After joining the club more than a year ago, I fished the Mesilla Valley Fly Fishers lease on the Penasco River last week. They have about 2 miles or so of stream on the Runyan Ranch in Chaves County. I caught two chubs and two rainbows.One of the rainbows was nice 14" fish who gave me nice little battle with a few leaps. My friend caught three decent sized rainbows in the deep pool pictured above.We only fished the upper mile or so.The lower half has been stocked recently and may have more fish. The ranch is a hardscabble little piece of chaparral,where they still try and can make a living due to the miracle of this spring fed stream. Don't expect scenery or some pristine situation.Note:you must be a member of MVFF to fish this section of the stream. The yearly dues are $20 and the daily fee is $25.
Last time I fished the Penasco, with two friends(1st weekend in Nov., 2013), we had pretty good luck behind the beauty parlor in Mayhill. There is a lengthy state easement there, folks are friendly; nice water,some deep holes, ancient willow trees lining the banks. Of course, the entire lower Penasco is a glorified ditch, but it's a pretty ditch, and it still holds some very nice fish. The banks are deeply undercut.Behind Betty's Parlor, under a little footbridge, I saw two browns side by side (spawners?). Both would have pushed 20", but of course I couldn't get either one to pay any attention to me.
ReplyDeleteWe also fished a 200 yard stretch of Lincoln NF land at mile marker 40, one of the very few public access spots on the entire lower Penasco. It was another good stretch. My friend Joey lost a nice brown that was about as long as the creek was wide --this would make it yet another fish pushing 20". My biggest was a 13"-14" brown, Joey's a 15" rainbow.
The Lincoln Forest has some of the most threatening no trespassing signs I've ever seen Some say "absolutely no stopping", on a state/US Highway, no less. Those Texans mean business, but they're never home, it seems. Still, I have had pretty good luck getting permission from the owners when they are home.....
I've had two 25 dollar permits in my truck for about 2 years. I just can't excited about fishing the Penasco. Probably, for at least one reason, it is as you describe it- " a glorified ditch." It is,however, interesting to know about these two public access spots.
ReplyDeleteA jewel in the desert that's for sure.
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