Headed up to Trinidad Lake State Park for the first time in a few days.

Any tips or input is welcome. I will post updates, reviews, fishing reports, of course pictures etc. here for those wanting to learn more and maybe plan their own trip!

Can't wait

Thanks Butch.

Yall I also picked up this classic camp stove by Coleman. Never used one before but my parents had one. Should be great for coffee and quick breakfast.

As a bonus this would've been handy last Feb when we had no way to cook for 3 days.

Any tips on using this classic grill would be great!

it is easy
bring lots of olive oil
we cook on aluminum
mess kits

you will
have a blast

I'd take more than one of those 16oz propane tanks.

Thanks for the tip Doc! Always have a back up is a great way to operate. Even a back up to the back up sometimes when it comes to food and beer

Luckily the Walmart is close.

You are going to like that stove. Compact as all get out. If they would just figure out a way to get the same flame control out of both burners individually at the same time it would be really nice. It may be a called a Classic but it bears little resemblance to the earlier classics which reminded me of an 80's model Volvo - "They're boxy but they're good"
I like these new ones because of how compact and space saver they are.

I suspected that this unit was not the same as my parents! Theirs was more solid.

Hitting the road before sun up.

Amazing how nice things are packed heading out vs. Coming home! Am I right?

Safe travels and good luck. Looks like you will have good weather although it will be cold (at least for us Texans) at night in Trinidad.

Thanks bud! Looking forward to the cooler Temps.

Dan, I never fished Trinidad because the one time I went it was super low mudhole. If you can squeeze a half day road trip up 12 past the Tinidad lake, you can get to some pretty good fishing for some little wild super tasty brook trout. That stream the road follows east and then north going up toward Cuchara is where you'll be going. I think it is one of the forks of the Puragatorie (sp) aka Picketwire river - middle fork maybe but It' s been a lot of years. It will do back and forth over and under the road through a bunch of private land till it turns north and gets into either national forest or BLM land. Most of the access I found was on the west side of 12. You'll see little dirt 2 tracks along the way you can pull off on and walk down to the stream. I don't know if you fly rod but if so, a little short 6' or 6 and a half foot 2 or 3 weight fly rod is about perfect. I had some hairs ears and other nymphs but casting in a normal fashion is somewhat of a bitch. it's kind of a pitch it in and let it drift around in the current trying not to get hung up. There is buckbrush willows all over. You will be looking for a place where the brush and 'logs" aka bigger limbs have made a pile up jamb at a turn in the stream and fish the deeper hole at the downstream of those where the water makes a little deeper hole

My best luck was with a 5'-6" ultralight spinning rod, clear 4 lb fluoro and a tiny split shot like you get in the assortment box at the fly shops. I put a little gold aberdean size 10 or 12 aka "perch hook" about a foot below the split shot and and a strike indicator about a18" above the split shout. Stuck a single red Paluski salmon egg from the green top lid jar on the hook. I know, this is not the classic fly fishing but I was after food and to hell with the etiquite of prim and proper fly rodding. You can't cast a fly rod regular way in that brush but you can make a short roll cast or even a just swing and drop deal and let that nymph just swirl and bounce around a bit on the fly rod in that hole below those stick jams. The spinning rod with the salmon eggs is about 3-4 times as effective. These were wild 6" to 8" brook trout and IMO about the tastiest trout their is.

There was no fire ban so I just made a tiny fire, on the stream bank, made a little aluminum foil pan and broiled those bookies in lemon, butter, and S&P on that little hat sized batch of coals. Dam they were tasty. There is Moument lake on that same road 12 which has some nice pike in at as well as stocker rainbow in it. Good chance to see some black bear at the Monument lake campground cause dumbarsed people feed them like they are not supposed to. There is even a road you can turn off to go over Laveta pass -the old one I think. But I think you need a 4 WD and that would burn up most of a day.

One of these days, I will go back and hope you have an enjoyable time with a few fish caught to eat on the stream bank or back in camp. Hope you have a blast and looking forward to some pics on your blog. I doubt I ever make it back up there but would sure like to someday. Timing is off for me or I would try to meet you guys up there for an afternoon. I wish you the best of luck and am really looking fprerd to your report and Pics.
Above all, Have Fun!!!

Following.

Long drive but now 8m here it's forgotten.

Beautiful park. Super clean. Spots are a bit close to each other but not bad.

Supported the local economy.