Fly Fishing Report for Sunday July 6, 2008
San Juan River 579 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The San Juan is at it's lowest flow in a long time. We may see a higher summer time release once spring snowmelt on the Animas is done. This is thought by many guides and anglers to be the best time to fish the Juan. A lot of fish that usually see every drift good and bad, hadn't seen much during the higher release. As a result, those fish are usually quite hot and willing to eat. Also this time of year brings large ant falls with the summer rains. Midge nymphing will still be the most productive. Size 20 and 22 gray, black, brown, and cream midge larvae, and size 22-24 gray rs2's and gray foam back emergers have been the better producers. The mosquitoes are out in force so don't forget the bug repellent! Please note; the New Mexico State Game Commission has enacted a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule will go into effect on July 1st. As a result, Game and Fish officers are starting to make their appearance on the San Jaun. They are informing fly fishers of the "two fly" rule, but also checking licenses and for barbed flies. They recommend that you completely file the barb down or risk a citation as a pinched barb may still snag the tippet that is being used to check barbs!
Rio Grande 789 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 1250 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is still a little murky and will likely remain so now that we are into our summer monsoon season. Contrary to other reports, you can pick up trout on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs, pheasant tails, or crane fly larvae. Trout move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. Smallmouth inhabit the eddies and can be picked up on crayfish patterns or woolly buggers on a sinking tip or sinking line. Pike hunt by feel and they'll take large streamers that move water regardless of water clarity, just be sure to cover the water more thoroughly. There is no rafting and kayaking above John Dunn Bridge and further upstream into the gorge. Flies for the Rio are black or olive woolly buggers, autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, caddis nymphs, and pheasant tails. For pike, show them big rabbit strip flies, large streamers or diving flies in dark colors.
Pecos River 89 cfs below Terrero; Very Good
The river above the village of Pecos has started to come down slowly over the past several weeks. Wading is a lot easier and a lot of the pockets are starting to reappear and there is more soft water on the edges. The stonefly hatch is pretty well done although there are a few small ones coming off up past Terrero. Caddis hatches in the afternoons are bringing up fish as well as some sporadic mayfly activity. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked recently. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. Pmd's, red quills, tan elk hair caddis, yellow stimulators, and little yellow sallies are all working pretty much the length of the public water. 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 60 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Fair
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Currently, the flows are quite high for the Cimarron. There is less water at the western end of the park below Tolby Creek. Fishing is good to fair with hatches of golden stones, caddis, and pmd's. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, yellow stimulators, pink cahills, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.
Jemez Mountain Streams 25 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Very Good
The bottom dropped out of the Jemez streams and runoff is over. The lower reaches of the Jemez streams can get warm and slow mid-day but they fish well mornings and evenings. The headwater streams don't slow as much mid-day, but are low and clear making a stealthy approach a challenge. Dry fly fishing with size 12-14 yellow stimulators, red quills, and small parachute adams, dennis hoppers, and yellow sallies has been excellent.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 265 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 803 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 244 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama River above the village of Chama is still a little high but has decent visibility and is coming down daily. There are caddis hatches in the afternoons and the stoneflies should be coming off any day now. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the current flows are high and the water is murky. Reduced releases from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it fishable, but I've had no reports from there yet. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. The nearby Brazos is coming down, but still a little high and murky. 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:
Conejos River 376 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 818 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 5, 2008. "Sorry for the delay we have been on the water and fairly busy this week. The Conejos this am is right at 700 cfs and looks great. Drakes were sputtering off yesterday at around their usual time of just before high noon and we had a great couple of hours throwing a #10 Meaty Drake and they ate that with no hesitation. Green Drake nymphs before the hatch seemed to be the best bugs. Hatch was light but that should change day by day. Still alot of caddis in the air and the Goldens and Salmon flies are up higher Flows in the meadow are still perfect for nymph fishing but expect some bugs to pop up there very soon as well if not already. No good reports from there in 6 days. Still the flows up in the high country are very pushy and probobly not ready for a fly yet." Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.
Rio Grande 453 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Good: 1460 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Releases have been coming down out of Rio Grande Reservoir seemingly every other day. There is decent water clarity and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails seem to be picking up the most fish on a heavily weighted leader in the deeper runs and pools. Big skated stonefly dries cast along the banks are also bringing up some good fish. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable all the way to South Fork.
Arkansas River 2790 cfs at Salida: Slow to Fair
Hot weather has raised the flows on the Arkansas again. Flows this morning are 309 at Leadville and 2790 in Salida. The river is returning to fishable conditions along the edges. There have been some afternoon caddis hatches above Granite and is producing a lot of bugs and good feeding activity. Size 16 black caddis dries and an olive caddis pupa have been working during the hatch. The better wading is above Lake Creek in Hayden Meadows. Fish the softer pocket water with dry fly dropper rigs. Large patterns like stimulators, hoppers, parachute madam x's, with a trailing copper johns, princes, pheasant tails, and stonefly nymphs in size #8-12.
Animas River 1770 cfs at Durango; Slow to Fair
The Animas River near Durango is still high but has good visibility. There have been lots of caddis coming off right through town. The Delores below McPhee is finally down and currently flowing at 120 cfs. The upper forks of the Delores are still a little high with runoff. Closer to Pagosa Springs, the San Juan is also still high with runoff. The Piedra has come down a lot over the past week and is getting more fishable by the day. Williams Creek also has had good fishing but has also been crowded with other area waters being high with snowmelt.
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.
