Stream Report for Tuesday May 29, 2007
Stream Report for Tuesday May 29, 2007 at 10:00 am MDT
San Juan River 1390 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The San Juan is holding at 1390 cfs since Wednesday the 23rd. The water is quite clear and fishing is good. Now is the time to fish the Juan, especially if you like a little more water than the usual summer flow of 500. The published release schedule calls for the releases to be down to 500 by this date and the Bureau of Rec may start to lower the flows any day now. Boat and wade fishing has been good with the better spots being the upper flats toward the cable, baetis bend and below Simon Canyon. Flies for the San Juan include red disco midges, red desert storms, chocolate johnny flash, chocolate RS2's, UV flash midge emergers, and black or olive bunny leeches.
Rio Grande 958 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is murky but fishable. Fishing for smallmouth bass has been fair. Some of the bigger eddies that aren't blown out around Pilar do hold smallies. Fish for them on sinking or better yet sink tip lines with crayfish patterns. There is cooler water and better trout fishing in the gorge. Other flies for the Rio Grande are elk hair caddis, emergent sparkle pupa, submarine softhackle, black, brown or olive woolly buggers, autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, double hackle peacocks, poundmeisters, and caddis nymphs. No recent reports of people catching pike on the Rio but, the reports from Cochiti Lake have been fair.
Pecos River 392 cfs below Terrero; Poor
The Pecos River is flowing high. Fishing will be tough until runoff is over later this month. The good news is that when runoff ends it usually means the start of the giant stonefly hatch. No word of them coming off yet however. Nymphing will be the most productive during high water. Big stone fly nymphs, prince nymphs, and copper johns were working for several anglers. Brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper higgins, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers. Please report anyone over harvesting fish to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 45 cfs at Cimarron; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Flows out of the dam are less than 5 cfs. The remaining water comes from a few small tributaries with biggest being Clear Creek at the eastern end of the State Park. The best fishing is now upstream of Clear Creek towards Tolby Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are yellow stimulators, bwo's, parachute adams, tungsten copper johns, copper higgins, pheasant tails, HDA favorites, and orange scuds should the release out of the dam come up.
Jemez Mountain Streams 102 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The Jemez streams are clearing and done with runoff. The Guadalupe and Rio de Las Vacas are still a little high and off color but, stoneflies should be coming off any day now. The best reports have been from headwater streams like the East Fork, San Antonio and the Cebolla. Forest Road 376 to the upper San Antonio will open June 1st. There have been a few stoneflies spotted on the lower San Antonio. 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 867 cfs below El Vado Dam; Poor and 1400 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is probably done until the flows come back down below 400 cfs below El Vado. The Chama below Abiquiu Dam is aslo likey going to be mostly unfishable for most of the summer. The Chama River flowing into El Vado lake is in runoff. Look for a small stonefly hatch here in a week or two. Streamers are the general fly choices below both dams. The areas below Abiquiu Dam and above El Vado Lake are Special Trout Waters with reduced bag limits. The density of fish is very low there and is not stocked. Please report anyone over harvesting here to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Stone Lake on the Jicarilla Nation is currently fishing fair. Bank fishing has slowed some and float tubes or other small watercraft is the best way to fish Stone Lake. Flies for Stone Lake are hellgramites, woolly buggers, and damsel nymphs. Places like these are somewhere you can fish while everything else is in runoff. The High Desert Angler is an official Jicarilla Nation fishing permit vendor.
McAllister Lake was heavily stocked again a couple of weeks ago. I haven't had many reports from MacAllister, and the few have been fair at best. Please use caution on any lake as the spring winds can make float tubing difficult or dangerous. Woolly Buggers, leeches, midges, and aquatic snails, and damsel flies have been the best producers. Better reports for lake fishing have come from Hopewell and Eagle Nest.
Santa Fe River 7 cfs through Santa Fe; Fair
The Santa Fe River was stocked on May 18th. Game and Fish will stock the Santa Fe River any time there is sufficient water to do so. So, no joke, you can catch fish out of this often dry river, at least for the time being. Any location east of downtown Santa Fe is generally preferred for it's access and ambience. With the talk of the Santa Fe River having a year round flow, it could be a good thing to show the demand for a nearby fishery by actually fishing the Santa Fe River. If any one goes, please e-mail me a report.
In Southern Colorado:
The Conejos River 1090 cfs at Magote; Slow to Fair
The Conejos River is in runoff and this weekend's high temps have increased the melt. The only thing fishable may be the river below Platoro Resevoir The flows there are currenly 92 cfs. It's a little high for this stretch of meadow water but still about the only thing going. At a few hours drive from Santa Fe, it's within the same driving distance to the San Juan and should be as great of a summer fishery as it was last year.
Arkansas River; Slow
The Arkansas River has come up with the melting snowpack and releases out of Twin Lakes as well. The river above Lake Creek to Hayden Meadows is now experiencing a lot of high water. The Ark is about four hours from Santa Fe and another river worth exploring, especially if you are one of the many to miss out on the caddis hatch on the Rio Grande.
Rio Grande 2210 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Poor
The upper Rio Grande is obviously in runoff. High water will continue for at least a few weeks. Look for hatching stoneflies as the water recedes in early June.
The San Juan River 937 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Poor
The upper San Juan and Piedra rivers are in runoff as well. The only fishable water in this area is Williams Creek below the dam. Runoff will last a few weeks to a month here, but should give way to some awsome summer fishing within a few hours drive of Santa Fe.
