Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Stream Report for November 9, 2005

Fishing Report fo November 9, 2005

Attention All Anglers!

Our wild trout friends, brown trout are starting there spawn in New Mexico. Take exteme care not to damage their spawning beds know as redds, by careless wading. A redd is an area usually located in the tail of a pool where the spawning fish have cleaned a circular spot of gravel and is quite visible. You may also see the spawing pair over their redds. Please do not cast to these fish as they clearly have something more important to do. With the droughts of the past few years, all the efforts we can put forth to ensure that our wild friends are successful in making more trout.

Rio Grande Flows Currently 312 cfs in the Upper Box and 482 cfs at
Pilar

Fishing had been good prior to increased releases out of Platoro
Resevoir in Colorado. Water is clarity is improving over last week.
Fish bigger flies with flash and sparkle as long as the water remains
off color. Flies to use are flashback pheasant tails, red midge larva,
and black woolly buggers. Some late evening dry fly action on size
18-20 adams or parachute adams. Pike can still be caught in this murky
water. They hunt by "feel" and will be able to detect flies that move
water. Big rabbit strip flies and wool headed streamers are working for
pike.

San Juan River Flows Currently at 543 cfs at Navajo Dam

Fishing has been mixed. For some has been good and tough for others.
Water is murky and visibility is about 3 feet. Best reports have been
below the Lower Flats and from anglers throwing streamers. Not much in
the way of dry fly fishing lately as it's been to sunny. Baetis hatches
should improve with the cloudy weather expected this weekend. Red and
black midge larvae fished behind an attractor in the mornings and an
attractor with a baetis nymph trailer in th afternoons. Flies that are
working include #20 pheasant tails, brown baetis emergers, rs2's,
paracchute adams, bwo's, and olive wooly buggers or bunny leeches.

Pecos River Flows Currently at 53 cfs above the Village of Pecos

Fishing is still good on the Pecos. Recent plantings and good dry fly
fishing for brown trout has a few anglers going to the Pecos. Fishing
is a bit slower above Terrero. Keep the flies small. Dry fly dropper
rigs using stimulators or caddis and #18-20 bead heads with a small
shot have been working the best.

Jemez River Flows Currntly at 23 cfs at Jemez Pueblo.

Game and Fish have recently stocked on the mainstem of the Jemez. Fishing has slowed over much of the Jemez due to low water and spooky
fish. Best reports have been from Fenton Lake and deeper sections of the
Jemez mountains streams. Some fish are being caught on dry flies but,
most are caught on dry dropper rigs using small beadheads.

Chama River

I've had some good reports from the Chama River below El Vado and Abiquiu dams. Releases from El Vado are at 255 cfs and 69 from Abiquiu. Water is murky below El Vado. Fly choices are the same as the Rio Grande. The water below Abiquiu is quite clear. Small midge and baetis nymphs and dries or streamers are what's working there. Please report anyone taking more than the limit at Abiquiu. It is a Special Trout Water with a reduced bag limit of three fish. Overharvesting is a serious problem below Abiquiu dam and elsewhere in New Mexico. Better fishing will not happen through complacency.

Cimarron River below Eagle Nest dam

Flows out of Eagle Nest dam are at ZERO cfs. Unfortunately there is no minimum flow requirements from the dam operators here, so the fish are really under pressure. The Cimarron is a predominately brown trout river. Browns are starting to spawn and have a tough time of it in what water is left in the stream. Please refrain from fishing the Cimarron until Spring.

Conditions can change daily on some of these streams and lakes. Please
call the fly shop for the absolute latest conditions.

High Desert Angler
435 S. Guadalupe
Santa Fe, NM 87501
505 988 7688
www.highdesertangler.com
Fall/Winter hours: 10am-6pm Mon-Sat 12pm-5pm Sun