Stream Report for Thursday March 1, 2007
Charette Lake, Clayton Lake, Maxwell Lakes, and McAllister Lake all open on Thursday March 1st. The main concern should be the spring winds. Please use extreme caution if you go out on a boat. Fishing will probably be on the slow side. Woolly Buggers, leeches, midges,, and aquatic snails should be the best producers. It's still to early for damsel flies or dragonfly nymphs. If anyone does go, please call the shop with a report.
San Juan River 531 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 are starting up again, but big midge hatches are still bringing some fish to the surface. 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 656 cfs at Pilar Fair for pike Slow for trout
The Rio Grande is murky and cold. Conditions may worsen if it warms up and the lower elevation snows start to melt. Due to the colder water influx in the afternoon, the best fishing is in the mornings. 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 quite cold and probably will remain so until March. At Villanueva state park, 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. 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 34 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo Fair
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 which would rate as fair. The obvious snowmelt from the recent storms will have a negative impact for a little while anyway. mostly in the afternoons. Small crystal stimulators or an elk hair caddis with a small beadhead dropper, and parachute adams are some top fly choices.
The Chama River 98 cfs below El Vado Dam Slow 60 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 low. 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 recently. 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
San Juan River 531 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 are starting up again, but big midge hatches are still bringing some fish to the surface. 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 656 cfs at Pilar Fair for pike Slow for trout
The Rio Grande is murky and cold. Conditions may worsen if it warms up and the lower elevation snows start to melt. Due to the colder water influx in the afternoon, the best fishing is in the mornings. 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 quite cold and probably will remain so until March. At Villanueva state park, 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. 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 34 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo Fair
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 which would rate as fair. The obvious snowmelt from the recent storms will have a negative impact for a little while anyway. mostly in the afternoons. Small crystal stimulators or an elk hair caddis with a small beadhead dropper, and parachute adams are some top fly choices.
The Chama River 98 cfs below El Vado Dam Slow 60 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 low. 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 recently. 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
posted by High Desert Angler at Wednesday, February 28, 2007
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