Stream Report for Monday December 3, 2007
Stream Report for Monday December 3, 2007 at 11:00 am MDT
WE'VE MOVED, AGAIN! This time we're a lot easier to find as we've only moved next door in the space formerly occupied by Wild Mountain Outfitters. We are gaining a bigger and brighter space with better visibility on Cerrillos Road.
Please be aware that there are still populations of brown trout and cutbows that are into their spawn on many rivers and streams throughout the state. Wade carefully, don't cast at spawning fish and look out for their spawning beds known as redds. A redd is a circular area of clean gravel usually found at the tail of a pool. Sometimes the spawning pair can be seen over their redd. Do not wade through or over a redd and please leave these fish alone as the clearly have something very important to do.
San Juan River 242 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
Releases out of Navajo Dam went down last week to facilitate some work on the river below the dam. Releases are expected to go back up early this week. The water is incredibly clear but fishing is fair. Some anglers haven't had the best fishing as it is quite technical at this clarity and flow. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as small as #24's and 26's. There is usually less fish in the flats and more in the channels with the lower flows. There have been some very good midge hatches, but the baetis hatches are tapering off. Flies for the San Juan include red disco midges, UFO's, chocolate johnny flash, chocoalte RS2's, UV flash midge emergers, hatching midges, griffith's gnats, dead chickens, parachute baetis, CDC BWO comparaduns, and black or olive bunny leeches.
Rio Grande 495 cfs at Cerro; Good: 679 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande was stable and getting clearer by the day until this weekends round of storms. Things should look better on the Rio in a week or so. Large streamers that move water and contrast to the murky water are still picking up a handful of pike. Trout flies for the Rio Grande are olive RS2's, softhackle pheasant tail, black, brown or olive woolly buggers, autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, double hackle peacocks, poundmeisters, and caddis nymphs. The confluence has been fishing well just be careful to avoid redds and leave the spawners alone. Fishing for pike has been good however, the ones eating flies are on the small side. Show them big rabbit strip flies, large deceivers, or any other large streamer. Best colors have been red and white, yellow, and chartreuse.
Pecos River 547 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The Pecos is fishing slow. The river above the village of Pecos is probably going to fish slow at best until the warmer days of spring. New mexico Game and Fish has not stocked Villanueva State Park as of this writing, and I suspect that the fishing is slow there as well. If you do go upstream of the village of Pecos, the water is clear and low making the fish quite spooky. Use longer leaders, finer tippets, and make longer casts to fool these sluggish fish. Flies for the Pecos include baetis emergers, small stimulators, Barr's PMD emerger, fluttering caddis, spent partridge caddis, and 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 or poaching to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 4.7 cfs at Cimarron; Fair
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are below 1 cfs and the water is extremely low and clear. With the colder weather settling in, the Cimarron won't fish well until spring.
Jemez Mountain Streams 125 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Fair
The Jemez streams are high and murky with runoff from this weekend's storms. Fishing will be slow until flows and clarity returns to normal. Expect the headwater streams to be snowbound and fishing slow. The lower Jemez below Jemez Springs does get stocked for winter trout fishing but has yet to receive any plantings of fish yet.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Slow: 83 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 93 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 57 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers. The Chama River above the village of Chama is low, clear and quite cold. The nearby Brazos River is also fishing slow. Streamers are the general fly choices below both dams. The first access to the Chama in the Rio Chama Wildlife Area, off of NM Highway 112 has been closed by the landowner. The better acces is off of NM Highway 95 near the Heron Dam outlet. The Chama River above El Vado and below Abiquiu 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.
In Southern Colorado:
The Conejos River 283 cfs at Magote; Slow
The fishing on the Conejos is slow and currently in runoff from the weekend's storms. Fishing will probably remain slow until March bring warmer weather and water. The river immediately below Platoro Resevoir is currently flowing at 7 cfs. Nymph fishing on a heavily weighted leader is the most productive. Also, try dry fly dropper rigs and nymphing the edges.
Arkansas River; Slow
The Arkansas River is fishing slow above Salida. Some stretches of river are fishing fair between Salida and Canon City. Streamers, midges and baetis are the flies for the Ark.
Rio Grande near Creede; Slow
The upper Rio Grande is fishing slow and will remain so until spring. Warmer water and shots at big carp and pike are possible from Alamosa to Antonito.
The San Juan River at Pagosa Springs; Poor; Piedra River 155 cfs at Arboles; Fair
The San Juan River is fishing very slow. The best bet in the Pagosa area is the Piedra on the Southern Ute below US Highway 160. Afternoons offer the best fishing and warmer water. If you come up here to ski, always pack the fly rod if the skiing isn't that desirable.
Animas River 360 cfs at Durango; Good
The Animas River near Durango has murked up and fishing is a little slow. Fishing will improve once it clears up. Big browns are prowling and will take streamers especially if it's overcast. Winter is a great time to fish the Animas on the Southern Ute Reservation. Permits can be obtained at the Durango fly shops, Zia Sporting Goods in Farmington, or Float-n-Fish in Navajo Dam. It makes for a nice diversion from the San Juan River about 45 minutes away.
