Fly Fishing Report for Thursday October 30, 2009

The Department of Game and Fish is urging anglers and others who visit the Pecos River Canyon to take measures to prevent the spread of an invasive species of algae that could present many problems for the Pecos River and other state waters. To help prevent the spread of didymo and whirling disease, anglers and others are urged to:

Check: Before leaving the river, remove all obvious clumps of algae and look for hidden clumps. Leave them at the site.
Clean: Soak and scrub anything that may have contacted algae for at least one minute in either hot (140 º F) water, a 2 percent solution of household bleach, or a 5 percent solution of salt, antiseptic hand cleaner or dishwashing detergent.
Dry: If cleaning is not practical (pets, livestock), wait until it is completely dry, and then wait at least 48 hours before contact or use in any waterway.

San Juan River 496 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair to Good
Midge nymphing in the morning is the most productive, and fish start to rise for baetis and midges in the afternoon. There have been some prolific baetis hatches lately. Size 24-26 olive, black, brown, and cream midge larvae, and size 22-24 gray and chocolate rs2's and gray and chocolate foam back emergers have been the better producers. The smaller versions of most flies (size #26) tend to out fish a larger size. On bright sunny days expect the fish to be in deeper water. Texas hole and cable hole have been the better spots. Simon Canyon blew out and the lower river from there down is VERY sandy. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st.

Rio Grande 101 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 286 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Good for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is a little murky with about three feet of visibility. 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 are feeding well in anticipation of winter. It's also baetis time on the Rio. Look for late afternoon risers especially on the cloudy days. The best time to fish for trout is early morning or in the evenings. Smallmouth inhabit the eddies and can be picked up on crayfish patterns or woolly buggers on a long leader or 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. Flies for the Rio are autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, caddis nymphs, and Barr's emergers, and RS2'S. For pike, show them big rabbit strip flies, large streamers or diving flies.

Pecos River 48 cfs below Terrero; Fair to Good
The mornings are going to fish slow, but by noon til 4 o'clock or so, fish are eating. Water temps are in the low forties so you'll have to get your flies down to the fish and put them in front of the fish' nose. The good news is that the fish are eating and keying in on, -wait for it, -baetis. Blue Winged Olive hatches in the afternoons are bringing up some fish during cloud cover. Tan fluttering caddis, blue winged olives, RS2's, Barr's emegers, and Furimsky's peeking caddis are all working pretty much the length of the public water. Pecos National Historical Park has opened up their section of the Forked Lightning Ranch on the Pecos River to fishing. This is the last weekend to do so. Please see our announcements page for the details. 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 53 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Fair
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. The release went up a cou[ple of days ago. It will change any day now when the call for irrigation water is reduced. There are sporadic caddis hatches and lots of blue winged olives. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. Fishing is fair with hatches of caddis and blue winged olives. Expect fish to be quite spooky. Flies for the Cimarron are bwo's, Griffith's gnats, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 26 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
The Jemez streams are all fishing well. The lower Jemez streams fish well mid-day and the headwater stretches are better in the afternoons. The headwaters are low and clear making a stealthy approach a challenge. Dry fly fishing is pretty well done here except for a few gullible fish looking up. Nymphing is more productive with size 16-18 prince nymphs, phjeasant tails, and black or blue copper johns.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Fair: 53 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Fair to Good: 108 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair to Good: and 175 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Good
There are BWO hatches and other sporadic mayfly hatches coming off between Tierra Amarilla and Chama. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky. The releases below El Vado has been steady for a little while. Lower releases from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it more fishable finally. The water clarity is off so use big bugs or throw streamers. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught get kept. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. 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 8 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Poor: 68 cfs at Mogote; Fair
Ocotber 22, 2008 Lots of fun to walk up the river right now and see some very large fish. They are catchable and I had a couple guys today that hooked some really large fish. Lots of fish on the redds on the lower river and upper river if you ever want to walk up the river and see how many big fish are really in this river it is alot of fun. Griffiths gnats, red quills, BWO's and small midge patterns are the tick. Rainbow Warriors, Cones, and KF midges were the best flies. Light tippets, longish leaders, and good presentations help. Nicer weather on the way so expect some good fishing in the days to come. We are still catching some large to very large Pike in the Rio as well as some carp and browns. Shop will stop regular hours October 29. Please I ask each of you that fish this river and care about its future, make a donation to the Conejos Habitat Project! It is tax deductable and will make a huge difference in the future of the river. Send checks to Trout Unlimited c/o Conejos Habitat Project, P.O. Box 503, Alamosa, CO 81101. We spent Saturday and Sunday (Troy Smith, Rob Scott, Kari and my kids,) chasing big browns that had been trapped by the sudden drop in flows in little side channels. There are many more to be saved if any of you have the time. You will need a cooler and some nets. Call me and I can help you with where they are trapped. 719-376-5660 " Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 41 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Fair: 207 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Fair
Fishing is slowing down on the upper Rio. Mornings will be a little slow but baetis should be active in the afternoons. There is better fishing and warmer water between South Fork and Del Norte.

