Stream Report for Saturday November 4, 2006

 

San Juan River      229 cfs below Navajo Dam    Good

Releases as out of Navajo Dam have been reduced to allow New Mexico Game and Fish do more habitat work in the river. With the reduction in flow, I suspect that the better fishing will be in the deeper runs and channels. Baetis hatches have been tapering off but midge hatches are still bringing some fish to the surface. Flies for the San Juan are RS2’s, Johnny flash in chocolate and grey, big bear emergers, small pheasant tails, red disco midges, red desert storms, black beauties, uv flash midge emergers, black midges, grasshoppers and blue wing olive dries.

 

Rio Grande       1160 cfs at Pilar     Poor

The Rio Grande is murky, and it will get worse as the flows come up today. The big diversion channels in Del Norte, Colorado are now dry and all that water is now back in the river. We could see bigger than normal flows this winter on the Rio with all of the tributaries and springs having a greater input with the precipitation we had late this summer. The summer rains were a constant source of silt entering the Rio and any change in flow stirs up the sediment. Due to the low visibility, the best fishing is within 8 feet of the bank. Dry fly dropper rigs are ideal for searching this shallower water. Flies for the Rio Grande are black, brown or olive woolly buggers, autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, double hackle peacocks, poundmeisters, and midges.  A couple of friends and me caught some pike at Pilar on Thursday and yesterday.

  

The Cimarron River     .2 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam    Poor

The Cimarron was fishing very well but the releases out of Eagle Nest dam were reduced to zero. Fish below the Clear Creek confluence at the downstream end of the state park for more water. There is better fishing relatively close to the Cimarron on the Red or Rio Grande. Flies for the Cimarron are blue winged olives, parachute baetis, griffith’s gnats, and black midges. I’ve had reports of break-ins along Highway 64, so be vigilant.

 

Pecos River   44cfs below Terrero       Fair

The window is growing smaller for continued fishing on the Pecos. Mornings have been quite slow however, there are still a few blue winged olives have been out in the afternoons. The best fishing is from 12 pm until the sun leaves the water. Caddis larvae and pupa, small light bodied caddis dries, small pheasant tails, baetis emergers, parachute adams, parachute baetis, and cdc biot comparaduns have all produced recently. The Pecos was heavily stocked a week ago. Brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper johns, and purple prince nymphs.

 

Jemez Mountain Streams     30 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo    Fair

The Jemez steams are fishing well especially while the sun is on the water. Hoppers, crystal stimulators, black beetles, and parachute adams are some top fly choices. Forest road 376 is closed just at Gillman Tunnels, but is open on the top end off of NM 126. The main stem Jemez below Jemez Springs was stocked on the 24^th.

 

The Chama River     756 cfs below El Vado Dam   Poor                and 271 cfs below Abiquiu Dam      Poor

The fishing was good below El Vado, but the releases out of El Vado dam came up over 500 cfs overnight. Big nymphs like double hackle peacocks and had favorites and streamers like woolly buggers, zoo cougars, and autumn splendors work best here as the water will be off color. The flows below Abiquiu are still fishable but, I’m guessing that the releases out of Abiquiu will soon mirror what’s coming out of El Vado.

  

Call us at the shop for conditions on waters not listed here.

 

For the latest in stream flows bookmark the link below:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nm/nwis/current/?type=flow

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