Stream Report for Thursday August 31, 2006

Stream Report for Thursday August 31, 2006

 

San Juan River     574 cfs below Navajo Dam    Very Good

The San Juan is fishing well and one of the more consistent places to get out that hasn’t been affected by the recent rains. Baetis hatches have been bringing some fish to the surface, but long line nymphing remains the most productive way to fish. Flies for the San Juan are baetis emergers in chocolate and gray, small pheasant tails, disco midges, desert storms, ufo’s, grasshoppers and blue wing olive dries.

 

Rio Grande       522 cfs at Pilar     Poor

The Rio Grande is muddy.  Some fly fishers are catching some smallmouth bass in the bigger eddies and slower runs. Trout fishing is quite slow. I expect trout fishing to improve as the monsoons taper off and September brings cooler weather.

 

The Rio Costilla      54 cfs below Costilla Reservoir    Very Good

The Costilla is another place that rarely is affected by the rains because it is mainly dam release being fished in the Valle Vidal. Good dry fly fishing for almost any species even the rare Rio Grande Cutthroat that even a few years ago was more prolific here. Little yellow sallies, hoppers. small elk hair caddis, humpies, and royal wulffs seem to be among the better catching flies. The entire Valle Vidal is no kill and all catch and release. Please report violators to New Mexico Game and Fish or the US Forest Service. The number of Cutthroats here is very small.

 

The Cimarron River     8.8 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam    Good

The Cimarron is another place to go if your favorite stream gets blown out with rain. There is a little more water at the east end of the state park below the confluence of the Cimarron and Clear Creek. The Cimarron can be tough to fish at these low flows. Flies for the Cimarron are ginger duns, pink cahills, small yellow stimulators, and yellow elk hair caddis.

 

Pecos River   126 cfs below Terrero       Fair

The Pecos really has had a lot of rain lately. In the last few days, the water has cleared up quite a bit and the flows have come down to something much more wadeable. Barring any more deluges, the Pecos should start to get even better by as we head into September. Lots of caddis have been out in the evening in spite of the recent conditions. Caddis larvae and pupa, small dark bodied caddis dries, small pheasant tails, baetis emergers and parachute adams have all produced recently.

 

Jemez Mountain Streams     34 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo     Good

The Jemez streams have been clearing and fishing well. If the higher elevation waters are muddied up, because of the varying topography and geology of the Jemez there is usually some place to fish, although it requires some scouting. Hoppers, dark bodied caddis, little yellow sallies, and parachute adams are some top fly choices.

 

The Chama River     71 cfs below El Vado Dam and 243 cfs below Abiquiu Dam      Fair

Good fishing below El Vado even though the habitat has been diminished with the reduction in flows. Big nymphs like double hackle peacocks and hares ears and streamers like woolly buggers work best here. The flows below Abiquiu are just about perfect for good fishing there, but I’ve had no reports. Driving over it on the way up US 285 it looks quite muddy although it could be a side canyon putting in the muddy water. Crane fly larva, small black midges, pheasant tails, and streamers are the better choices for flies below Abiquiu. The Chama above the village of Chama has been muddied up pretty regularly from the rains.

 

Rio Pueblo and Santa Barbara       Good

Flows are fairly normal on these two streams and it looks like they didn’t get as much rain as the Pecos watershed. Fishing has been good this past week. Royal wullfs, hoppers, red humpies, and little yellow sallies were the better catching flies.