Great experience with Tyler and Robert taking my family of 4 fly fishing for the first time. Positive and patient teachers - learned a lot and spent a beautiful day on the Pecos. The shop itself was great as well - got us a trip organized last minute including getting us set up with gear. Hope to be back soon - highly recommend. read more

Rarely do you find a store with such passionate people as The Real Life. Ivan is a master in teaching you, either a beginner or an expert, how to love this sport. The knowledge they have on where to catch fish is amazing. They know the exciting waters and fish of New Mexico. I have caught the bug (and already many fish) thanks to Ivan and his expert Guides. read more

Friendly, skilled, professional, and will put you on fish! I traveled to NM for the first time with a friend on a whim. We knew very little about the area and had no time to research. We were lucky to come across the Reel Life! Both my friend and I are female anglers. We were welcomed with enthusiasm in the shop where their helpful staff hooked us up with everything we needed. We rented waders and boots to avoid having to fly with it. All the gear was high quality, clean, and fit well. Kimberlee and I fished with Ivan. We visited in early December so it was biter cold, resulting in freezing eyelets in the morning. He was extremely helpful and attentive and got both of us on fish right away. The two of us have differing experience and skills when it comes to fly fishing. Ivan split his time between us and balanced our differing skill-sets well, finding areas that were both approachable and challenging for each of us. We caught some really nice healthy fish, missed our shot at some hogs, and had a great time. Kimberlee even caught a rainbow on a dry! Ivan worked hard to keep us fishing until the sun was well below the canyon walls and our eyelets were freezing up again. We had a great experience and he topped it off by giving us some excellent post fishing grub recommendations up in Taos. I would fish with this outfit again anytime. read more

Another great trip on July 5th with Wes Dyer from the Reel Life! We fished the Chama below El Vado Lake. Beautiful area and wild, scenic river. Reminiscent of Montana. Wes was an expert at having me work parts of the water that I would have passed over... great advice and it yielded some beautiful Browns and rainbows. Highly recommend! read more

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We had 2 wonderful guides for our group of 4 yesterday, on the Rio Grande. None of us had fly fished before. Kyle & Dan were amazing & very experienced guides. They taught us the basics of casting, where to cast, and how to maneuver the Rio Grande. It was a great day, and everyone came home happy. I'd highly recommend the Reel Life guides, and they can help you at their store for equipment, flies, clothing, maps, etc. Great business! Diana & Thad of Santa FE read more

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Had a blast going out fishing with Jeremy Brooks. He was awesome! My girlfriend and I both had fun, learned a lot and enjoyed his company, what more could you ask for? .... Oh we caught lots of fish too :) The store has everything you'd need a great selection of flies and very friendly staff. We had a nice chat with the owner while visiting. read more

We were in Santa Fe for the week and this was an excellent outing for seeing scenery, being COVID safe and learning a new skill. We did a half day trip and we caught more fish than we could count. Our guide Nick was patient instructing us in proper fly fishing technique while untangling our mess of line as we learned how to manage our casts. A great experience and we will return on our next visit to Santa Fe. read more

After booking online, we had a seamless connection and went by the shop to purchase our licenses. It was my wife and I's first time to fly fish, and we were paired up with Nik Adler. First of all, Nik, was awesome and had my wife catching fish right away. He knew what flies were catching and how to fish them. My wife's rod tip broke and Nik was happy to loan his set up to her, and she didn't miss a beat. He did everything possible to teach us the things needed to know to really start our fly fishing addiction. We highly recommend The Reel Life and Nik Adler. We are definitely going on another fishing trip with them soon! read more

The Reel Life - Fishing Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

What an amazing experience we just had with the Reel Life. We are a family of 3 coming from San Antonio to try our first time at fly fishing. Our Lodge in Chama- Corkins Lodge, recommended "the Reel Life" from Santa Fe. When I called I talked to a guide named Wes. We clicked after discovering he was a Vet like my husband and I eventually asked if he would be our guide. Over the next several weeks leading up to our vacation Wes stayed in constant contact with us and coordinated everything for us. He even drove several hours a couple weeks early to scout out the river for our trip. On the day of our trip he showed up on time with all the gear and pumped up ready to go. During our day of fishing he was awesome. He put us on fish immediately and had our gear set up perfect. He even made our 14 year old daughter comfortable and she loved the trip. He was super patient and friendly the whole day. I have to say that the price we paid was worth every dime. It included all gear and even a pretty good lunch.Thank God we weren't paying by the flies lost to trees He is a great guide and will make any trip you want the best We will definitely use The Reel Life and Wes again next year. read more

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Had a great time fishing with Ivan! Very patient as I constantly tangled my line and he had my son fishing like a pro within a few minutes. He's a true teacher of the sport. We caught more fish on that river than we've ever caught in our life! Awesome trip!!! read more

The Reel Life - Ivan is an awesome teacher of the sport! - Fishing Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

I've purchased many shirts for my fishing-loving husband. For Christmas this year (2021), I purchased 2 t-shirts through their website. At this time, it will the last two shirts I purchase direct. One of the shirts wasn't to my husband's liking. I've been trying for 6 weeks to get someone to respond to me to return or exchange (as so much time has gone by, this may be my only option). No one has returned a phone call or website contact. Their products may be good, but their customer service needs plenty of work. read more

