Stream Report for Friday March 9, 2007
Charette Lake, Clayton Lake, Maxwell Lakes, and McAllister Lake all opened 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 723 cfs below Navajo Dam Good
The San Juan was finally starting to clear up before the flows went up on Thursday. 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. The warmer weather has been drawing a lot of people out and the upper river has been crowded. Expect more fish to be holding in the deeper runs. Baetis hatches are starting up again, but big midge hatches are still bringing most 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 687 cfs at Pilar Fair for pike Slow for trout
The Rio Grande is quite clear although that may change with warmer weather expected this weekend. Conditions may worsen if it warms up any more and the lower elevation snows start to melt. 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, but trout fishing remains slow.
Pecos River 44 cfs below Terrero Slow above Pecos, Fair at Villanueva State Park
The Pecos River above the village of Pecos is fishing better with the warmer weather. Fish are holding in the deeper runs from Pecos to Terrero. Afternoons have been the best time and nymphing is the most productive. Big stone fly nymphs, prince nymphs, and copper johns were working for several anglers over the weekend. At Villanueva state park, brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper johns, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers. Villanueva was last stocked on February 27th, probably for the last time of the season. 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 40 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo Fair
Most of the Jemez streams are fishing slow except the lower Jemez, lower Guadalupe. An afternoon runoff pattern is apparent on most of the Jemez streams so look for the clearest water. Dry fly dropper rigs over the shallower runs or dead drifting big nymphs in the deeper pools will pick up a few fish.
The Chama River 98 cfs below El Vado Dam Slow 62 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. 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 723 cfs below Navajo Dam Good
The San Juan was finally starting to clear up before the flows went up on Thursday. 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. The warmer weather has been drawing a lot of people out and the upper river has been crowded. Expect more fish to be holding in the deeper runs. Baetis hatches are starting up again, but big midge hatches are still bringing most 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 687 cfs at Pilar Fair for pike Slow for trout
The Rio Grande is quite clear although that may change with warmer weather expected this weekend. Conditions may worsen if it warms up any more and the lower elevation snows start to melt. 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, but trout fishing remains slow.
Pecos River 44 cfs below Terrero Slow above Pecos, Fair at Villanueva State Park
The Pecos River above the village of Pecos is fishing better with the warmer weather. Fish are holding in the deeper runs from Pecos to Terrero. Afternoons have been the best time and nymphing is the most productive. Big stone fly nymphs, prince nymphs, and copper johns were working for several anglers over the weekend. At Villanueva state park, brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper johns, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers. Villanueva was last stocked on February 27th, probably for the last time of the season. 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 40 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo Fair
Most of the Jemez streams are fishing slow except the lower Jemez, lower Guadalupe. An afternoon runoff pattern is apparent on most of the Jemez streams so look for the clearest water. Dry fly dropper rigs over the shallower runs or dead drifting big nymphs in the deeper pools will pick up a few fish.
The Chama River 98 cfs below El Vado Dam Slow 62 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. 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 Thursday, March 08, 2007
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