Saturday, May 31, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Saturday May 31, 2008

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.

San Juan River 5070 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The Bureau of Rec. has announced a revised release schedule for Navajo Dam. For the details and dates of the releases, please see our Announcements Page. The release today is up to 5270 cfs from 4000 earlier this week. The water is still a little murky but clearing with visibility of about 3 feet. The best reports are still coming from the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive. Size 24 red midge larvae and size 24 pheasant tails, size 20 black and red midge larvae, chamois leeches, and chocolate foam wing emergers have been the better producers. The mosquitoes are out more and more every day, especailly at Texas hole so don't forget the bug repellent!

Rio Grande 1900 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 2830 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past weeks. Even though the water is quite murky, you can pick up fish on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. 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 and clearer water 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 500 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The river above the village of Pecos has started to rise over the past week. Wading is almost impossible. While the flows are high, look for big rock outcroppings and shelves which slow the current. Fish move into these places during heavy current. They will eat your flies, so long as they are pasted tight to the bottom. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week and may offer an alternative to the Pecos if it gets too high to fish. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 18 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 18 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 116 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Very Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is virtually over, but the Guadalupe and Rio de las Vacas are still high. The upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva are fishing very well. Dry fly fishing with size 12-14 yellow stimulators, red quills, and small parachute adams has been excellent mid-day. There have been reports of sporadic stonefly hatches on the Guadalupe and "the hatch" should be oming any day now. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs is scheduled to open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2380 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 2410 cfs below El Vado Dam; Poor: and 1760 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river impossible to wade and the water is very murky. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. 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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes Slow to Good Fishing has slowed considerably at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and most of the fish have left the shallows. The opportunity for fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Midges and midge emergers in red and gray in a size 12, damsel nymphs, and calibaetis nymphs are in abundance. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. Enbom and Mundo were both stocked with larger fish on Tuesday May 13th. Mundo is murky but fishing well. Mundo has bass and catfish as well as trout and can prevent a bust if the other lakes are tough. Enbom has had some pressure and as such a float tube is absolutely invaluable there.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 345 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 1520 cfs at Mogote; Slow
"May 27, 2008. Today we made first tracks to the Upper La Jara and it was beautiful. Elk, Deer, mud and some soft (enough) snow drifts. River was at a perfect level and we did not find any of the really big fish in the meadow but some nice fish and fish eating dries! We were all excited to break out the dry fly powder and 4 weights for the first time this year. Caught fish on dries and droppers for the afternoon and hiked out late by Braden's cabin. The Conejos even on the lower river looks great. Water clarity on the lower river is very good and the upper river is crystal clear water levels have dropped. Look for any drop in the release from Platoro Reservoir. The decending water levels below the dam can make fishing tough at times. I would be suprised to see the water levels come down any furthur for a while but we should haved some more off the charts fishing up high in the next couple of weeks and there will be no fisherman here for about three weeks. Is runoff over? No! There is still plenty of snow up high but the recent cool nights and coolish days up high have slowed it down. Just know that the next wave of warm air will get things cooking again but looks like we will fish right thru it on the upper river. Expect the La Jara to get better and better and the Los Pinos should drop and clear early as well so we should be throwing stonefly patterns (dries) on boths streams in the next couple of weeks. High mountain lakes should get very very good. Carp fishing, Pike fishing, Splake fishing, Trout fishing is all about to happen! Do yourself a favor and take out a great guide on your next fishing trip and take your fishing to the next level. Figuring this whole fly fishing thing out on your own can be tough. Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report. Keep looking at the releases out of Platoro Reservoir. If they drop below 200 cfs, the meadows below the dam will fish better.

Rio Grande 1080 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow
Releases have been changing out of Rio Grande Reservoir seemingly every other day. Today the release has been increased and is currently at 1080 cfs. There is decent water 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. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable past South Fork.

