Conservation Advocacy Rehabilitation Education 

Hello All,

 Well we did Officially Open yesterday but due to some technical issues with the website I'm two days late on getting this Blog posted.  But the way things are looking here locally at present we will continue our 2020 operations of Sacred Waters CO. started as of 6/10/2020. I hope we didn't jump the gun on this reopening date as stated in my last email newsletters & blog posts we have been monitoring the Covid situation here locally and were waiting to see a decline in Covid cases which was improving till of course "Murphy's Law" prevails with recent protests in the San Luis Valley had caused an outbreak of cases for our neighbors over the divide in the SLV. We're going to remain open, but we will follow this news closely and with all of our required as well as additional Covid Protocols in place we are as safe as we can be and much safer then most daily activities we all have to participate in.  I had updated/edited the SWCO Donor Contracts for the 2020 season, we are offering Awesome Discounted prices for 2020, snow-melt run-off is about over, and insect are hatching with well rested, happy hungry fishes on the feed. I am going to try to keep this as short & sweet as possible we are open for 2020 and ready to get you on the water.

I am not going to lie the current state of the world as well as some things here locally and personally it has been really tough to get motivated to push too hard with fundraising, my writing of Blogs, newsletters, social media posts, etc.… Plus, the mandatory cancellations of all our Charity events & Guide Trips by the pandemic/government shut downs made things worse for all of us here at SWCO, especially me not only is this our jobs, our income, our lifestyle, but most importantly it is “What We LOVE!” I know personally speaking my mental & emotional well-being is reset every time I do a Charity Event or guided trip and just around 4 months of mainly being indoors & unemployed was rough to say the least. Then with the mental & emotional set-back of my very dear close friend’s (practically family) tragic unexpected death did not help any at first but too was a kick in the butt to snap out of my funk. After receiving the bad news of my friends passing I shot out that brief newsletter & blog post and took a much-needed break from reality and technology disappearing to the woods & waters to do some hiking, rafting, fishing, camping with our Sacred Waters’ Family, then I re-read our Testimonial’s Page a couple times this morning and am significantly better with a new lease of life per se and ready to get back to my life, the Sacred Waters CO Mission, and the “New Normal” whatever that may be.

As stated in my last blog post & email newsletter our Donors have been AWESOME through all this mess with unsolicited donations coming in, 2020 Donor Member Renewals, and support all around. THANK YOU ALL! It means so very much to all of us here at SWCO, and too all we serve Thank You….

Donor Info:
​Most everything is the same as our last few years other than some huge discounted prices and newly added Covid-19 Protocols. Please read the New 2020 Donor Contract and if 1st time Donating or renewing your annual Donor Membership please follow instructions in Contract, print out as double-sided/both sides as this is how contract is formatted to be printed and will reduce the use/waste of paper thank you.

Donor Gifts: 
Most all Donor Gift Packs had been mailed out and most of you should have received your gift pack by now. If you had not please contact me and I can track the shipment. I did not send 2 donor gift packs due to the Covid shut down some products are still backordered will get them to you ASAP when I receive the last products. Did have 1 return to sender from an undeliverable address but too will get it to you when I see you all.

How to get involved &/or donate. –
New or Renewing Donor Fishing Memberships: 
 ​Interested in #flyfishing #sacredwatersco or #fishing  in the #pagosasprings area all while Helping the Environment, Disabled Peoples, US Combat #veterans and local #youth. Check out Sacred Waters CO, Inc. & Sacred Waters CO Charity Foundation. Donate, Join, receive Tax-Deductions, Free Gifts, and/Guided Fly-Fishing Trips on awesome waters with some of the best, most ethical experienced Professional Anglers as your guides.

Donation amounts for 2017 Charter Donors are set for Life at the discounted rate if renewed annually as shown in your emails & member agreements/contracts packets.

2017 Charter Donors that have not renewed annually will not get the 2017 discounts in the future.

For New/1st Time 2018, 2019, &/or 2020 Donors/Members their rate will be set for 3 years at discounted rates listed below. It is to your benefit to renew annually if we ever must raise the rates in the future.
Thank You past & present Donors & Donor Fishing Members for making this all possible for the last 3 years…

Early Bird- Discounted Rates for 2020: 
​
Was originally at a lesser Discount and originally expired on July 2nd, 2020. These New Highly Discounted Rates will go into effect today 6/9/2020 and will remain at these prices until December 31st, 2020. Please do not miss out on this offer for 2020 being the lowest prices ever offered at SWCO and will remain your price for up to 3 years or more if renewed annually. Original rates will go into effect 01/01/2021

Fishing Report:
The Sacred Waters CO Family have been out and about scouting, fishing, practicing somewhat through this Pandemic & Quarantines as you can see in the photo/video slideshows above and below this text, fishing is getting better daily but we are way more excited to get you all our Donors & Charity Groups out on the water now. Fish did well through the winter and through our recent snow-melt run-off and waiting for you to come visit. 

