Stream Report for Tuesday January 30, 2007

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      525 cfs below Navajo Dam    Good

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 big 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 537 cfs at Pilar     Fair for pike  Slow for trout

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. 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 state park was recently stocked. 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     23 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     211 cfs below El Vado Dam   Slow    36 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 24th and 25th. 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:

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