Arkansas River 2680 cfs at Salida: Slow
Visibility is poor and there is a fair amount of debris in the water. Better to look for other options with warm weather forecast through the weekend. Expect the flows to get higher. Nymphing the deeper holding water and slow runs is probably the best option now. A big stone followed by a large (10-12) copper john is a good combo. Dredge the deeper holding water and seam lines - places that don't change too much with the addition of more water. Get your nymph to the bottom - if it isn't on the fish's nose, he won't take it

Animas River 3830 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is very high and roiling. The river is stirred up, the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at 805 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are in runoff. Closer to Pagosa Springs, the Piedra and San Juan have aslo risen dramatically since late last week. Williams Creek below the dam may be the only fishable water in the area. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff has already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Saturday May 31, 2008

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.

San Juan River 5270 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The Bureau of Rec. has announced a revised release schedule for Navajo Dam. For the details and dates of the releases, please see our Announcements Page. The release today is up to 5270 cfs from 4000 earlier this week. The water is still a little murky but clearing with visibility of about 3 feet. The best reports are still coming from the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive. Size 24 red midge larvae and size 24 pheasant tails, size 20 black and red midge larvae, chamois leeches, and chocolate foam wing emergers have been the better producers. The mosquitoes are out more and more every day, especailly at Texas hole so don't forget the bug repellent!

Rio Grande 1690 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 270 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past weeks. Even though the water is quite murky, you can pick up fish on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. 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 and clearer water 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 515 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The river above the village of Pecos has started to rise over the past week. Wading is almost impossible. While the flows are high, look for big rock outcroppings and shelves which slow the current. Fish move into these places during heavy current. They will eat your flies, so long as they are pasted tight to the bottom. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week and may offer an alternative to the Pecos if it gets too high to fish. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 17 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 17 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 131 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Very Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is virtually over, but the Guadalupe and Rio de las Vacas are still high. The upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva are fishing very well. Dry fly fishing with size 12-14 yellow stimulators, red quills, and small parachute adams has been excellent mid-day. There have been reports of sporadic stonefly hatches on the Guadalupe and "the hatch" should be oming any day now. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs is scheduled to open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2300 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 23300 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 1790 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river impossible to wade and the water is very murky. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. 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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes Fair to Good Fishing has slowed considerably at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and most of the fish have left the shallows. The opportunity for fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Midges and midge emergers in red and gray in a size 12, damsel nymphs, and calibaetis nymphs are in abundance. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. Enbom and Mundo were both stocked with larger fish on Tuesday May 13th. Mundo is murky but fishing well. Mundo has bass and catfish as well as trout and can prevent a bust if the other lakes are tough. Enbom has had some pressure and as such a float tube is absolutely invaluable there.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 341 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 1350 cfs at Mogote; Slow to Fair
"May 27, 2008. Today we made first tracks to the Upper La Jara and it was beautiful. Elk, Deer, mud and some soft (enough) snow drifts. River was at a perfect level and we did not find any of the really big fish in the meadow but some nice fish and fish eating dries! We were all excited to break out the dry fly powder and 4 weights for the first time this year. Caught fish on dries and droppers for the afternoon and hiked out late by Braden's cabin. The Conejos even on the lower river looks great. Water clarity on the lower river is very good and the upper river is crystal clear water levels have dropped. Look for any drop in the release from Platoro Reservoir. The decending water levels below the dam can make fishing tough at times. I would be suprised to see the water levels come down any furthur for a while but we should haved some more off the charts fishing up high in the next couple of weeks and there will be no fisherman here for about three weeks. Is runoff over? No! There is still plenty of snow up high but the recent cool nights and coolish days up high have slowed it down. Just know that the next wave of warm air will get things cooking again but looks like we will fish right thru it on the upper river. Expect the La Jara to get better and better and the Los Pinos should drop and clear early as well so we should be throwing stonefly patterns (dries) on boths streams in the next couple of weeks. High mountain lakes should get very very good. Carp fishing, Pike fishing, Splake fishing, Trout fishing is all about to happen! Do yourself a favor and take out a great guide on your next fishing trip and take your fishing to the next level. Figuring this whole fly fishing thing out on your own can be tough. Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report. Keep looking at the releases out of Platoro Reservoir. If they drop below 200 cfs, the meadows below the dam will fish better.

