Cold Days, Cold Nights

I don't know if any fly anglers out there switch over to ice fishing in the winter, but I'm up for giving it a try on Eagle Nest Lake if the ice gets thick enough this winter.  I'm getting a bit desperate up North.  One advantage of living in Santa Fe last year was that the Chama below Abiquiu was short trip away--not anymore.  I also had winter success on the Jemez proper last January.  I need to get to the Rio Grande, but I want to hike in and truthfully I need to pump myself up for it.  I have to be up for the river royally kicking my butt and humbling me.  But, that's what winter is all about.  After a summer where fishing felt too easy, I need nature to remind me who's the boss. 

I visited family in Albuquerque, and got to do some urban fishing.  I tried the Bernalillo drainage, which I had amazing luck at once upon a time.  No fish this time...

I also got to Tingley Beach, which was fishing pretty well!  They were hitting a size 12 prince nymph 3-4 ft. below an indicator.  I was fishing a beadhead, but I seemed to have more success if I crimped a weight on the line about a 8-12 inches above the nymph.  Back in the day I was in the practice of using tiny nymphs at Tingley, but it seems like the fish are less picky.  All of the ones I caught were between 12-14 inches--saw one big one swimming around.  

Anyway, I hope to have some more interesting fishing tales and advice here soon.  I have a big work commitment that's been holding me back from doing a bigger trip, but soon I'll be free from that!  I promise some better fishing tales/tails in 2019.  I'm excited about the snow we've had so far.  Good snowpack means a better fishing season and fewer forest fires.

Feel free to drop a comment below if you have had some success this winter!