Fly Fishing Report for Thursday December 18, 2008
San Juan River 504 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair to Good
Not much change here. Lake turnover hasn't happened yet. Typically that occurs around Christmastime. Midge nymphing in the morning is the most productive, and fish start to rise for baetis or midges in the afternoon. The baetis hatches are tapering off but you may get a hatch on overcast days. The midge hatches are getting better as we move into early winter. This is just about prime dry fly time on the Juan. Size 24-26 olive, black, brown, and cream midges, 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. If you absolutely must feel the weight of a fish on the end of your line, a bunny leech or woolly bugger in black or olive can end your slump. Visibility is about three feet with some suspended moss in the currents. 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 225 cfs at Cerro; Good: 382 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Fair for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
Not much change on the Rio. 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. It's also midge time on the Rio. Look for late afternoon risers especially on the sunny days. The best time to fish for trout is mornings 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.
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. Please see our announcements page for details on how to help prevent the spread of didymo and whirling disease.
Pecos River approximately 34 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The mornings are going to fish slow, but by noon til 4 o'clock or so, fish will eat provided you fish small midges or baetis nymphs and cover thewater thoroughly. 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. Olive RS2's, Barr's emegers, and red and black midge larvae under an indicator are all working pretty much the length of the public water. Villanueva State Park was stocked last on December 9th. Red and chartreuse copper johns and egg patterns work well on the stockers. 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 1.9 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Poor
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. The release is way down and likely to remain so until spring. The better fishing of autumn has come and gone on the Cimarron. There are sporadic hatches of blue winged olives and midge hatches as well. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. 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 31 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The lower Jemez streams fish well mid-day but the headwater stretches are slow. The streams 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, pheasant tails, and black or blue copper johns. The better spots have been the lower Guadalupe, Jemez River, and the East Fork upstream of Battleship Rock.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Slow: below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 391 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair to Good: and 417 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama River upstream of Tierra Amarilla is fishing slow. Much like the Pecos, fish will eat small flies later in the afternoon. Put your flies on the bottom and cover the deeper water thoroughly. I suspect now that the city of Albuquerque has started diverting their share of Chama/San Juan water, that we might see a higher release out of the reservoirs that empty into the Chama. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky and quite low as the release came down again today. Nymphing is tough during these low flows and bad visibility but, streamer fishing is still good. Lower releases from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it more fishable finally. The water clarity is better here, so start reducing the size of your flies. Baetis numphs, midges, and crane fly larva are the flies for the Chama below Abiquiu. 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:
Arkansas River 290 cfs at Salida: Fair
With midge hatches being the only dry fly action, the most successful anglers are fishing double or triple nymph rigs. Copper johns or pheasant tails or stonefly nymphs trailing brown or black micro-mayflies, biot midges, or small flashback pheasant tails have been taking a lot of fish. There has also had some mid-afternoon fish along the edges still willing to take a hopper or small adams on top. Best time to fish is noon to 4:00 and there is no one on the water.
Animas River 198 cfs at Durango; Fair
The flows on the Animas are down from last report. I haven't had any recent reports, but I suspect that fising is fair. Streamers and nymphs drifted tight to the bottom should be the way to go on the Animas.
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 winter 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.
Not much change here. Lake turnover hasn't happened yet. Typically that occurs around Christmastime. Midge nymphing in the morning is the most productive, and fish start to rise for baetis or midges in the afternoon. The baetis hatches are tapering off but you may get a hatch on overcast days. The midge hatches are getting better as we move into early winter. This is just about prime dry fly time on the Juan. Size 24-26 olive, black, brown, and cream midges, 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. If you absolutely must feel the weight of a fish on the end of your line, a bunny leech or woolly bugger in black or olive can end your slump. Visibility is about three feet with some suspended moss in the currents. 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 225 cfs at Cerro; Good: 382 cfs at Pilar; Fair for pike, Fair for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
Not much change on the Rio. 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. It's also midge time on the Rio. Look for late afternoon risers especially on the sunny days. The best time to fish for trout is mornings 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.
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. Please see our announcements page for details on how to help prevent the spread of didymo and whirling disease.
Pecos River approximately 34 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The mornings are going to fish slow, but by noon til 4 o'clock or so, fish will eat provided you fish small midges or baetis nymphs and cover thewater thoroughly. 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. Olive RS2's, Barr's emegers, and red and black midge larvae under an indicator are all working pretty much the length of the public water. Villanueva State Park was stocked last on December 9th. Red and chartreuse copper johns and egg patterns work well on the stockers. 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 1.9 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Poor
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. The release is way down and likely to remain so until spring. The better fishing of autumn has come and gone on the Cimarron. There are sporadic hatches of blue winged olives and midge hatches as well. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. 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 31 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The lower Jemez streams fish well mid-day but the headwater stretches are slow. The streams 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, pheasant tails, and black or blue copper johns. The better spots have been the lower Guadalupe, Jemez River, and the East Fork upstream of Battleship Rock.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Slow: below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 391 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair to Good: and 417 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama River upstream of Tierra Amarilla is fishing slow. Much like the Pecos, fish will eat small flies later in the afternoon. Put your flies on the bottom and cover the deeper water thoroughly. I suspect now that the city of Albuquerque has started diverting their share of Chama/San Juan water, that we might see a higher release out of the reservoirs that empty into the Chama. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky and quite low as the release came down again today. Nymphing is tough during these low flows and bad visibility but, streamer fishing is still good. Lower releases from Abiquiu Dam have made the Chama below it more fishable finally. The water clarity is better here, so start reducing the size of your flies. Baetis numphs, midges, and crane fly larva are the flies for the Chama below Abiquiu. 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:
Arkansas River 290 cfs at Salida: Fair
With midge hatches being the only dry fly action, the most successful anglers are fishing double or triple nymph rigs. Copper johns or pheasant tails or stonefly nymphs trailing brown or black micro-mayflies, biot midges, or small flashback pheasant tails have been taking a lot of fish. There has also had some mid-afternoon fish along the edges still willing to take a hopper or small adams on top. Best time to fish is noon to 4:00 and there is no one on the water.
Animas River 198 cfs at Durango; Fair
The flows on the Animas are down from last report. I haven't had any recent reports, but I suspect that fising is fair. Streamers and nymphs drifted tight to the bottom should be the way to go on the Animas.
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 winter 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.
posted by High Desert Angler at Wednesday, December 17, 2008
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