After a break from Kayaking over the coldest part of the season I decide to go paddle at the Carlsbad Municipal Lake.  Upon arrival it was obvious that they didn’t make their March 1st commitment to refill the lake.  The lake was drained in January to allow the city and residents who live on the banks of the lake to maintain docks, retaining walls and other infrastructure.  The lake should be full on 08-Mar.

Lake Carlsbad is about 128 Acres and spans nearly three miles from the Upper Tansil Dam (South) and  the Flume (North).  It’s fed by fresh water springs which originate near the Flume and the Pecos River.   The lake has blue gill, bass, carp, catfish and is stocked with trout in the colder parts of the year.  There is a no wake lake that spans about 1.5 miles from Upper Tansil Dam (North) and Lower Tansil Dam (South). 

Since the water was low in Carlsbad Lake I decided to paddle the Lower Tansil Lake instead.  Though it was not quite as long as Carlsbad Lake it is still a great paddle.  There were a lot of people fishing from the banks on on this 70 degree day in early March.   The usual Coots, domestic geese, gulls and mallards and one yet to be identified red crested duck of some type, perhaps a merganser but I will have to verify this next time I’m on the lake.  There were dozens of snapping trutles sunning on the bottom of the Upper Tansil Damn which usually has water on it from the overflow from Lake Carlsbad.  The fishing was good for trout.  Apparently the Game and Fish also stock large catfish in the Lower Tansil Lake. 

Great day for paddling….