So pleased with my entire experience with Reel Life!! Was hoping to go first time fly fishing with a group of girlfriends over a holiday weekend, and the Reel Life made it possible and wonderful. When I called to inquire and arrange, the person I spoke with was very kind and helpful, and that quality of service and friendliness continued. Ivan was our guide. He took us on a beautiful drive to a great location that was not crowded. He was so friendly, personal, and encouraging the entire time. We all caught multiple fish, and had so much fun. I highly recommend Ivan and his company, and will be a return customer if I have the opportunity! read more

Nikolas Adler did a great job guiding our half day fishing trip! He explained without condescending where (and why!) to target the fly and how to pace the cast to keep from tangling the leader. When I did tangle the line he very patiently untangled it and made sure I had the right rig for catching. I caught more fish in our half day than I have in my entire life. I had so much fun for a rank beginner - I highly recommend Nik! read more

I live in Massachusetts but traveling thru New Mexico. I'm an avid fisherman but had never fly fished. So I contacted Reel Life...I needed instruction as well the equipment. They had it all. I got Nick as a guide and what a great and patient instructor he is. We got on the Pecos River and pretty much started catching beautiful rainbow trout right away. Nick is very knowledgeable and passionate and was a terrific teacher. We moved down the river as the day went on and probably hit 10 different holes. We caught fish at every one. 20+ for the day. Nick also provided a great lunch. I couldn't be happier with the instruction, techniques learned and of course catching fish. read more

The Reel Life - Fishing Near Me - Santa Fe, New Mexico

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TL;DR Ivan was patient and taught my wife everything she needed to know about fly fishing. She's never gone before and had one of the best experiences of her life. WE ALSO CAUGHT 43 FISH IN 4 HOURS. If you want to go with someone who knows that they're doing, don't even look anywhere else. Details: I wouldn't say I'm an experienced fisherman, but I go on one or two guided trips per year. That said, I haven't fly fished in almost 10 years. This was by far one of the best experiences I've had fishing. So much so, I had to write a review about it! Now let me tell you why. 1. My wife has never really fished much. Ivan (best guide in the world by the way), taught her everything from how to cast, correct form, and the proper way to set the hook once she had a bite. He was patient, never bothered, and always there to lend her a helping hand. 2. For myself, he helped optimize my technique, constantly gave great advice and feedback, and really improved my ability to fly fish. It was part guide, part lesson. 3. Ivan took us to all the best spots. He's been fishing this area for decades and knew exactly where to go. 4. He clearly knows the rig required to catch fish. Most people we saw on the river only caught 1 or 2. MY WIFE CAUGHT 27 in 4 hours (Including time to gear up and walk to Ivan's favorite spots). I caught 16. So yes, my wife crushed me! But, it was one of the best trips and experiences we've ever had together. 5. Ivan was respectful of the environment, and the fish (or as he called them - his business partners). Everything from wetting your hands before taking them out of the net, carefully removing hooks, and simple things like pointing out poison ivy to avoid as we were hiking. 6. The gear was great and well taken care of. Nothing felt broken or overly used. Everything was in amazing condition, reliable, and easy to use. Start to finish, this was the best single-day guided experiences I've ever had. Ivan is the best. I can't wait to go back there to fish with him again. For my wife, it was the perfect experience to get her interested in fishing more. She's stoked to go again - which is all a man can ask for! read more

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My 5 stars goes to my guide, Lucas Romero. The people at the shop were friendly but you will need to be careful that they get their information correct. Double check dates, times, meeting place, and meal choices to avoid surprises. Lucas is very young and I worried about his lack of guiding experience but I shouldn't have. I have fished for years and been with many guides so I am reasonable but have certain expectations. I am 70, how could this child know everything he needed to provide a good day? Don't worry, he knows his stuff and he knows how to fish and to guide. I caught lots of beautiful fish all day but also caught my lifetime rainbow (31-32" no lie) with help from Lucas. Want to know what fly, how to fish it and where? Call Lucas. Lucas is a lot of fun to spend the day with. He brought a good lunch and took great care of me. I have had some medical issues and they were not a problem thanks to Lucas. I will definitely be back and fish with him again. read more

After going to high desert angler and being treated like an asshole( because of my budget) I went to the reel life. Ivan and Pete have been more than helpful in getting me set up for fishing in New Mexico. Unlike high desert they truly have gracious service and actually helped me stay within my budget. Pete even recommended I go with a rod that was less expensive temple fork outfitters rod instead of the orvis( 150 opposed to 300+). Every time I go in and get flies or small accessories they still treat me as a valued customer. Any question you have they will answer. Wether it be about what flies to use or where to go, they are very knowledgeable and accommodating. I really can't say enough great things about this shop and the people who work there. read more

