Stream Report for Monday January 22, 2007
New Mexico Game and Fish is looking for volunteers to assist them in stocking brown trout fry into the Rio Grande Gorge and Lower Red River canyon on Tuesday January 30th. Please meet at the La Junta Pavilion in the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic Rivers Area at 10 am. Wear sturdy hiking attire and bring a big backpack if you have one; Game and Fish usually have some to lend out. A group of customers and staff will be going to help out and fish the afternoon once we are done. We will be leaving the store parking lot at 7:30 am. Please call to let us know if you'll be joining us. For more information, call Eric Frey of New Mexico Game and Fish at 505-445-5651.
Cutbows are into their spawn on some rivers and streams. Please be careful to not wade into their spawning beds known as redds. A redd is a circular area of clean gravel usually located at the tail of a pool and the spawning pair can often be seen over their redd. These fish clearly have something more important to do so please leave them alone!
San Juan River 204 cfs below Navajo Dam Good?
The San Juan was fishing quite good last week before the releases out of the dam were reduced on Friday. The best fishing was upstream of Texas Hole to the cable, although there are some fish holding around the instream structure Game and Fish have placed below Simon Canyon. Expect more fish to be holding in the deeper runs. Baetis hatches have pretty much disappeared but midge hatches are still bringing some fish to the surface. The lake has turned over and visibility is less than three feet. Flies for the San Juan are Johnny flash in chocolate and grey, zebra midges, red or orange San Juan worms, red disco midges, red desert storms, black beauties, uv flash midge emergers, and black midges.
Rio Grande approximately 475 cfs at Pilar Fair
The Rio Grande is clear and cold. Conditions may worsen if it warms up and the lower elevation snows start to melt. Due to the cold, the best fishing is in the afternoons. 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. Quite a few people are catching pike on the Rio on big rabbit strip flies and deceivers
Pecos River Slow above Pecos, Fair at Villanueva State Park
The Pecos River above the village of Pecos is way too cold and probably will remain so until March. The Pecos at Villanueva was heavily stocked on December 18th but, I've had no reports from there. Brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper johns, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers. Fish Villanueva soon after a stocking as there is no resident self sustaining fish populations there. The last stocking here was on January 10th. Please report anyone over harvesting fish to state park officials or better yet, to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Jemez Mountain Streams 26 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo Slow
Most of the Jemez streams are fishing slow except the lower Jemez, lower Guadalupe, or downstream of the few hot springs that empty into nearby creeks. The obvious snowmelt from the recent storms will have a negative impact for a little while anyway. Small crystal stimulators or an elk hair caddis with a small beadhead dropper, and parachute adams are some top fly choices. The Jemez River was stocked on January 3rd.
The Chama River 223 cfs below El Vado Dam Slow 58 cfs below Abiquiu Dam Slow
The fishing is now rated as slow below El Vado as the releases out of the dam are quite murky and the colder weather makes it's impact. Expect clarity to go down further when the lake turns over. Big nymphs like double hackle peacocks and had favorites and streamers like woolly buggers, zoo cougars, and autumn splendors work best. The flows below Abiquiu are a little low now for optimum fishing but quite clear. Streamers and midges are the fly choices for Abiquiu. The area below Abiquiu Dam is a Special Trout Water with reduced bag limits. The density of fish is very low here and is not stocked. The road into the lower stretch is pretty well snowed in so consider going in from the dam. Please report anyone over harvesting here to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Albuquerque area Rio Grande riverside drains have been stocked as of the 8th. Most are reportedly fishing fair except for the Corrales Drain, which was dredged and now lacks the vegetation to hold fish.
Please see our announcements page for more news and upcoming events!
Call us at the shop for conditions on waters not listed here. 888-988-7688 out of Santa Fe or 988-7688 in Santa Fe.
For the latest in stream flows bookmark the link below:
posted by Lynn Roylance at Monday, January 22, 2007
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