Stream Report for Wednesday June 20, 2007
Stream Report for Wednesday June 19, 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 1270 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The San Juan 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. 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. Be forewarned, mosquitoes are out in force so bring your repellent!
Rio Grande 768 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 162 cfs below Terrero; Good
What a difference a week makes. The Pecos River is flowing half as high as it was a week ago.Stoneflies have made their first appearance on June 2nd just above the village of Pecos but, the hatch seems to have stalled. Nymphing is still the most productive in the mornings but, dry fly fishing in the afternoons has been awesome. Try a big stonefly nymph with a pheasant tail trailer or a dry fly dropper rig. The Pecos was last stocked on the 13th. Flies for the Pecos include stone fly nymphs, stimulators, HDA favorites, tungsten rubber leg copper johns, bivisibles, red quills, and large adams. 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 22 cfs at Cimarron; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are less than 10 cfs and the remaining water comes from a few small tributaries like Tolby Creek and Clear Creek. The Cimarron has several campgrounds that make it a busy place especially on the weekends. Try some of the other area waters as they are fishing better now and may be less crowded, like the Red River over Bobcat Pass. 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 32 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The Jemez streams are fishing well especially on dry flies. 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. Hatches of small yellow and medium sized brown mayflies as well as a small black bodied caddis have been bring most fish to the sursface. 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 flies over the shallower runs or dead drifting a small nymph on a dropper in the deeper pools will pick up most of the fish. Fly choices are orange and yellow stimulators, pale morning duns, red quills, adams, pink cahills, red legged hoppers, dennis hoppers, copper higgins, pheasant tails, and HDA favorites.
The Chama River 227 cfs below the town of Tierra Amarilla; Good: 197 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 227 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; S;ow
The fishing is fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers but, make sure to check out the flows as releases 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 have tapered 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 but also fishing well. 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 772 cfs at Magote; Good
The Conejos River is coming down daily and maybe we are fianlly done with runoff. The river below Platoro Resevoir is currently flowing a high with releases at 219 cfs and is not really fishable at this level. Stoneflies should be coming off on the Conejos in a week or two. Nymphing the edges with big stone fly nymphs has been very productive. 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 1920 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Fair
The upper Rio Grande is still 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 water is clear and boat fishing has been quite good but wading is still difficult.
The San Juan River 1160 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Poor
The upper San Juan and Piedra rivers are still in runoff but, flows are coming down daily here as well. The only fishable water in this area is the Williams Creek below the dam. Runoff may last another week here, but should give way to some awsome summer fishing within a few hours drive of Santa Fe.
Animas River 2420 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 69 cfs. This is near 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 1270 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The San Juan 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. 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. Be forewarned, mosquitoes are out in force so bring your repellent!
Rio Grande 768 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 162 cfs below Terrero; Good
What a difference a week makes. The Pecos River is flowing half as high as it was a week ago.Stoneflies have made their first appearance on June 2nd just above the village of Pecos but, the hatch seems to have stalled. Nymphing is still the most productive in the mornings but, dry fly fishing in the afternoons has been awesome. Try a big stonefly nymph with a pheasant tail trailer or a dry fly dropper rig. The Pecos was last stocked on the 13th. Flies for the Pecos include stone fly nymphs, stimulators, HDA favorites, tungsten rubber leg copper johns, bivisibles, red quills, and large adams. 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 22 cfs at Cimarron; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are less than 10 cfs and the remaining water comes from a few small tributaries like Tolby Creek and Clear Creek. The Cimarron has several campgrounds that make it a busy place especially on the weekends. Try some of the other area waters as they are fishing better now and may be less crowded, like the Red River over Bobcat Pass. 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 32 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The Jemez streams are fishing well especially on dry flies. 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. Hatches of small yellow and medium sized brown mayflies as well as a small black bodied caddis have been bring most fish to the sursface. 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 flies over the shallower runs or dead drifting a small nymph on a dropper in the deeper pools will pick up most of the fish. Fly choices are orange and yellow stimulators, pale morning duns, red quills, adams, pink cahills, red legged hoppers, dennis hoppers, copper higgins, pheasant tails, and HDA favorites.
The Chama River 227 cfs below the town of Tierra Amarilla; Good: 197 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 227 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; S;ow
The fishing is fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers but, make sure to check out the flows as releases 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 have tapered 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 but also fishing well. 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 772 cfs at Magote; Good
The Conejos River is coming down daily and maybe we are fianlly done with runoff. The river below Platoro Resevoir is currently flowing a high with releases at 219 cfs and is not really fishable at this level. Stoneflies should be coming off on the Conejos in a week or two. Nymphing the edges with big stone fly nymphs has been very productive. 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 1920 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Fair
The upper Rio Grande is still 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 water is clear and boat fishing has been quite good but wading is still difficult.
The San Juan River 1160 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Poor
The upper San Juan and Piedra rivers are still in runoff but, flows are coming down daily here as well. The only fishable water in this area is the Williams Creek below the dam. Runoff may last another week here, but should give way to some awsome summer fishing within a few hours drive of Santa Fe.
Animas River 2420 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 69 cfs. This is near 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 Wednesday, June 20, 2007
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