It's spring time in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing daily! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
For the latest in stream flows, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
The San Juan is at it's lowest flow in a long time. We may see a higher summer time release once spring snowmelt on the Animas is done. This is thought by many guides and anglers to be the best time to fish the Juan. A lot of fish that usually see every drift good and bad, hadn't seen much during the higher release. As a result, those fish are usually quite hot and willing to eat. Also this time of year brings large ant falls with the summer rains. Midge nymphing will still be the most productive. Size 20 and 22 gray, black, brown, and cream midge larvae, and size 22-24 gray rs2's and gray foam back emergers have been the better producers. The mosquitoes are out in force so don't forget the bug repellent! Please note; the New Mexico State Game Commission has enacted a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule will go into effect on July 1st. As a result, Game and Fish officers are starting to make their appearance on the San Jaun. They are informing fly fishers of the "two fly" rule, but also checking licenses and for barbed flies. They recommend that you completely file the barb down or risk a citation as a pinched barb may still snag the tippet that is being used to check barbs!
Rio Grande 789 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 1250 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is still a little murky and will likely remain so now that we are into our summer monsoon season. Contrary to other reports, you can pick up trout on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs, pheasant tails, or crane fly larvae. Trout move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. Smallmouth inhabit the eddies and can be picked up on crayfish patterns or woolly buggers on a sinking tip or sinking line. Pike hunt by feel and they'll take large streamers that move water regardless of water clarity, just be sure to cover the water more thoroughly. There is no rafting and kayaking above John Dunn Bridge and further upstream into the gorge. Flies for the Rio are black or olive woolly buggers, autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, caddis nymphs, and pheasant tails. For pike, show them big rabbit strip flies, large streamers or diving flies in dark colors.
Pecos River 89 cfs below Terrero; Very Good
The river above the village of Pecos has started to come down slowly over the past several weeks. Wading is a lot easier and a lot of the pockets are starting to reappear and there is more soft water on the edges. The stonefly hatch is pretty well done although there are a few small ones coming off up past Terrero. Caddis hatches in the afternoons are bringing up fish as well as some sporadic mayfly activity. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked recently. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. Pmd's, red quills, tan elk hair caddis, yellow stimulators, and little yellow sallies are all working pretty much the length of the public water. 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 60 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Fair
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Currently, the flows are quite high for the Cimarron. There is less water at the western end of the park below Tolby Creek. Fishing is good to fair with hatches of golden stones, caddis, and pmd's. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, yellow stimulators, pink cahills, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.
Jemez Mountain Streams 25 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Very Good
The bottom dropped out of the Jemez streams and runoff is over. The lower reaches of the Jemez streams can get warm and slow mid-day but they fish well mornings and evenings. The headwater streams don't slow as much mid-day, but are low and clear making a stealthy approach a challenge. Dry fly fishing with size 12-14 yellow stimulators, red quills, and small parachute adams, dennis hoppers, and yellow sallies has been excellent.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 265 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 803 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 244 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama River above the village of Chama is still a little high but has decent visibility and is coming down daily. There are caddis hatches in the afternoons and the stoneflies should be coming off any day now. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the current flows are high and the water is murky. Reduced releases from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it fishable, but I've had no reports from there yet. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. The nearby Brazos is coming down, but still a little high and murky. 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:
Conejos River 376 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 818 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 5, 2008. "Sorry for the delay we have been on the water and fairly busy this week. The Conejos this am is right at 700 cfs and looks great. Drakes were sputtering off yesterday at around their usual time of just before high noon and we had a great couple of hours throwing a #10 Meaty Drake and they ate that with no hesitation. Green Drake nymphs before the hatch seemed to be the best bugs. Hatch was light but that should change day by day. Still alot of caddis in the air and the Goldens and Salmon flies are up higher Flows in the meadow are still perfect for nymph fishing but expect some bugs to pop up there very soon as well if not already. No good reports from there in 6 days. Still the flows up in the high country are very pushy and probobly not ready for a fly yet." Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.
Rio Grande 453 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Good: 1460 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Releases have been coming down out of Rio Grande Reservoir seemingly every other day. There is decent water clarity and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails seem to be picking up the most fish on a heavily weighted leader in the deeper runs and pools. Big skated stonefly dries cast along the banks are also bringing up some good fish. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable all the way to South Fork.
Arkansas River 2790 cfs at Salida: Slow to Fair
Hot weather has raised the flows on the Arkansas again. Flows this morning are 309 at Leadville and 2790 in Salida. The river is returning to fishable conditions along the edges. There have been some afternoon caddis hatches above Granite and is producing a lot of bugs and good feeding activity. Size 16 black caddis dries and an olive caddis pupa have been working during the hatch. The better wading is above Lake Creek in Hayden Meadows. Fish the softer pocket water with dry fly dropper rigs. Large patterns like stimulators, hoppers, parachute madam x's, with a trailing copper johns, princes, pheasant tails, and stonefly nymphs in size #8-12.
Animas River 1770 cfs at Durango; Slow to Fair
The Animas River near Durango is still high but has good visibility. There have been lots of caddis coming off right through town. The Delores below McPhee is finally down and currently flowing at 120 cfs. The upper forks of the Delores are still a little high with runoff. Closer to Pagosa Springs, the San Juan is also still high with runoff. The Piedra has come down a lot over the past week and is getting more fishable by the day. Williams Creek also has had good fishing but has also been crowded with other area waters being high with snowmelt.
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.
It's spring time in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing daily! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
For the latest in stream flows, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
posted by High Desert Angler at Sunday, July 06, 2008
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