Arkansas River 277 cfs at Salida: Good
There have been some afternoon mahogany dun and caddis hatches and Blue Winged Olives on the cloudy days. Near Salida, the state leases are fishing well on the same bugs, just make sure to cover the edges in the mornings and evenings and the deeper runs in the afternoons. Don't overlook the fast water mid-day especially if it's cloudy. PMD's, caddis, blue winged olives, yellow sallies, hoppers, with a trailing pheasant tails or Barr's emerger are all working on the Ark.

Piedra River 109 cfs at Arboles; Fair: San Juan River 97 cfs at Pagosa; Fair
The rivers are fishing fair towards the afternoon hours when water temps make the fish more active. Expect mornings to be a little slow with nymphs picking up most if not all of the fish. The Williams Creek below the dam has also has been fishing well.

Animas River 250 cfs at Durango; Good
The flows on the Animas are stable and the water is somewhat clear. The river near Durango has good visibility and has been fishing well especially on streamers. There has been some caddis coming off right through town but the Blue Winged Olive hatches are getting more prolific. The Delores below McPhee is down and currently flowing at 40 cfs.

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 autumn in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing frequently! 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.

Fly Fishing Report for Saturday October 25, 2008

The Department of Game and Fish is urging anglers and others who visit the Pecos River Canyon to take measures to prevent the spread of an invasive species of algae that could present many problems for the Pecos River and other state waters. The New Mexico Environment Department confirmed a bloom of Didymosphenia geminata in the Pecos River near Cowles in August. Commonly called "didymo," the single-celled algae's large, ugly growths on stream gravels have earned it the descriptive name, "rock snot." This is the second aquatic invasive species known to exist in the Pecos River. Whirling disease, a protozoan parasite that attacks the spinal columns of trout, is found in the Pecos River. Whirling disease also is known to "hitchhike" on unwashed fishing tackle and waders. To help prevent the spread of didymo and whirling disease, anglers and others are urged to:

Check: Before leaving the river, remove all obvious clumps of algae and look for hidden clumps. Leave them at the site. If you find clumps later, don't wash them down the drain; treat them with approved methods below, dry them and put them in a rubbish bin.
Clean: Soak and scrub anything that may have contacted algae for at least one minute in either hot (140 º F) water, a 2 percent solution of household bleach, or a 5 percent solution of salt, antiseptic hand cleaner or dishwashing detergent.
Dry: If cleaning is not practical (pets, livestock), wait until it is completely dry, and then wait at least 48 hours before contact or use in any waterway.

San Juan River 491 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair to Good
Midge nymphing in the morning is the most productive, and fish start to rise for baetis and midges in the afternoon. There have been some prolific baetis hatches lately. Size 24-26 olive, black, brown, and cream midge larvae, and size 22-24 gray and chocolate rs2's and gray and chocolate foam back emergers have been the better producers. The smaller versions of most flies (size #26) tend to out fish a larger size. On bright sunny days expect the fish to be in deeper water. Texas hole and cable hole have been the better spots. Simon Canyon blew out and the lower river from there down is VERY sandy. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st.

Rio Grande 86 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 286 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Good for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is a little murky with about three feet of visibility. 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 are feeding well in anticipation of winter. It's also baetis time on the Rio. Look for late afternoon risers especially on the cloudy days. The best time to fish for trout is early morning or in the evenings. Smallmouth inhabit the eddies and can be picked up on crayfish patterns or woolly buggers on a long leader or 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. Flies for the Rio are autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, caddis nymphs, and Barr's emergers, and RS2'S. For pike, show them big rabbit strip flies, large streamers or diving flies.