Moving waters here locally are dropping rapidly at present, clearing, warming, insect hatches starting, and fishing is getting better daily. 2019 was the year of the Float/raft Trip can not say the same for 2020 we may be able to squeeze in a few float/boat trips but cant promise anything, but if so these trips will have to happen very soon like the next week or two at the best case scenario if even at all. Please contact us immediately if interested in a Guided Float Fishing Trip. Unfortunately most of our float trip season was only like 3 weeks this year and about over unless we get some more rain & snow soon, which is possible snowed a tad up top the other night, well too last year it snowed like 2 feet on the first day of Summer 2019 so ya never know what could happen here. Pray for snow and rain please...  Thanks

We are just recently starting to see Salmonflies around our waters here locally most at the standard first to hatch places, like Williams creek for about a week now, the Mesa Canyon/Bass Ranch area of the San Juan downstream from Pagosa Springs , and the lower Piedra near the hwy. We had March Browns for awhile now but about done & gone in most lower elevation areas, starting to see more and more caddis of a few species starting too pop out too.

Techniques mainly Nypmhing & Streamer fishing in the recent past, but dry fly fishing is improving daily with newly hatching insects, lower, clearer, warmer, waters. Fly Patterns: #2-6 Streamers, Large Dark Stonefly nymphs & dries, brown, black, orange-  sz.#4-8, March Brown mayfly nymphs & dries #10-14, egg patterns, worm patterns, Caddis larva, pupa, & dries (vary match the hatch).

Water & Weather:
We had a slightly below average Winter & Snowpack for 2019-2020 Snow year. We started 2020 in a drought so far, got to Severe Drought status but some unseasonable cold fronts, rain and snow has helped a tad and really helped slow down the last little bit of snowpack melt that’s left throughout the last week or so. This will help extent the insect hatches/activity a little longer and maybe possibly give us a few more days of be able to boat/float the San Juan Proper. Does look like tomorrow through the next 7-10 days the weather will stabilize some to more seasonally average conditions other than some chances of rain this weekend which is not normal as June is the hottest driest month here normally, but hey what normal anymore….

Weather Forecasts/Outlook: Click Links 

 Present week's forecast

8-14 Day Extended Weather Outlook​​

Water Conditions:
https://dwr.state.co.us/surfacewater/data/division.aspx?div=7

Charity Events 2020:   

We'd like you to meet One of Sacred Waters CO Newest Partners please check them out, show your support, & let's keep working for the Greater Good... 


Southern Ute/Ignacio Jr. High SoCoCaa Events Schedule for 2020.
January 2020
1/18/20 – Ice fishing Field Trip
1/22/20- Fly-Tying Class
February 2020
2/8/20- Ice Fishing Day Trip
2/19/20- Fly-Tying Class.
March 2020 –
3/21/20-3/22/20- Overnight- XC ski trips, Chaco Canyon tour, &/or Fly Fishing Trips- CANCELLED!
April 2020
4/15/20- Knots/Rigging & Fly tying - CANCELLED!
4/18/20- Fly Fishing Day Trip- Location TBD on Water & weather Conditions - CANCELLED!
May 2020
5/2/20- Whitewater Rafting- Location- San Juan River Pagosa Springs, CO. - CANCELLED!
June 2020
TBD
July 2020
07/14/20- Fly Fishing Day Trip- Location TBD on Water & weather Conditions. On Schedule/Calendar
The rest of 2020 SoCoCaa Events To be Determined….
Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/188331375834648

Pagosa Springs Girl Scouts Troop:
Scheduling delayed due to current COVID-19 concerns. In discussions as of June 2020 of future scheduling.

Veterans Groups/Events:
​
PHWFF of DFW- To Be Determined due to COVID-19, and possible economic uncertainties.
PHWFF of Ft. Hood- To Be Determined due to COVID-19, and possible economic uncertainties.
Patriot Anglers of N. TX & S. OK - To Be Determined due to COVID-19, and possible economic uncertainties.
Dark Horse Marines- To Be Determined due to COVID-19, and possible economic uncertainties.

Fisheries Management/Landowner Info:
Another Corona Quarantine Project I was working on that really snowballed into a much bigger project that looking to be a 50+ page peer reviewed white-paper eventually. But I did get a shorter version 7 page without all the references, charts, graphs, illustrations, etc. finished and may be useful information for you to check out.  As well as added some more fisheries/landowner type documents, info, etc to the Land Stewardship page. 