Water and fishing condtitions are changing daily! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
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, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
San Juan River 1390 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The San Juan is holding at 1390 cfs since Wednesday the 23rd. The water is quite clear and fishing is good. Now is the time to fish the Juan, especially if you like a little more water than the usual summer flow of 500. The published release schedule calls for the releases to be down to 500 by this date and the Bureau of Rec may start to lower the flows any day now. Boat and wade fishing has been good with the better spots being the upper flats toward the cable, baetis bend and below Simon Canyon. Flies for the San Juan include red disco midges, red desert storms, chocolate johnny flash, chocolate RS2's, UV flash midge emergers, and black or olive bunny leeches.
Rio Grande 958 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is murky but fishable. Fishing for smallmouth bass has been fair. Some of the bigger eddies that aren't blown out around Pilar do hold smallies. Fish for them on sinking or better yet sink tip lines with crayfish patterns. There is cooler water and better trout fishing in the gorge. Other flies for the Rio Grande are elk hair caddis, emergent sparkle pupa, submarine softhackle, black, brown or olive woolly buggers, autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, double hackle peacocks, poundmeisters, and caddis nymphs. No recent reports of people catching pike on the Rio but, the reports from Cochiti Lake have been fair.
Pecos River 392 cfs below Terrero; Poor
The Pecos River is flowing high. Fishing will be tough until runoff is over later this month. The good news is that when runoff ends it usually means the start of the giant stonefly hatch. No word of them coming off yet however. Nymphing will be the most productive during high water. Big stone fly nymphs, prince nymphs, and copper johns were working for several anglers. Brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper higgins, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers. Please report anyone over harvesting fish to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 45 cfs at Cimarron; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Flows out of the dam are less than 5 cfs. The remaining water comes from a few small tributaries with biggest being Clear Creek at the eastern end of the State Park. The best fishing is now upstream of Clear Creek towards Tolby Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are yellow stimulators, bwo's, parachute adams, tungsten copper johns, copper higgins, pheasant tails, HDA favorites, and orange scuds should the release out of the dam come up.
Jemez Mountain Streams 102 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The Jemez streams are clearing and done with runoff. The Guadalupe and Rio de Las Vacas are still a little high and off color but, stoneflies should be coming off any day now. The best reports have been from headwater streams like the East Fork, San Antonio and the Cebolla. Forest Road 376 to the upper San Antonio will open June 1st. There have been a few stoneflies spotted on the lower San Antonio. 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 867 cfs below El Vado Dam; Poor and 1400 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is probably done until the flows come back down below 400 cfs below El Vado. The Chama below Abiquiu Dam is aslo likey going to be mostly unfishable for most of the summer. The Chama River flowing into El Vado lake is in runoff. Look for a small stonefly hatch here in a week or two. Streamers are the general fly choices below both dams. The areas below Abiquiu Dam and above El Vado Lake are Special Trout Waters with reduced bag limits. The density of fish is very low there and is not stocked. Please report anyone over harvesting here to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Stone Lake on the Jicarilla Nation is currently fishing fair. Bank fishing has slowed some and float tubes or other small watercraft is the best way to fish Stone Lake. Flies for Stone Lake are hellgramites, woolly buggers, and damsel nymphs. Places like these are somewhere you can fish while everything else is in runoff. The High Desert Angler is an official Jicarilla Nation fishing permit vendor.
McAllister Lake was heavily stocked again a couple of weeks ago. I haven't had many reports from MacAllister, and the few have been fair at best. Please use caution on any lake as the spring winds can make float tubing difficult or dangerous. Woolly Buggers, leeches, midges, and aquatic snails, and damsel flies have been the best producers. Better reports for lake fishing have come from Hopewell and Eagle Nest.
Santa Fe River 7 cfs through Santa Fe; Fair
The Santa Fe River was stocked on May 18th. Game and Fish will stock the Santa Fe River any time there is sufficient water to do so. So, no joke, you can catch fish out of this often dry river, at least for the time being. Any location east of downtown Santa Fe is generally preferred for it's access and ambience. With the talk of the Santa Fe River having a year round flow, it could be a good thing to show the demand for a nearby fishery by actually fishing the Santa Fe River. If any one goes, please e-mail me a report.
In Southern Colorado:
The Conejos River 1090 cfs at Magote; Slow to Fair
The Conejos River is in runoff and this weekend's high temps have increased the melt. The only thing fishable may be the river below Platoro Resevoir The flows there are currenly 92 cfs. It's a little high for this stretch of meadow water but still about the only thing going. At a few hours drive from Santa Fe, it's within the same driving distance to the San Juan and should be as great of a summer fishery as it was last year.
Arkansas River; Slow
The Arkansas River has come up with the melting snowpack and releases out of Twin Lakes as well. The river above Lake Creek to Hayden Meadows is now experiencing a lot of high water. The Ark is about four hours from Santa Fe and another river worth exploring, especially if you are one of the many to miss out on the caddis hatch on the Rio Grande.
Rio Grande 2210 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Poor
The upper Rio Grande is obviously in runoff. High water will continue for at least a few weeks. Look for hatching stoneflies as the water recedes in early June.
The San Juan River 937 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Poor
The upper San Juan and Piedra rivers are in runoff as well. The only fishable water in this area is Williams Creek below the dam. Runoff will last a few weeks to a month here, but should give way to some awsome summer fishing within a few hours drive of Santa Fe.
Water and fishing condtitions are changing daily! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
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, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
posted by High Desert Angler at Tuesday, May 29, 2007
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