Pecos River 52 cfs below Terrero; Fair to Good
The mornings are going to fish slow, but by noon til 4 o'clock or so, fish are eating. Water temps are in the low forties so you'll have to get your flies down to the fish and put them in front of the fish' nose. The good news is that the fish are eating and keying in on, -wait for it, -baetis. Blue Winged Olive hatches in the afternoons are bringing up some fish during cloud cover. Red quills, tan fluttering caddis, blue winged olives, ants, hoppers, RS2's, Barr's emegers, and Furimsky's peeking caddis are all working pretty much the length of the public water. Pecos National Historical Park has opened up their section of the Forked Lightning Ranch on the Pecos River to fishing. Please see our announcements page for the details. 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 37 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Fair to Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. We currently have nice flows on the Cimarron, but it will change any day now when the call for irrigation water is reduced. There are sporadic caddis hatches and lots of blue winged olives. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. Fishing is fair with hatches of caddis and blue winged olives. Expect fish to be quite spooky. Flies for the Cimarron are bwo's, Griffith's gnats, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 23 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
The Jemez streams are all fishing well. The lower Jemez streams fish well mid-day and the headwater stretches are better in the afternoons. The headwaters are low and clear making a stealthy approach a challenge. Dry fly fishing is pretty well done here except for a few gullible fish looking up. Nymphing is more productive with size 16-18 prince nymphs, phjeasant tails, and black or blue copper johns.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Fair: 61 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 105 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 228 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Good
There are BWO hatches and other sporadic mayfly hatches coming off between Tierra Amarilla and Chama. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky. The releases below El Vado has been steady but is a little too high for good fishing or safe wading. Lower releases and clearer water from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it fishable finally. Fish the Abiquiu stretch now. Even though this stretch does have some decnt natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught get kept. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. 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 8 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Poor: 68 cfs at Mogote; Fair
Ocotber 22, 2008 Lots of fun to walk up the river right now and see some very large fish. They are catchable and I had a couple guys today that hooked some really large fish. Lots of fish on the redds on the lower river and upper river if you ever want to walk up the river and see how many big fish are really in this river it is alot of fun. Griffiths gnats, red quills, BWO's and small midge patterns are the tick. Rainbow Warriors, Cones, and KF midges were the best flies. Light tippets, longish leaders, and good presentations help. Nicer weather on the way so expect some good fishing in the days to come. We are still catching some large to very large Pike in the Rio as well as some carp and browns. Shop will stop regular hours October 29. Please I ask each of you that fish this river and care about its future, make a donation to the Conejos Habitat Project! It is tax deductable and will make a huge difference in the future of the river. Send checks to Trout Unlimited c/o Conejos Habitat Project, P.O. Box 503, Alamosa, CO 81101. We spent Saturday and Sunday (Troy Smith, Rob Scott, Kari and my kids,) chasing big browns that had been trapped by the sudden drop in flows in little side channels. There are many more to be saved if any of you have the time. You will need a cooler and some nets. Call me and I can help you with where they are trapped. 719-376-5660 " Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 57 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Fair: 205 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Fair
Fishing is slowing down on the upper Rio. Mornings will be a little slow but baetis should be active in the afternoons. There is better fishing and warmer water between South Fork and Del Norte.

Arkansas River 290 cfs at Salida: Good
There have been some afternoon mahogany dun and caddis hatches and Blue Winged Olives on the cloudy days. Near Salida, the state leases are fishing well on the same bugs, just make sure to cover the edges in the mornings and evenings and the deeper runs in the afternoons. Don't overlook the fast water mid-day especially if it's cloudy. PMD's, caddis, blue winged olives, yellow sallies, hoppers, with a trailing pheasant tails or Barr's emerger are all working on the Ark.

Piedra River 143 cfs at Arboles; Fair: San Juan River 117 cfs at Pagosa; Fair
The rivers are fishing fair towards the afternoon hours when water temps make the fish more active. Expect mornings to be a little slow with nymphs picking up most if not all of the fish. The Williams Creek below the dam has also has been fishing well.

Animas River 276 cfs at Durango; Good
The flows on the Animas are stable and the water is somewhat clear. The river near Durango has good visibility and has been fishing well especially on streamers. There has been some caddis coming off right through town but the Blue Winged Olive hatches are getting more prolific. The Delores below McPhee is down and currently flowing at 39 cfs.

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 autumn in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing frequently! 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.

Fly Fishing Report for Monday October 13, 2008

The Department of Game and Fish is urging anglers and others who visit the Pecos River Canyon to take measures to prevent the spread of an invasive species of algae that could present many problems for the Pecos River and other state waters. The New Mexico Environment Department confirmed a bloom of Didymosphenia geminata in the Pecos River near Cowles in August. Commonly called "didymo," the single-celled algae's large, ugly growths on stream gravels have earned it the descriptive name, "rock snot." It is an aquatic nuisance species known to be transferred around the world on boats, fishing equipment and footwear. Didymo can undergo explosive growth, creating massive algal blooms in the form of dense mats that can impact native algae and invertebrates -- the food base for native and sport fish. It appears to prefer habits low in nutrients and organic productivity, but can be found in freshwater streams, rivers and lakes. The apparent increase in invasiveness of didymo may be related to factors including inter-basin transfer by humans, climatic changes, altered grazing, and genetic changes. This is the second aquatic invasive species known to exist in the Pecos River. Whirling disease, a protozoan parasite that attacks the spinal columns of trout, is found in the Pecos River. Whirling disease also is known to "hitchhike" on unwashed fishing tackle and waders. To help prevent the spread of didymo and whirling disease, anglers and others are urged to:

