Stream Report for Monday June 18, 2007
Stream Report for Monday June 18, 2007 at 9:00 am MDT
Limited angling opportunities for Gila trout will open July 1, 2007, in select streams in southwestern New Mexico that have been closed to fishing since 1966. Everyone who fishes for Gila Trout must have a Gila Trout Permit along with a valid New Mexico fishing license. Permits are free and will be available June 1 on the "Buy licenses online" feature of the Department website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us.
The Rio Costilla in the Valle Vidal will open Sunday July 1st. It's one of the few places to reliably catch a Rio Grande cutthroat trout. High floating dry flies are usually the best producers. Stimulators, royal wulffs, and humpies, and little yellow sallies are some top choices.
San Juan River 1230 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The San Juan has actually been holding around 1240 cfs since Wednesday May 23rd but, a faulty stream guage reported 1400 cfs. 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, winged ants, and black or olive bunny leeches.
Rio Grande 818 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair 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.
Pecos River 189 cfs below Terrero; Fair
The Pecos River is flowing high but, the flows are falling hopefully indicating the end of runoff. Runoff is usually done by now and means the start of the giant stonefly hatch. Stoneflies have made their first appearance on June 2nd just above the village of Pecos. The hatch seems to have stalled with the cooler weather and rain but, should be back on with the warmer weather we are expecting. Nymphing will be the most productive during high water. Big stonefly nymphs with a pheasant tail trailer has been one of the better rigs. The Pecos was last stocked on the 7th. Brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper higgins, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers. The river adjacent to Monastery Lake and all the way up to and behind the fish hatchery is private. Please respect all of the landowners along the Pecos and stay out of all posted private waters. The FIRST PUBLIC access is Dalton Day Use. Dalton is approximately 6 miles upstream of the village of Pecos. Please report anyone over harvesting fish to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 25 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 10 cfs. The remaining water comes from a few small tributaries with biggest being Clear Creek at the eastern end of the State Park. Flies for the Cimarron are yellow stimulators, light cahills, 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 38 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The Jemez streams are clearing and done with runoff. The stonefly hatch is pretty well over on the Guadalupe and Rio de Las Vacas above Porter's Landing. The headwater streams like the East Fork, San Antonio and the Cebolla are at their summertime low and quite clear. Forest Road 376 to the upper San Antonio is open. Drive 376 at your own risk . It's usually passable in dry weather in a two wheel drive pickup, but if it rains, a four wheel drive or alternate access is required. Dry fly dropper rigs over the shallower runs or dead drifting small nymphs in the deeper pools will pick up most of the fish. Fly choices are orange and yellow stimulators, sofa pillows, Clark' salmonfly, foam stone, pale morning duns, red quills, adams, pink cahills, red legged hoppers, dennis hoppers, copper higgins, pheasant tails, Theo's biot stonefly nymph, and HDA favorites.
The Chama River 312 cfs below the town of Tierra Amarilla; Slow: 340 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 426 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing was fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers but,release out of the dam have been fluctuating every couple of days. The Chama below Abiquiu Dam is aslo likey to be fishing fair as long as the flows stay below 400 cfs. The flows on the Chama River flowing into El Vado lake were tapering off indicating we are near the end of runoff. Look for a small stonefly hatch here in any day now. The nearby Brazos River is still a bit high with snowmelt. 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. Warmer water temps force the fish into deeper cooler water. 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 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.
In Southern Colorado:
The Conejos River 902 cfs at Magote; Slow
The Conejos River is in runoff. The river below Platoro Resevoir is currently flowing a high with releases at 181 cfs and it is not really fishable at this level. Stoneflies should be coming off on the Conejos in a week or two. 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. The river above Lake Creek to Hayden Meadows is now experiencing 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 2460 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Poor
The upper Rio Grande is obviously in runoff. High water will continue for at least a week or two. Look for hatching stoneflies as the water recedes in late June.
The San Juan River 1410 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 the Williams Creek below the dam. Runoff may last a couple of weeks here, but should give way to some awsome summer fishing within a few hours drive of Santa Fe.
Animas River 3130 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is in runoff and is better left to the rafters and kayakers. The Delores River below McPhee Reservoir is flowing at 99 cfs. This is an optimum flow for the Delores. The only traffic on this river is from guides who operate out of Telluride and Durango, and there is lots of room. If you are in the area and can't fish the rivers in runoff, consider the Delores.
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.
