he caught at Acomita Lake this spring. It’s a Saturday morning and the sounds of kids playing drifts across Acomita Lake on a slight breeze. Waves lap at the shoreline while the lonely wail of train’s horn sounds in the distance. Mount Taylor looms … Continue reading
Longtime Fly Fishing Guide and Noted Author, Van Beacham, Offers Fall Fishing Tips
If it’s fall and you fish, it’s time to be on the Rio Grande enjoying a warm sunny afternoon chasing hungry trout on the state’s big river. “It’s the optimal time of year to be fishing the Rio Grande and its tributaries,” says Van Beacham, a longtime Taos area guide and author of “Flyfisher’s Guide … Continue reading
Bosque del Apache: A Winter Wildlife Spectacle
The massive flock of snow geese all took off at once, engulfing this lone visitor to the Bosque del Apache in a swirling mass of brilliant white and the din of heavy honking. Within minutes the birds were all gone and the air became still again. But then the clucking calls of a few cranes … Continue reading