Check: Before leaving the river, remove all obvious clumps of algae and look for hidden clumps. Leave them at the site. If you find clumps later, don't wash them down the drain; treat them with approved methods below, dry them and put them in a rubbish bin.
Clean: Soak and scrub anything that may have contacted algae for at least one minute in either hot (140 º F) water, a 2 percent solution of household bleach, or a 5 percent solution of salt, antiseptic hand cleaner or dishwashing detergent.
Dry: If cleaning is not practical (pets, livestock), wait until it is completely dry, and then wait at least 48 hours before contact or use in any waterway.

San Juan River 485 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair to Good
The release out of Navajo Dam are back on their way down. We were rather fortunate to have decent releases through the winter last year, but it looks like we'll have to endure a lower release. Midge nymphing in the morning is the most productive, and fish start to rise for baetis and midges in the afternoon. There have been some prolific baetis hatches with the bad weather we had lately. Size 24-26 olive, black, brown, and cream midge larvae, and size 22-24 gray and chocolate rs2's and gray and chocolate foam back emergers have been the better producers. The smaller versions of most flies (size #26) tend to out fish a larger size. On bright sunny days expect the fish to be in deeper water. Texas hole and cable hole have been the better spots. Simon Canyon blew out and the lower river from there down is VERY sandy. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st.

Rio Grande 78 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 291 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Good for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is a little murky with about three feet of visibility. 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 are feeding well in anticipation of winter. It's also baetis time on the Rio. Look for late afternoon risers especially on the cloudy days. The best time to fish for trout is early morning or in the evenings. Smallmouth inhabit the eddies and can be picked up on crayfish patterns or woolly buggers on a long leader or 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. Flies for the Rio are autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, caddis nymphs, and Barr's emergers, and RS2'S. For pike, show them big rabbit strip flies, large streamers or diving flies.

Pecos River 80 cfs below Terrero; Fair to Good
The river above the village of Pecos is back down to where it was before we got all of theat rain this weekend. A cold front has moved in,, so I anticpate that mornings are going to fish slow. The good news is that the fish are eating and keying in on, wait for it, baetis. Blue Winged Olive hatches in the afternoons are bringing up some fish during cloud cover. Red quills, tan fluttering caddis, blue winged olives, ants, hoppers, RS2's, Barr's emegers, and Furimsky's peeking caddis are all working pretty much the length of the public water. Pecos National Historical Park has opened up their section of the Forked Lightning Ranch on the Pecos River to fishing. Please see our announcements page for the details. 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.

Rio Costilla 1.1 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Poor; Fair below Commanche Creek
Arguably the most beautiful stream in New Mexico, however the release has been reduced to near zero. Fishing below the confluence with Commanche Creek is still good. These fish have seen alot over he past two months, so focus on nymphing during high sun with a crane fly larvae under the cut banks. Cast dry flies tight to the banks early or late in the day and set hooks quickly. Shuree Ponds are continuing to fish very well. Buggers, damsel nymphs, and aquatic snails are the flies for Shuree. The flies for the Valle Vidal are Royal Wulffs, irrestibles, humpies, and stimulators, as well as crane fly larvae and big pheasant tails.

Cimarron River 37 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Fair to Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. We Currently have nice flows on the Cimarron, but it will change any day now when the call for irrigation water is reduced. There are sporadic caddis hatches and lots of blue winged olives. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. Fishing is fair with hatches of caddis, blue winged olives, and pmd's. Expect fish to be quite spooky. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, yellow stimulators, pink cahills, pmd's, bwo's, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 40 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
The Jemez streams are all fishing well. The lower Jemez streams fish well mid-day and the headwater stretches are better in the afternoons. The headwaters are low and clear making a stealthy approach a challenge. Dry fly fishing with size 14-16 yellow stimulators, small parachute adams, dennis hoppers, ants, and yellow sallies has been good. The Valles Caldera Trust has opened the East Fork to fishing on the Valles Caldera National Preserve. To apply, use this link to their website at /www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/EastFork.aspx. Otherwise access the East Fork reservation page from their home page by clicking on Come Visit. Then click on the fishing tab and select East Fork. I do have to report that fishing the East Fork was marginal at best for me as they pastured 300 head or so of cattle that had a direct impact on water quality and consequently the fishing. The elk watching was incredible however!

