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Reported:
Thursday, June 17, 1999 at 21:03:22
(CDT)
Clayton Lake
has it all - Trout, Bass, Catfish,
and DINOSAURAS!!
As the thermometer its annual
migration to the summertime highs,
the cool air of New Mexico and the
prospect of catching delicious
rainbow trout draw Texans by the
thousands. One of my favorite
fishing holes for a quick weekend
camping trip is CLAYTON LAKE,
located in the northeast corner of
New Mexico just across the state
line from Dalhart.
This fascinating
little lake features excellent trout
fishing, unique lakeside camping,
and DINOSAUR TRACKS! In 1982, an
amateur archaeologist discovered
hundreds of dinosaur footprints had
been exposed when the spillway was
cut through the layer of topsoil
next to the dam. As this newly
exposed rock formation at the
spillway has been weathered and
eroded by the elements, more and
more foot prints have appeared.
After several years of futile
attempts at stopping curious
visitors, authorities realized the
“tracks” place might be a major
tourist attraction. The short 1/4
mile hike to see the dinosaur prints
is just about the perfect distance
to add adventure for the kids
without wearing out the adults, and
the information booth at the
spillway will provide the basics
concerning the tracks.
A weekend trip
catching some delicious rainbow
trout and camping on the water’s
edge is always a fun vacation. Toss
in the magic of some dinosaurs, and
the weekend becomes an adventure for
kids of all ages.
Now to MY favorite
part.... the rainbow trout at
Clayton Lake are easy for the kids
to catch and great to eat. Try
rigging several rods with Berkley
Troutbait, kernel corn, or
earthworms at two feet, five feet,
ten feet, and just off the
bottom...until the trout indicate
the best bait and best depth. When
the trout start hitting a bait at
one of these levels, quickly change
all the other rods to that same
depth and get ready for the kids to
catch their own dinner.
By the way,
please don’t forget to put new
fishing line on your reels so
the delicate bite of a trout can
be more easily felt and seen by
the kids. Fishing line is very
cheap, and some new 10 lb.
Trilene XL spooled on that Zebco
33 is just the ticket for
catching more trout.
My family’s
favorite fishing spot is the
point next to the rock wall in
the middle of the lake on the
south side.
For the fly
fishers, the trout are
constantly cruising the lake in
search of an easy meal, and it
is not unusual for the fly
fishers to be catching trout
while the bait anglers are still
watching their bobbers. Although
Lake Clayton doesn't have the
gory special effects of a
Hollywood movie, looking at more
than 500 footprints of real
dinosaurs sparks the imagination
better than anything on the big
screen. And standing on the
boardwalk --on the exact spot---
where one hundred million year
ago the dinosaurs walked is a
special thrill.
You owe it to
yourself, the kids, or
grand-kids to spend a weekend
camping at this unique lake
where trout and dinosaur tracks
can team up with the youngsters
to make a great vacation right
here in our back yard.
This small lake
also has an abundance of
catfish, bass and even walleye.
So pick your favorite fish, and
enjoy a very unique----LAKE
CLAYTON.
For more
information about Clayton Lake,
contact the Chamber of Commerce
at 505/374-9253.
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