Hello All,

 As many of you may know we here at Sacred Waters CO. hold to a much higher standard than most Outfitters’ here locally and will continue to do so well into the future. While sticking to our SWCO C.A.R.E Mission not only in Conservation: Protecting & preserving the environment, Advocating: for our fisheries, Rehabilitating: of damaged ecosystems as well as peoples, and Educating: as many as possible, this too relates directly to our thoughts & actions with the protection & safety our community and all peoples.

First off, sorry for the lack of communication the recently I believe you all can understand considering the state of the world right now. Not going to lie it been scary & stressful here seems like every time we turn around the next thing surprisingly jumps and kicks ya in the gut. I had lost a very dear friend pretty much family member here yesterday and will be out of touch for a few days, but I will write up a more detailed newsletter and blog post with fishing, water & weather conditions, hatch reports etc.. as well as have updated contracts & Covid protocols by next week at the latest, please hold tight and thank you for your patience and understanding. Sacred Waters CO is still here and will be operating soon enough, we are all paid up, legal, and ready to slowly get back to business. Everything is the same here with SWCO other than addition of Covid Protocols added to the way we will have to operate. When will we do our first guide trip or charity event, I do not know 100% at this time……? Soon Enough!  But yes, we are here for 2020 and if all goes well for many years to come too. We generally need to generate around $44-$50,000.00 to operate as we have the last 3 years and more to grow and do more charity work & events. I was concerned on that not being easily possible this year due to well you know our current pandemic, recession, economic uncertainties, now protests, riots, drought, and whatever else the universe decides to throw at us. But so far even through all this you, our generous donors have continually donated all throughout the last 4 month of chaos and now with our fishing season maybe starting any day Donor Member Renewals & interests coming in more daily as well as Bronze level day trip inquiries. As of April 27th, 2020, Outfitters were permitted to start operating we at SWCO decided to wait a couple few weeks to see if Covid cases flatlined or preferably declined over that timeframe before making decisions on future operating plans/procedures. Since 4/27/20 Covid cases have declined but continue to show spikes in cases as other governmental re-opening standards had relaxed and then the Memorial Day weekend rush came through, which I must say unfortunately was the craziest, busiest May I have ever seen in 12 yrs. of living here. This too as Colorado started reopening and relaxing some restrictions New Mexico was totally shut-down and all the Reservations closed to non-tribal members - (no fishing, no boating, no camping, parks, forests, trails, campgrounds all closed!) somewhat forcing our neighbors in NM to flock here in droves, hard to blame them too much but still very concerning. As well with the high number of cases escalating in San Juan County, NM. (Farmington, Dulce, Navajo Nation) as a Covid Hotspot lately continues to keep us concerned. After each change in Covid protocols has happened we had set in place a 14-day observation period before deciding our new moves but each week since these Covid rules have changed extending our observation period out farther and farther. We receive emails weekly from the Feds & the state also with new covid protocols for Outfitters and had to add said Covid protocols to our permits & operating plans. The latest Covid rules email I received from the Feds & the state has public opinion surveys & comment sections especially for outfitters, camps. Group events, etc. these responses are due tomorrow 6/3/20 so hopefully have some more information and answers more Covid rules here shortly. I will update the SWCO Donor Member Contract for 2020 with said Covid Protocols/Requirements within the next few days.
​
Thank You All, Hope all is well enough, take care, be safe, stay healthy. 

Please​ review the FB & IG Social Media Pages and our Websites. I hope it can help show you all more easily and clearly the Efforts and Accomplishments SWCO has put forth with you and other donors’ generous donations. These Social Media Pages are updated with the most up to date need to information almost daily.

Donate Today and help us protect our local fisheries and provide the healing benefits of outdoor therapy to as many people as possible. We can't really predict or control/change the weather, but we can provide the best fishing at the best times and protect our waters and fishes at the worst times. We can only accomplish this with your generous donations. 

Thank You, Tight Lines;

Joseph Eichelberger   

Founder, President of Sacred Waters Co
Professional Angler, Custom Fly Tyer/Designer
Freelance Outdoors Writer, Photographer, & Fisheries Consultant 

​We want to hear from you. Email us at admin@sacredwaters.co​
or give us a call (970)444-2187 or (970)731-1443
and we’ll be in touch! Thank you for your interests & support of SWCO.

(* Sacred Waters CO, Inc. and Sacred Waters CO Foundation are Equal Opportunity Employers and Service Providers working through Special Use Permits from USDA San Juan National Forest Pagosa District and the State of Colorado. Licensed/Permitted, Bonded & Insured Outfitter in Colorado #OUT.0003217 * ) ​