Our newest water belongs to a guide and good friend of mine who purchased his piece of "the Land of Enchantment" a few years ago. It's located on the lower end of the Rio Costilla. The upper Rio Costilla, featured in my book, Flyfishers Guide to New Mexico, has become famous as the finest fly fishing for native Rio Grande cutthroat trout in New Mexico. The Valle Vidal and Rio Costilla Park combine to provide about 12 miles of absolutely beautiful, pristine flyfishing reminiscent of Yellowstone National Park.

While we take a lot of people fishing in the Valle Vidal it can get quite crowded at times, so when water levels are optimum, we go to our private water. There are cutthroats but most are beautiful, scrappy, cutbows that average 12 to 16 inches, some larger. This section of the Costilla fishes best in the spring before run-off and before they turn up the flow out of Costilla Reservoir for irrigation and again in the fall after they turn the river down, about mid September.

Call us at 1-866-502-1700 or email us at jack@thesolitaryangler.com to book a trip on the Rio Costilla.

For details on techniques, seasons, hatches and access to the Rio Costilla refer to my book, The Flyfisher's Guide to New Mexico.

*The Costilla Creek property is also available to members of the SAC.