Likely fished by the ancient Anasazi civilization, they were also the first trout to be identified in the New World by early explorers. Rio Grande cutthroat trout – a native subspecies of New Mexico – are as integral to the land’s history as its ecosystems. This is no everyday catch but rather it marks one of North America’s greatest conservation comeback stories. Far from being a seasoned fly fishing angler, I feel a surge of pride in the brief moments spent admiring the Rio Grande cutthroat trout’s shimmering pink-tinged body and spotted tail, before quickly releasing it back to its clear water abode. Following my guide’s calm instructions, I slowly coerce the invisible catch closer, until its metallic body breaks the stream’s glassy surface and launches into a dramatic display through the air.

The taut fishing line zigzags across the silvery creek, which meanders below snow-covered peaks in the verdant Costilla Valley of Vermejo, a Ted Turner Reserve. Without thinking I flick my wrist quickly to the right, feeling the pull on my rod and the adrenaline of setting the barbless hook. How I Learned to Fly Fish One of the World’s Rarest Trout

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