We’re grateful to recognize The Reel Life as one of the generous partners supporting our annual fundraiser auction this year.
The Reel Life donated a guided fly fishing trip to help support our chapter, and we truly appreciate that generosity. Support like this helps make our fundraiser possible and strengthens the work we do throughout the year in conservation, education, and building a stronger angling community here in Northern New Mexico. The Reel Life is based in Santa Fe, where the shop has long served local anglers, and since 2024 it has been under the full ownership of Ivan Valdez and Kay Valdez.
What we especially appreciate about The Reel Life is how grounded it feels in both community and experience. The shop offers guided trips across northern New Mexico on waters including the Pecos, Jemez streams, Rio Chama, Rio Grande, and Brazos, with options for half-day and full-day trips, float trips, and even a fly-fishing-and-rafting combo. They work with both beginners and experienced anglers, and they provide gear, licenses, and riverside meals as part of the experience.
That kind of flexibility is part of what makes a partner like this so valuable. A guided trip can be an introduction to fly fishing, a chance to improve skills, or simply an opportunity to spend a memorable day outside on beautiful water. The Reel Life clearly makes room for all of that. Their approach puts a real emphasis on patient instruction, good customer service, and making sure people have a positive experience both in the shop and on the river.
Their guide team brings a strong mix of local knowledge and teaching experience. Ivan has been fly fishing for more than 40 years and guiding in New Mexico and Colorado for more than 20, while Head Guide Dan has spent 24 years fishing New Mexico waters. Other guides on the team bring their own regional roots and specialties, from time spent on the Pecos and Rio Grande to a passion for small tributaries, high-country water, and helping anglers build confidence. The bios also make clear that teaching is a real part of what they do, not just putting people on fish.
That comes through in the waters they guide as well. The Reel Life highlights a range of fisheries that will be familiar and meaningful to many anglers in our region. Their local waters page includes the Pecos River, Jemez area streams, Rio Chama, Rio Grande, and Brazos River, each with its own character and appeal. From family-friendly access on the Pecos to the scenic canyons of the Chama and the big-fish potential of the Rio Grande, they are helping anglers experience some of the most special trout and warmwater fisheries in northern New Mexico.
We also appreciate that The Reel Life seems committed to helping grow the sport locally. In addition to guided trips, they offer an introduction to fly fishing class and host a free monthly fly-tying class in Santa Fe. That kind of accessible instruction matters. It helps welcome new people into fly fishing, gives anglers a place to keep learning, and strengthens the local community around the resource.
The feedback from their clients reinforces that sense of care. Recent reviews mention patient, knowledgeable guides, strong teaching, and memorable experiences for everyone from first-time anglers to families fishing together. Several reviews specifically praise guides for helping beginners catch fish quickly while also teaching skills that left them feeling more confident and independent. That kind of experience stays with people, and it is exactly the sort of thing that helps build lifelong anglers.
Community partnerships like this mean a great deal to our chapter. Businesses like The Reel Life are part of the wider network of people helping keep fly fishing strong in New Mexico. They introduce people to rivers, help anglers build skills and confidence, and contribute to the broader culture of stewardship that healthy fisheries depend on. When partners like The Reel Life support our fundraiser, they help strengthen not just our chapter, but the broader community that cares about these waters and their future.
We are thankful to The Reel Life for their generosity and for being part of that effort. Their donated trip will be an exciting opportunity for one lucky auction winner, and we’re proud to recognize them as a partner in this year’s fundraiser.
We encourage you to learn more about The Reel Life, explore their guided trip offerings, and get to know more about the waters they fish by visiting their website.
Thank you, The Reel Life, for supporting our chapter, our waters, and our community.