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Fair: 78 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 462 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 244 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Good
The Chama River above the village of Chama has come up with the rain that fell here this weekend. There are BWO hatches and other sporadic mayfly hatches coming off between Tierra Amarilla and Chama and the fall colors are incredible! The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky. The releases below El Vado has been steady but is a little too high for good fishing or safe wading. Lower releases and clearer water from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it fishable finally. Fish the Abiquiu stretch now. Even though this stretch does have some decnt natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught get kept. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. 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 251 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Poor: 311 cfs at Mogote; Fair
September 30, 2008 I know this is supposed to be a fishing report but the fall colors are nothing short of breathtaking, with that said we are catching fish on on streamers, nymphs, and dries. Water releases out of Platoro are supposed to be up until the 15th of October and at that time they will be lowered to do some repairs to the dam. The Browns are definately in the pre spawn mode and some of the bigger browns are in the small tribs looking like whales caught in the wrong bay. Fish seem to be eating alot of small nymphs and smaller adult mayflies. Hoppers are moving fish especially on the edges and along cutbanks and structure. Dark streamers medium to large have at times been great and moving big fish. Water is low and clear and so that opens the door to fish being more surface conscious and I think that throwing small BWO adults should move some fish even large fish will move for the adults. The Hofer Rainbows were stocked last week. Say a prayer for the little guys that they would be able to survive predation, 30 below 0 winters, and that their brains would kick in sooner than later." Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.A lot of rain fell over this are of the continental divide over the weekend. A cold front has also pushed through and may have slowed the fishing down especially up high.

Rio Grande 41 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Fair: 349 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Fair
Fishing is slowing down on the upper Rio. Quite a bit of rain fell here over the weekend and a cold front has pushed through. Mornings will be a little slow but baetis should be active in the afternoons. There is better fishing and warmer water between South Fork and Del Norte.

Arkansas River 269 cfs at Salida: Good
The river is up a little from this weekends rain storms. There have been some afternoon mahogany dun and caddis hatches and Blue Winged Olives on the cloudy days. Near Salida, the state leases are fishing well on the same bugs, just make sure to cover the edges in the mornings and evenings and the deeper runs in the afternoons. Don't overlook the fast water mid-day especially if it's cloudy. PMD's, caddis, blue winged olives, yellow sallies, hoppers, with a trailing pheasant tails or Barr's emerger are all working on the Ark.

Piedra River 265 cfs at Arboles; Fair: San Juan River 220 cfs at Pagosa; Fair
The rivers are up and murky after this weekends rain fall. Look for better fishing toward the end of the week when temps are expected to go back up and the rivers had time to clear. Expect mornings to be a little slow with nymphs picking up most if not all of the fish. The Williams Creek below the dam has also has been fishing well.

Animas River 325 cfs at Durango; Good
The flows on the Animas are stable and the water is somewhat clear. It should clear up more toward the end of the week. The river near Durango has good visibility and has been fishing well especially on streamers. There has been some caddis coming off right through town but the Blue Winged Olive hatches are getting more prolific. The Delores below McPhee is down and currently flowing at 39 cfs.

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 autumn in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing frequently! 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.

Fly Fishing Report for Friday October 10, 2008

The Department of Game and Fish is urging anglers and others who visit the Pecos River Canyon to take measures to prevent the spread of an invasive species of algae that could present many problems for the Pecos River and other state waters. The New Mexico Environment Department confirmed a bloom of Didymosphenia geminata in the Pecos River near Cowles in August. Commonly called "didymo," the single-celled alga's large, ugly growths on stream gravels have earned it the descriptive name, "rock snot." It is an aquatic nuisance species known to be transferred around the world on boats, fishing equipment and footwear. Didymo can undergo explosive growth, creating massive algal blooms in the form of dense mats that can impact native algae and invertebrates -- the food base for native and sport fish. It appears to prefer habits low in nutrients and organic productivity, but can be found in freshwater streams, rivers and lakes. The apparent increase in invasiveness of didymo may be related to factors including inter-basin transfer by humans, climatic changes, altered grazing, and genetic changes. This is the second aquatic invasive species known to exist in the Pecos River. Whirling disease, a protozoan parasite that attacks the spinal columns of trout, is found in the Pecos River. Whirling disease also is known to "hitchhike" on unwashed fishing tackle and waders. To help prevent the spread of didymo, anglers and others are urged to:

Check: Before leaving the river, remove all obvious clumps of algae and look for hidden clumps. Leave them at the site. If you find clumps later, don't wash them down the drain; treat them with approved methods below, dry them and put them in a rubbish bin.
Clean: Soak and scrub anything that may have contacted algae for at least one minute in either hot (140 º F) water, a 2 percent solution of household bleach, or a 5 percent solution of salt, antiseptic hand cleaner or dishwashing detergent.
Dry: If cleaning is not practical (pets, livestock), wait until it is completely dry, and then wait at least 48 hours before contact or use in any waterway.

