Stream Report for March 256, 2006

Stream Report for Wednesday March 25, 2006

 

Sorry for the delay in getting out a fresh report. I’ve been on “island time” for a week or so as we’ve just returned from El Pescador Lodge on Ambergris Caye in Belize. Our report from there would be good numbers of medium sized bonefish and lots of schools of permit. Most of us did in fact catch our first permit there last week. One angler in our group had a 40 pound Tarpon on for a couple of jumps.

  

San Juan River   flows are 376 cfs

Fishing on the San Juan has been good and should continue with this latest round of winter weather. Spring winds have been the most negative thing I’ve heard about the Jaun. Lots of midge hatches and good nymphing on chocolate emergers and egg patterns. Baetis hatches should improve as we move into April and get some of these cloudy days. Flies for the San Juan are red, black, and cream midge larvae, brown or olive baetis emergers, red or orange worms, cerise, orange, or cheese egg patterns, along with small (#22-24) parachute adams, Griffiths gnats, and midge dries.

 

The Rio Grande     flows are 270 cfs in the Wild and Scenic section and 434 cfs at Pilar

The big question on everyone’s mind is: are the caddis out yet? The answer today is –no. Water temps typically have to reach 50 degrees to start the hatch. They were approaching near that a couple of weeks ago but the recent welcomed winter weather has brought the temps back down to the low forties. Best reports have been from anglers throwing woolly buggers or nymphing with pheasant tails. Late March and April also is baetis time on the Rio. Caddis could be any day now with some warmer days. Play hooky or whatever you have to and go fishing as to not miss the hatch. Flies for the Rio are brown or black woolly buggers, #16-18 pheasant tails, prince nymphs and double hackle peacocks. I did get a report of some pike still being caught.

 

Chama River      flows are 307 cfs below El Vado dam and 118 cfs below Abiquiu dam

The increase in flows below both dams made it a little harder to find fish on the Chama. The best reports are still coming from below El Vado. Big size 8-12 nymphs and wooly buggers have beenthe best producers. Given the water clarity at Abiquiu, there are better places to wet a line.

 

Jemez Mountain Streams    flows on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo are 27 cfs

The pre-runoff window is open on much of the Jemez. Any snowmelt from the last storm will slow things down for a day or two. Dry fly dropper rigs work well, although not many fish take the dry, it does make for a non-spooky indicator and may fool one of the more gullible fish. Size 14-18 beadhead nymphs like pheasant tails and prince nymphs. Fish the lower sections of the East Fork, San Antonio, or Guadalupe.

 

Pecos River     flows are 16 cfs below the Holy Ghost Creek confluence

The Pecos is very low and very clear. Fishing has been fair on the lower sections below Terrero. The water is only lower, colder and clearer the higher you go. The cloudy weather has brought out some baetis. Size 18-20 parachute adams or blue winged olive dry and pheasant tails are the flies of choice. Small copper johns and caddis nymphs are also working. Warmer weather may bring a little snow melt but better fishing in a few days.

 

MacAllister Lake

I haven’t had any reports from MacAllister. It typically doesn’t pick up there until later in April until the water warms up. If you go, use big size 16-20 red, black, or brown midge larvae and size 12-14 double hackle peacocks or other freshwater snail pattern. It’s a little early to throw damsel nymphs.