Your Guide to the Best Fishing Spots in Santa Fe

Historic Santa Fe has a lot to offer its residents. From your luxurious Olympus Rodeo apartment, you've probably visited The Plaza, traveled the Santa Fe Margarita Trail, and explored local eateries. But have you ventured much outside the city? Surprisingly, the Santa Fe area offers some of the best fly fishing in the nation.

Let's look at three locations where you can fish your fill near the Olympus Rodeo apartments.

SANTA FE NATIONAL FOREST

Located just under 80 miles northwest of Santa Fe, the massive Santa Fe National Forest offers nearly 20 lakes teeming with fish plus 1,000 miles of streams. Anglers will find everything from well-established lakeside fishing areas to hidden streams suited only to hardcore backpackers. 

The waters in this national treasure are diverse enough to provide homes for both warm and cold-water fish species. Some more remote areas are even home to the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, New Mexico's official state fish.

RIO CHAMA

Leave very early in the morning for a day's worth of fishing on the Rio Chama. It's a nearly three-hour drive north of Santa Fe. However, the exceptional fishing on this uncrowded river makes it well worth the trip. It's home to many large (18" and up) rainbow and brown trout.

THE SAN JUAN RIVER

Drive a little farther north (about 150 miles), and you'll come to the mighty San Juan River. The lower reaches tend to be heavily fished, so you might want to travel another 40 miles to get to the tailwaters of the Navajo Dam. This area is much less crowded and offers extraordinary fishing. The Artful Angler reports an estimated 15,000 fish per mile in the tailwaters of this dam.

When you get back from a long day of fishing, you'll truly appreciate the comfort and luxury of the Olympus Rodeo apartments. If you haven't experienced the Olympus Rodeo lifestyle for yourself yet, contact us to schedule a tour!