The Albuquerque Journal reported today that the Valles Caldera National Preserve’s fishing program has undergone some changes.
First of all, fly-fishermen with reservations will now be permitted to drive their own vehicles to their beats on the San Antonio River (click here for a view from the sky) on weekdays. However, on the weekends, vans driven by Preserve employees will continue to drive anglers out to the river.
This is rather significant, as this basically affords one a private tour of the Caldera, from South Rim to North Rim, in one’s own automobile. Prior to now the only official way a member of the general public could enjoy this treat was to be fortunate enough to win the hunting lottery, which allows winners to drive their own truck to their hunting units (click here to go to a 360° panorama of the westernmost fishing beat on the Preserve, and click here to see a pano of the portion of the river next to San Antonio Warm Springs).
Secondly, the river is now divided into four beats, between two and five miles long (last year the river was divided into ten beats, each approximately one mile long). The previous lottery program has also been discontinued, in favor of an online reservation system.
The East Fork fishing program inaugurated last year, which allows folks to fish the East Fork of the Jemez River as well as the Jaramillo Creek for $50 ($40 for children) on a first-come-first-served basis, will continue. San Antonio River fishing costs $35 ($25 for children). Click here to see a view from the sky of the confluence of the East Fork of the Jemez River and the Jaramillo Creek in the Valle Grande.
Fishing reservations can be made on the Valles Caldera National Preserve web site by clicking here.
