Stream Report for Wednesday November 8, 2006

 

San Juan River      444 cfs below Navajo Dam    Good

Releases as out of Navajo Dam were reduced to allow New Mexico Game and Fish do more habitat work in the river, but are back up as of late Monday. 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       1040 cfs at Pilar     Poor

The Rio Grande is murky. 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 Friday last week.

  

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   42cfs below Terrero       Fair

The window is growing smaller for continued fishing on the Pecos. Mornings have been quite slow however; there are lots of midges hatching in the morning and a few blue winged olives have been out in the afternoons. The best fishing is from 12 pm until the sun leaves the water. Midge 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 over a week ago. Brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper johns, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers.

 

Jemez Mountain Streams     29 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo    Fair

The Jemez streams 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 October 24^th.

 

The Chama River     219 cfs below El Vado Dam   Fair                and 526 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 late last week. Flows are better today, but best is around 140 cfs. 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 is off color. The flows below Abiquiu are relatively unfishable but, I’m guessing that the releases out of Abiquiu will soon mirror what’s coming out of El Vado.

 

Albuquerque area Rio Grande riverside drains have been recently stocked. I’ve had no reports from there.

  

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

. 

 

I’m looking for reports on winter fisheries especially those that have species other than trout. The first persons who read this and respond by telephone with a fly fishing report from Elephant Butte Lake, Cochiti Lake, or Bluewater Lake, receive a High Desert Angler embroidered logo baseball cap. There are three prizes available today. Only responses by telephone are eligible. This promotion is open to anyone and WE will ship this award anywhere in the United States. To be eligible, call the shop and register for the promotion. Give us your report on any of the aforementioned fisheries and if you are the first one to respond for that fishery, you’ll get a free baseball cap to identify you as being on our field staff. The telephone number is 888-988-7688 out of Santa Fe and 988-7688 in Santa Fe. Good luck and thank you for visiting our website.