San Juan River 485 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The release out of Navajo Dam are back on their way down. We were rather fortunate to have decent releases through the winter last year, but it looks like we'll have to endure a lower release. Midge nymphing in the morning is the most productive, and fish start to rise for baetis and midges in the afternoon. Size 24-26 olive, black, brown, and cream midge larvae, and size 22-24 gray and chocolate rs2's and gray and chocolate foam back emergers have been the better producers. The smaller versions of most flies (size #26) tend to out fish a larger size. On bright sunny days expect the fish to be in deeper water. Texas hole and cable hole have been the better spots. Simon Canyon blew out and the lower river from there down is VERY sandy. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st.

Rio Grande 70 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 262 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Good for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is a little murky with about three feet of visibility. 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 are feeding well in anticipation of winter. The best time to fish for trout is early morning or in the evenings. Smallmouth inhabit the eddies and can be picked up on crayfish patterns or woolly buggers on a long leader or 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. Flies for the Rio are autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, caddis nymphs, and Barr's emergers, and RS2'S. For pike, show them big rabbit strip flies, large streamers or diving flies.

Pecos River 42 cfs below Terrero; Good
The river above the village of Pecos continues to fish well. Caddis hatches in the afternoons are bringing up some fish as well as lots of Blue Winged Olives during cloud cover. It's early autumn and still the time to use terrestrials. Hoppers, ants, and small beetles, especially an ant fished wet can help you catch when the fish won't eat anything else. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked a couple of weeks ago. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. Red quills, tan fluttering caddis, blue winged olives, ants, hoppers, RS2's, Barr's emegers, and Furimsky's peeking caddis are all working pretty much the length of the public water. Pecos National Historical Park has opened up their section of the Forked Lightning Ranch on the Pecos River to fishing. Please see our announcements page for the details. 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.

Rio Costilla 1.1 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Poor; Fair below Commanche Creek
Arguably the most beautiful stream in New Mexico, however the release has been reduced to near zero. Fishing below the confluence with Commanche Creek is still good. These fish have seen alot over he past two months, so focus on nymphing during high sun with a crane fly larvae under the cut banks. Cast dry flies tight to the banks early or late in the day and set hooks quickly. Shuree Ponds are continuing to fish very well. Buggers, damsel nymphs, and aquatic snails are the flies for Shuree. The flies for the Valle Vidal are Royal Wulffs, irrestibles, humpies, and stimulators, as well as crane fly larvae and big pheasant tails.

Cimarron River 37 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Fair
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. We Currently have nice flows on the Cimarron, but it will change any day now when the call for irrigation water is reduced. There are sporadic caddis hatches and blue winged olives. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. Fishing is fair with hatches of caddis, blue winged olives, and pmd's. Expect fish to be quite spooky. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, yellow stimulators, pink cahills, pmd's, bwo's, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 25 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
The Jemez streams are all fishing well. The lower Jemez streams fish well mid-day and the headwater stretches are better in the afternoons. The headwaters are low and clear making a stealthy approach a challenge. Dry fly fishing with size 14-16 yellow stimulators, small parachute adams, dennis hoppers, ants, and yellow sallies has been good. The Valles Caldera Trust has opened the East Fork to fishing on the Valles Caldera National Preserve. To apply, use this link to their website at /www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/EastFork.aspx. Otherwise access the East Fork reservation page from their home page by clicking on Come Visit. Then click on the fishing tab and select East Fork. I do have to report that fishing the East Fork was marginal at best for me as they pastured 300 head or so of cattle that had a direct impact on water quality and consequently the fishing. The elk watching was incredible however!

