Schoolhouse Canyon, in the Jemez Mountains, contains a wide, sweeping meadow where cattle are grazed on a Santa Fe National Forest lease. For my taste the meadow is too windy too often for camping, but it is one of the prettiest vistas in the state. The Cebolla River winds its way through the meadow, on its way to join up with the Rio de las Vacas to form the Guadalupe River, about four miles from this spot. The Cebolla is narrow, shallow and open on both banks which makes it one of the toughest trout streams I have fished. You pretty much have to fish the Cebolla on your knees and stomach so you don't spook the fish. In all the years I have fished in the Jemez, I have caught exactly one trout on the Cebolla.
In the 1950's I fished the Cebolla with my grandfather. We would go on opening day and were able to catch quite a few Rainbows during our trip. It was very different then. There were beaver dams on the Cebolla that created large pools that were stocked by the Dept. of Fish & Game. Floods in the late 50's washed out the beaver dams, the beavers disappeared and the stream became much different for fishing. It was my favorite spot as a 12 year old fisherman.
ReplyDeleteThe beaver are back but the pools are not as large as they were in the 50s. Thanks for your comment.
ReplyDeleteNice! I remember what happened the last and only time I attempted fishing up in the Jemez...lightning!
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