It's great that a lot of people have a good experience with The Reel Life. That's not my case. I signed up for the fixed-fee six-Saturday Intro to Fly Fishing. On day-one, the head-guide publicly committed to me personally: "We will teach you how to cast a fly-rod." Great! That's what I want to learn. He did not follow through. On day 2 we had our only group lesson. It was at the ballpark, wind to our backs, 15 to 20, gusting to 30. Not a learning environment for a fly-rod. Over the next four Saturdays, I received less than 15 minutes of personal instruction - total. Inadequate is an understatement. After the class was over, I wasn't subtle in expressing my dissatisfaction. They contritely offered to meet with me for an in-the-park casting lesson "free of charge." How nice. No thank you. I had paid them for "On-the-water instruction..." I had paid them to teach me how to cast a fly-rod. In return they provided negligible time and, in the end, wanted to give instruction in a park. I'm washing my hands of The Reel Life's negative energy and moving on to find a positive experience in fly fishing. To set your expectations for the Intro course: Out of 20 students about half did not attend the final day and the majority never caught a fish. I sincerely hope they treat you better. read more

After just having finish a scathing review about High Desert Angler, now I'd like to tell you what the Reel Deel is in Santa Fe for fly fishing. The Reel Life was one of the best customer experiences I've had in Santa Fe and know that anyone going in to make a purchase will be treated as well as we were treated. Even though we were only purchasing some flies, you would have thought we just purchased an $800 rod!! They were so personable and helpful to us fly fishing neophytes, it was a really great customer service to say the least. They won't try to upsell you into something you don't need or want. Please give them a shot and save yourself from some of the worst service in Santa Fe at High Desert Angler, THE ABSOLUTE WORST. read more

This place is the real deal. Ivan (owner) was extremely helpful. I got dialed in with some great gear. He also shared some of his favorite spots on different rivers. Can't wait to book a guide trip for me and my dad with them. read more

A MISMANAGED MISADVENTURE Don't waste your time reading the Reel Life's policies - owners Nick and Ivan adapt them to benefit their business and employees. Our party kept an eye on the forecast of snow and inclement weather for the day of our fishing trip, concerned it may interfere with our day. Having read the RL's cancelation policy, we knew it was the guide's responsibility to cancel and if we did we would lose our deposit. Twice before leaving we asked Lucas, our guide, if he had been monitoring the weather and if we should cancel. No, he said, he had not been monitoring it and anyway it only snows in Santa Fe for 10 minutes. We head out and the snow begins - the most snow the area has had in 14 years. Naturally we weren't able to fish long and when ready to leave we discovered our rent car was stuck in the snow. Lucas did not have a tow cable and worked with us for 2-1/2 hours to get the car out. Fortunately, the Corps of Engineers arrived and pulled us out. This was not the adventure we hoped for. I emailed Ivan asking why this trip was not canceled and why was no one monitoring the weather on their end? How bad does it have to be to cancel and how are they equipped to handle a situation that turns bad? Our guide wasnt equipped and did not know what to do. Ivan responded that we should have canceled if we were unsure. What about your policy, Ivan? Nick offered to refund our deposit, but insisted we pay Lucas for his time. I emailed Nick asking why was it our responsibility to pay him? It's his business, his mistake and we have to pay? Nick didn't have the courtesy to respond so I write my first Yelp review. The trip was a disappointment, but more disappointing are Nick and Ivan's shady principles. read more

I have a booked three trips with the Reel Life and each time I had fun and caught plenty of trout. Their guides are very knowledgeable and will offer pointers on how to cast, what flies to use, and how to set your hook. I highly recommend their services for anyone interested in fly fishing in New Mexico. read more

Before I even began fly fishing I called both shops in Santa Fe, High Desert Anglers (HDA) and The Reel Life (TRL) to find out about good fishing spots. After being treated poorly over the phone by HDA, because I wasn't a fly fisher, I called TRL and received great customer service. They told me good spots to fish and where to get live bate. Flash forward a couple months and a good friend of mine (Charles J. A fellow reviewer) had gotten me addicted to fly fishing. I went into TRL to simply try on waders and boots (with intent to order them online), but the owner offered me an amazing deal too good to pass on. He did so because he could see I was just getting into the sport and knew I would be back for any other fly fishing needs I had. Which was true. I ordered a backpack through them recently because they deserve the business, rather then ordering it directly on the web. They truly care about their customers and I have never felt shy to ask any questions, especially because I am beginner. If you are beginner or a pro this is your shop. They treat everyone so kindly, answer any questions, and offer competitive prices. I will continue to buy all my gear from them. Visit their shop, they deserve the business and recognition for being the best fishing shop in town! Thank you Reel Life crew, you guys have helped me get addicted to this amazing sport! read more

I love the shop and the people. They put me on some great trout fishing. Very knowledgeable and very helpful.

My wife booked a full day guided trip for me with Reel Life last October 2015. Was a little skeptical as at best I'm a novice fly fisher and figured these guys wouldn't want to waste the time on someone at my skill level. Was I ever wrong. Ivan Valdez couldn't have been a better host! He put me at ease right away, was extremely patient, a great teacher and just plain fun to spend the day with. Ivan gave me the confidence and knowledge I need to go out on my own but I hope to schedule another guided trip with him this fall. Absolutely great experience and would recommend Reel Life to anyone considering a guide. read more