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 54 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 412 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 386 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The Chama River above the village of Chama has good visibility. There are caddis hatches in the afternoons and BWO's and other sporadic mayfly hatches coming off between Tierra Amarilla and Chama and the fall colors are incredible! The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky. The releases below El Vado has been steady but is a little too high for good fishing or safe wading. High releases and murky water from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it unfishable most of the time. It will however be fishing well soon when water demands are reduced and the dam release as well. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. 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 88 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 200 cfs at Mogote; Good
September 30, 2008 I know this is supposed to be a fishing report but the fall colors are nothing short of breathtaking, with that said we are catching fish on on streamers, nymphs, and dries. Water releases out of Platoro are supposed to be up until the 15th of October and at that time they will be lowered to do some repairs to the dam. The Browns are definately in the pre spawn mode and some of the bigger browns are in the small tribs looking like whales caught in the wrong bay. Fish seem to be eating alot of small nymphs and smaller adult mayflies. Hoppers are moving fish especially on the edges and along cutbanks and structure. Dark streamers medium to large have at times been great and moving big fish. Water is low and clear and so that opens the door to fish being more surface conscious and I think that throwing small BWO adults should move some fish even large fish will move for the adults. The Hofer Rainbows were stocked last week. Say a prayer for the little guys that they would be able to survive predation, 30 below 0 winters, and that their brains would kick in sooner than later." Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 34 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Good: 210 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Fishing has been good on the upper Rio. Mornings have been a little slow and hopper fishing may be done for as there already have been some frosts north of Alamosa. Green Drakes, BWO's, and caddis are all out and maybe still some grasshoppers bringing up some of the fish. 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. Cast tight to the banks with stimulators or Green Drakes in the shallower water.

Arkansas River 269 cfs at Salida: Good
The river has come down dramatically now that the releases from Clear Creek Reservoir and Twin Lakes have been lowered. There is good fishing and easier wading upstream of Buena Vista. There have been some afternoon mahogany dun and caddis hatches and Blue Winged Olives on the cloudy days. Near Salida, the state leases are fishing well on the same bugs, just make sure to cover the edges in the mornings and evenings and the deeper runs in the afternoons. Don't overlook the fast water mid-day especially if it's cloudy. PMD's, caddis, blue winged olives, yellow sallies, hoppers, with a trailing pheasant tails or Barr's emerger are all working on the Ark.

Piedra River 114 cfs at Arboles; Good: San Juan River 75 cfs at Pagosa; Good
The rivers are quite clear and very wadeable. The Pagosa area waters have another month or so of decent fishing. Expect mornings to be a little slow with nymphs picking up most if not all of the fish. The Williams Creek below the dam has also has been fishing well. Some of the smaller tributaries are clear and fishable.

Animas River 292 cfs at Durango; Good
The flows on the Animas are stable and the water is clear. The river near Durango has good visibility and has been fishing well especially on streamers. There has also been lots of caddis coming off right through town. The Delores below McPhee is down and currently flowing at 39 cfs. The upper forks of the Delores are still fishing well.

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 autumn in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing frequently! 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.

Fly Fishing Report for Thursday October 2, 2008

San Juan River 702 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The release out of Navajo Dam are back on their way down. We were rather fortunate to have decent releases through the winter last year. Let's hope that the release doesn't go below the current level of 702 cfs. Midge nymphing in the morning is the most productive, and fish may start to rise for baetis and midges in the afternoon. Size 24-26 olive, black, brown, and cream midge larvae, and size 22-24 gray and chocolate rs2's and gray and chocolate foam back emergers have been the better producers. The smaller versions of most flies (size #26) tend to out fish a larger size. On bright sunny days expect the fish to be in deeper water. Texas hole and cable hole have been the better spots. Simon Canyon blew out and the lower river from there down is VERY sandy. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st. On Friday October 3rd, KNME channel 5 television station will air a show on the San Juan. It starts at 7pm. While the San Juan is still a great place to fish, there was a time when it was even better. The show will focus on the current woes of the San Juan and can help bring some solutions to light that can return the river fishery to it's former glory.

Rio Grande 72 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 252 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Good for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is a little murky with about three feet of visibility. 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 are feeding well in anticipation of winter. The best time to fish for trout is early morning or in the evenings. Smallmouth inhabit the eddies and can be picked up on crayfish patterns or woolly buggers on a long leader or 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. Flies for the Rio are autumn splendors, zoo cougars, conehead madonna’s, caddis nymphs, and Barr's emergers, and RS2'S. For pike, show them big rabbit strip flies, large streamers or diving flies.

Pecos River 43 cfs below Terrero; Good
The river above the village of Pecos continues to fish well. Caddis hatches in the afternoons are bringing up some fish as well as lots of Blue Winged Olives during cloud cover. It's early autumn and still the time to use terrestrials. Hoppers, ants, and small beetles, especially an ant fished wet can help you catch when the fish won't eat anything else. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked a couple of weeks ago. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. Red quills, tan fluttering caddis, blue winged olives, ants, hoppers, RS2's, Barr's emegers, and Furimsky's peeking caddis are all working pretty much the length of the public water. Pecos National Historical Park has opened up their section of the Forked Lightning Ranch on the Pecos River to fishing. Please see our announcements page for the details. 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.

