August 2008
After watching the river flow data on the Los Pinos almost every day since our trip earlier this year, I was getting an itchy casting finger as the numbers dropped steadily from the 330 cfs we saw in June, to below 100 cfs in August. Anything under 100 on the Los Pinos is just a real pleasure to fish - nice deep holes holding big brown, fast ripples where the rainbows like to feed, and long sweeping bends with perfect edge water that almost guarantees a hit. As a bonus you 
can cross from one bank to the other at will, and retrieve a snagged fly without filling your waders.
Looking downriver just below camp
Not one to argue against data, at least when it comes to fishing, and having cleared all of my other summer and family obligations that tied up nearly every weekend since June, I finally saw my chance to get back on the river, now flowing at 25 cfs.
In a normal year, late August would not even be a consideration for the Los Pinos. With flows at a trickle, and more significant, water temperatures so warm the trout shift into a state of lethargy, August fly fishing is simply not productive. Better to spend
time somewhere north of New Mexico, on the big rivers in higher country, or comfortably sitting in the kick boat on deep, cold reservoirs like North Catamount on Pikes Peak.
one of her shoes, holding it hostage out in the yard. At eleven years old he’s pretty much over this type of juvenile behavior, unless he’s upset with me – guess he was pissed.
From my camp at the top end of the special trout waterWhat was also unusual for the year was the rain. Morning rain. Night rain. All day rain. It rained some part of every one of the four days, and most of two of them. You expect the brief, late afternoon shower in August. But even those, which are like clock-work in June and July, are starting to ease up in August. I don’t mind fishing in the rain – in fact it can be especially exciting when the fish kick into feeding mode ahead of the coming silt choked wave heading downstream. This rain turned everything from the Los Pinos to the Rio Grande, the Vallecitos to the Embudo River into a latte colored mess. Forget the fishing….day three and four, anyway.
s Rio Arriba County Road for US 285 and points south, I stopped at the entrance to the campground, rigged up and got in the river just above Doc’s place.Well Land-o-Goshen! As I learned a long time ago, you catch a lot more fish in the water than out; it was a fine time on the Los Pinos. In a little more than two hours I released around twenty fish, mostly brown, and three or four rainbows. Nothing worthy of a lodge mount, but decent fish for August to be sure. I was feeling pretty content by the time I got out of the water.
And a good thing too, as the rain started in again Saturday afternoon and only took short breaks over the next 36 hours. By the time I crossed back over the Los Pinos on Monday afternoon, it was chocolate soup – not very appetizing. 
At least the rain and cool weather had saturated the valley with rich colors, and clean, fragrant air.
Almost Heaven
So, on to the Land of Enchantment, low property taxes, education, and annual income; high unemployment, substance abuse, and chili pepper consumption per capita. The goal, more of a dream maybe, is to find some little perfect slice of one of the country’s poorest states, while it is still undiscovered and affordable. Even here, that seems impossible, especially with any serious water feature involved. 
That doesn’t keep me from looking, as I have off and on for the past twenty years. Could it be the idea is better than the thing? The hunt is better than the kill?
They do like to weld in Rio Arriba County
And in Taos County, too, I'd say
I visited Estaca (stake) and Petaca (trunk), and even South Petaca (who’d guess you’d need another one); Vallecitos (little valley) and La Madera (fine wood), Canyon Plaza (canyon place), and La Cueva (cave); Ancones (open road), Truchas (trout), and Dixon (Dixon).
I looked at a $37,000 house on a half acre in Vallecitos (I’d rather have the money); 108 acres with a stream, pasture, forest, canyon, and water and mineral rights for $351,000 (I wish I had the money), and several variations and price ranges in between.
$351K gets you everything you see and lots more
Not fishing and not buying property was wearing me out, so I did the only reasonable thing left 
to do – I went to a winery, sampled the wares, bought a half case of their best vino, and checked into the La Fonda on the Taos Plaza. A hot shower was followed up with a hot meal, and a serious appreciation of being out of the rain and off of the hard ground. The only thing I was missing was the hot springs.
Vineyard at Cnoncito
La Chiripada (a stroke of luck) Winery at Dixon
If I recall correctly, this report is really about fishing the Los Pinos in the late season. 
All things said, it is generally not advised. In a typical year things really slow down by the end of July. I was lucky in an unusual year – nothing you could count on of course. What I do recommend is a late summer or fall New Mexico road trip. What ever your interest or excuse is to get into the back country, pack your fly rod and maybe you’ll luck out too.
Room at the Inn - Room with a View Taos Plaza
See you in June, not later, on the Los Pinos.
MQ
I wonder if this place is for sale