Limited angling opportunities for Gila trout will open July 1, 2007, in select streams in southwestern New Mexico that have been closed to fishing since 1966. Everyone who fishes for Gila Trout must have a Gila Trout Permit along with a valid New Mexico fishing license. Permits are free and will be available June 1 on the "Buy licenses online" feature of the Department website, www.wildlife.state.nm.us.
The Rio Costilla in the Valle Vidal will open Sunday July 1st. It's one of the few places to reliably catch a Rio Grande cutthroat trout. High floating dry flies are usually the best producers. Stimulators, royal wulffs, and humpies, and little yellow sallies are some top choices.
San Juan River 1230 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The San Juan has actually been holding around 1240 cfs since Wednesday May 23rd but, a faulty stream guage reported 1400 cfs. 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, winged ants, and black or olive bunny leeches.
Rio Grande 818 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair 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.
Pecos River 189 cfs below Terrero; Fair
The Pecos River is flowing high but, the flows are falling hopefully indicating the end of runoff. Runoff is usually done by now and means the start of the giant stonefly hatch. Stoneflies have made their first appearance on June 2nd just above the village of Pecos. The hatch seems to have stalled with the cooler weather and rain but, should be back on with the warmer weather we are expecting. Nymphing will be the most productive during high water. Big stonefly nymphs with a pheasant tail trailer has been one of the better rigs. The Pecos was last stocked on the 7th. Brightly colored flies like red, chartreuse, and blue copper higgins, and purple prince nymphs usually work on the stockers. The river adjacent to Monastery Lake and all the way up to and behind the fish hatchery is private. Please respect all of the landowners along the Pecos and stay out of all posted private waters. The FIRST PUBLIC access is Dalton Day Use. Dalton is approximately 6 miles upstream of the village of Pecos. Please report anyone over harvesting fish to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 25 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 10 cfs. The remaining water comes from a few small tributaries with biggest being Clear Creek at the eastern end of the State Park. Flies for the Cimarron are yellow stimulators, light cahills, 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 38 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The Jemez streams are clearing and done with runoff. The stonefly hatch is pretty well over on the Guadalupe and Rio de Las Vacas above Porter's Landing. The headwater streams like the East Fork, San Antonio and the Cebolla are at their summertime low and quite clear. Forest Road 376 to the upper San Antonio is open. Drive 376 at your own risk . It's usually passable in dry weather in a two wheel drive pickup, but if it rains, a four wheel drive or alternate access is required. Dry fly dropper rigs over the shallower runs or dead drifting small nymphs in the deeper pools will pick up most of the fish. Fly choices are orange and yellow stimulators, sofa pillows, Clark' salmonfly, foam stone, pale morning duns, red quills, adams, pink cahills, red legged hoppers, dennis hoppers, copper higgins, pheasant tails, Theo's biot stonefly nymph, and HDA favorites.
The Chama River 312 cfs below the town of Tierra Amarilla; Slow: 340 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 426 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing was fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers but,release out of the dam have been fluctuating every couple of days. The Chama below Abiquiu Dam is aslo likey to be fishing fair as long as the flows stay below 400 cfs. The flows on the Chama River flowing into El Vado lake were tapering off indicating we are near the end of runoff. Look for a small stonefly hatch here in any day now. The nearby Brazos River is still a bit high with snowmelt. 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. Warmer water temps force the fish into deeper cooler water. 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 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.
In Southern Colorado:
The Conejos River 902 cfs at Magote; Slow
The Conejos River is in runoff. The river below Platoro Resevoir is currently flowing a high with releases at 181 cfs and it is not really fishable at this level. Stoneflies should be coming off on the Conejos in a week or two. 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. The river above Lake Creek to Hayden Meadows is now experiencing 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 2460 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Poor
The upper Rio Grande is obviously in runoff. High water will continue for at least a week or two. Look for hatching stoneflies as the water recedes in late June.
The San Juan River 1410 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 the Williams Creek below the dam. Runoff may last a couple of weeks here, but should give way to some awsome summer fishing within a few hours drive of Santa Fe.
Animas River 3130 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is in runoff and is better left to the rafters and kayakers. The Delores River below McPhee Reservoir is flowing at 99 cfs. This is an optimum flow for the Delores. The only traffic on this river is from guides who operate out of Telluride and Durango, and there is lots of room. If you are in the area and can't fish the rivers in runoff, consider the Delores.
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 Monday, June 18, 2007
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