Rio Costilla 1.1 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Poor; Fair below Commanche Creek
Arguably the most beautiful stream in New Mexico, however the release has been reduced to near zero. Fishing below the confluence with Commanche Creek is still good. These fish have seen alot over he past two months, so focus on nymphing during high sun with a crane fly larvae under the cut banks. Cast dry flies tight to the banks early or late in the day and set hooks quickly. Shuree Ponds are continuing to fish very well. Buggers, damsel nymphs, and aquatic snails are the flies for Shuree. The flies for the Valle Vidal are Royal Wulffs, irrestibles, humpies, and stimulators, as well as crane fly larvae and big pheasant tails.

Cimarron River 37 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Fair
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. We Currently have nice flows on the Cimarron, but it will change any day now when the call for irrigation water is reduced. There are sporadic caddis hatches and blue winged olives. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. Fishing is fair with hatches of caddis, blue winged olives, and pmd's. Expect fish to be quite spooky. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, yellow stimulators, pink cahills, pmd's, bwo's, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 17 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
The Jemez streams are all fishing well. The lower Jemez streams fish well mid-day and the headwater stretches are better in the afternoons. The headwaters are low and clear making a stealthy approach a challenge. Dry fly fishing with size 14-16 yellow stimulators, small parachute adams, dennis hoppers, ants, and yellow sallies has been good. The Valles Caldera Trust has opened the East Fork to fishing on the Valles Caldera National Preserve. To apply, use this link to their website at /www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/EastFork.aspx. Otherwise access the East Fork reservation page from their home page by clicking on Come Visit. Then click on the fishing tab and select East Fork. I do have to report that fishing the East Fork was marginal at best for me as they pastured 300 head or so of cattle that had a direct impact on water quality and consequently the fishing. The elk watching was incredible however!

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Very Good: 46 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 593 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 739 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The Chama River above the village of Chama has good visibility. There are caddis hatches in the afternoons and BWO's and other sporadic mayfly hatches coming off between Tierra Amarilla and Chama and the fall colors are just starting to show. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky. The releases below El Vado has been steady but is a little too high for good fishing or safe wading. High releases and murky water from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it unfishable most of the time. It will however be fishing well soon when water demands are reduced and the dam release as well. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. 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 87 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 145 cfs at Mogote; Good
September 30, 2008 I know this is supposed to be a fishing report but the fall colors are nothing short of breathtaking, with that said we are catching fish on on streamers, nymphs, and dries. Water releases out of Platoro are supposed to be up until the 15th of October and at that time they will be lowered to do some repairs to the dam. The Browns are definately in the pre spawn mode and some of the bigger browns are in the small tribs looking like whales caught in the wrong bay. Fish seem to be eating alot of small nymphs and smaller adult mayflies. Hoppers are moving fish especially on the edges and along cutbanks and structure. Dark streamers medium to large have at times been great and moving big fish. Water is low and clear and so that opens the door to fish being more surface conscious and I think that throwing small BWO adults should move some fish even large fish will move for the adults. The Hofer Rainbows were stocked last week. Say a prayer for the little guys that they would be able to survive predation, 30 below 0 winters, and that their brains would kick in sooner than later." Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 37 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Good: 210 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Fishing has been good on the upper Rio. Mornings have been a little slow and hopper fishing may be done for as there already have been some frosts north of Alamosa. Green Drakes, BWO's, and caddis are all out and maybe still some grasshoppers bringing up some of the fish. 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. Cast tight to the banks with stimulators or Green Drakes in the shallower water.

Arkansas River 311 cfs at Salida: Good
The river has come down dramatically now that the releases from Clear Creek Reservoir and Twin Lakes have been lowered. There is good fishing and easier wading upstream of Buena Vista. There have been some afternoon mahogany dun and caddis hatches and Blue Winged Olives on the cloudy days. Near Salida, the state leases are fishing well on the same bugs, just make sure to cover the edges in the mornings and evenings and the deeper runs in the afternoons. Don't overlook the fast water mid-day especially if it's cloudy. PMD's, caddis, blue winged olives, yellow sallies, hoppers, with a trailing pheasant tails or Barr's emerger are all working on the Ark.

Piedra River 83 cfs at Arboles; Good: San Juan River 62 cfs at Pagosa; Good
The rivers are quite clear and very wadeable. The Pagosa area waters have another month or so of decent fishing. Expect mornings to be a little slow with nymphs picking up most if not all of the fish. The Williams Creek below the dam has also has been fishing well. Some of the smaller tributaries are clear and fishable.

Animas River 276 cfs at Durango; Good
The flows on the Animas are stable and the water is clear. The river near Durango has good visibility and has been fishing well especially on streamers. There has also been lots of caddis coming off right through town. The Delores below McPhee is down and currently flowing at 40 cfs. The upper forks of the Delores are still fishing well.

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 autumn in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing frequently! 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.