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.
WE'VE MOVED, AGAIN! This time we're a lot easier to find as we've only moved next door in the space formerly occupied by Wild Mountain Outfitters. We are gaining a bigger and brighter space with better visibility on Cerrillos Road.
Please be aware that there are still populations of brown trout and cutbows that are into their spawn on many rivers and streams throughout the state. Wade carefully, don't cast at spawning fish and look out for their spawning beds known as redds. A redd is a circular area of clean gravel usually found at the tail of a pool. Sometimes the spawning pair can be seen over their redd. Do not wade through or over a redd and please leave these fish alone as the clearly have something very important to do.
San Juan River 242 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
Releases out of Navajo Dam went down last week to facilitate some work on the river below the dam. Releases are expected to go back up early this week. The water is incredibly clear but fishing is fair. Some anglers haven't had the best fishing as it is quite technical at this clarity and flow. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as small as #24's and 26's. There is usually less fish in the flats and more in the channels with the lower flows. There have been some very good midge hatches, but the baetis hatches are tapering off. Flies for the San Juan include red disco midges, UFO's, chocolate johnny flash, chocoalte RS2's, UV flash midge emergers, hatching midges, griffith's gnats, dead chickens, parachute baetis, CDC BWO comparaduns, and black or olive bunny leeches.
Rio Grande 495 cfs at Cerro; Good: 679 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande was stable and getting clearer by the day until this weekends round of storms. Things should look better on the Rio in a week or so. Large streamers that move water and contrast to the murky water are still picking up a handful of pike. Trout flies for the Rio Grande are olive RS2's, softhackle pheasant tail, black, brown or olive woolly buggers, autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, double hackle peacocks, poundmeisters, and caddis nymphs. The confluence has been fishing well just be careful to avoid redds and leave the spawners alone. Fishing for pike has been good however, the ones eating flies are on the small side. Show them big rabbit strip flies, large deceivers, or any other large streamer. Best colors have been red and white, yellow, and chartreuse.
Pecos River 547 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The Pecos is fishing slow. The river above the village of Pecos is probably going to fish slow at best until the warmer days of spring. New mexico Game and Fish has not stocked Villanueva State Park as of this writing, and I suspect that the fishing is slow there as well. If you do go upstream of the village of Pecos, the water is clear and low making the fish quite spooky. Use longer leaders, finer tippets, and make longer casts to fool these sluggish fish. Flies for the Pecos include baetis emergers, small stimulators, Barr's PMD emerger, fluttering caddis, spent partridge caddis, and 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 or poaching to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 4.7 cfs at Cimarron; Fair
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are below 1 cfs and the water is extremely low and clear. With the colder weather settling in, the Cimarron won't fish well until spring.
Jemez Mountain Streams 125 cfs on main stem Jemez above Jemez Pueblo; Fair
The Jemez streams are high and murky with runoff from this weekend's storms. Fishing will be slow until flows and clarity returns to normal. Expect the headwater streams to be snowbound and fishing slow. The lower Jemez below Jemez Springs does get stocked for winter trout fishing but has yet to receive any plantings of fish yet.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Slow: 83 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 93 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 57 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers. The Chama River above the village of Chama is low, clear and quite cold. The nearby Brazos River is also fishing slow. Streamers are the general fly choices below both dams. The first access to the Chama in the Rio Chama Wildlife Area, off of NM Highway 112 has been closed by the landowner. The better acces is off of NM Highway 95 near the Heron Dam outlet. The Chama River above El Vado and below Abiquiu 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.
In Southern Colorado:
The Conejos River 283 cfs at Magote; Slow
The fishing on the Conejos is slow and currently in runoff from the weekend's storms. Fishing will probably remain slow until March bring warmer weather and water. The river immediately below Platoro Resevoir is currently flowing at 7 cfs. Nymph fishing on a heavily weighted leader is the most productive. Also, try dry fly dropper rigs and nymphing the edges.
Arkansas River; Slow
The Arkansas River is fishing slow above Salida. Some stretches of river are fishing fair between Salida and Canon City. Streamers, midges and baetis are the flies for the Ark.
Rio Grande near Creede; Slow
The upper Rio Grande is fishing slow and will remain so until spring. Warmer water and shots at big carp and pike are possible from Alamosa to Antonito.
The San Juan River at Pagosa Springs; Poor; Piedra River 155 cfs at Arboles; Fair
The San Juan River is fishing very slow. The best bet in the Pagosa area is the Piedra on the Southern Ute below US Highway 160. Afternoons offer the best fishing and warmer water. If you come up here to ski, always pack the fly rod if the skiing isn't that desirable.
Animas River 360 cfs at Durango; Good
The Animas River near Durango has murked up and fishing is a little slow. Fishing will improve once it clears up. Big browns are prowling and will take streamers especially if it's overcast. Winter is a great time to fish the Animas on the Southern Ute Reservation. Permits can be obtained at the Durango fly shops, Zia Sporting Goods in Farmington, or Float-n-Fish in Navajo Dam. It makes for a nice diversion from the San Juan River about 45 minutes away.
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, December 03, 2007
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