Rio Grande 1050 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
Releases have been changing out of Rio Grande Reservoir seemingly every other day. Today the release has been increased and is currently at 1050 cfs. There is decent water 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. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable past South Fork.

Arkansas River 2450 cfs at Salida: Fair
Visibility is poor today and there is a fair amount of debris in the water. Better to look for other options. And with warm weather forecast through the weekend, expect the flows to get higher. Nymphing the deeper holding water and slow runs is probably the best option now. A big stone followed by a large (10-12) copper john is a good combo. Dredge the deeper holding water and seam lines - places that don't change too much with the addition of more water. Get your nymph to the bottom - if it isn't on the fish's nose, he won't take it

Animas River 3230 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is very high and roiling. The river is stirred up, the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at 805 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are in runoff, with the most fishable being the West Delores. Closer to Pagosa Springs, the Piedra and San Juan have aslo risen dramatically since late last week. Williams Creek below the dam may be the only fishable water in the area. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff has already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Saturday May 24, 2008

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.

San Juan River 3090 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The Bureau of Rec. has announced a revised release schedule for Navajo Dam. For the details and dates of the releases, please see our Announcements Page. The release today is up to 3000 cfs from 2000 earlier this week. The river was up for several weeks at 4000 cfs so it shouldn't take long for the water to settle and flush any debris out. The water is still a little murky but clearing with visibility of about 3 feet. I've had some very good reports over the past week. The best reports are still coming from the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive. Size 24 red midge larvae and size 24 pheasant tails, size 20 black and red midge larvae, chamois leeches, and chocolate foam wing emergers have been the better producers. The mosquitoes are out more and more every day, especailly at Texas hole so don't forget the bug repellent!

Rio Grande 2850 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 3690 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past weeks. Even though the water is quite murky, you can pick up fish on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. 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 and clearer water 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 392 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The river above the village of Pecos has started to rise over the past week. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 3pm when the colder melt water hits the river. It's the wading thats almost impossible. While the flows are high, look for big rock outcroppings and shelves which slow the current. Fish move into these places during heavy current. They will eat your flies, so long as they are pasted tight to the bottom. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week and may offer an alternative to the Pecos if it gets to high to fish. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 10 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 10 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 173 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Very Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is virtually over, but the Guadalupe and Rio de las Vacas are still high. The upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva are fishing very well. Dry fly fishing with size 12-14 yellow stimulators, red quills, and small parachute adams has been excellent mid-day. There have been reports of sporadic stonefly hatches on the Guadalupe. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs is scheduled to open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 1990 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 1740 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 1270 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river impossible to wade and the water is very murky. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. 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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes Fair to Good Fishing has slowed at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and most of the fish have left the shallows. Most anglers have reported slow fishing and the wind has definitely been a limiting factor. The best fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Midges and midge emergers in red and gray in a size 12 and calibaetis nymphs seem to pick up most of the fish. A couple of our customers were out this weekend. They reported that the fish were holding deep between 12 and 20 feet. They found lots of midges and a good mid-day calibaetis hatch near the dam. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. Enbom and Mundo were both stocked with larger fish on Tuesday May 13th. Get in on the action when it does happen because I suspect that those fish will end up on a stringer as well! Mundo has bass and catfish as well as trout and can prevent a bust if the other lakes are tough. Enbom has had some pressure. A float tube is absolutely invaluable there. Get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring; fishing is going to be awesome!

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 408 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 1200 cfs at Mogote; Slow to Fair
"May 19, 2008 Well we had a little epic before it got hot this last couple of days but this morning the Conejos is cookin'! Expect the flows to head towards 2000 cfs soon. With the warm week ahead expect big water for a while. We had some guys up below the dam yesterday till late in the big water and I will be curious if those fish are stacked up on the edges or are uncatchable at this level. Today we are headed up to catch the Splake and Cutts at La Jara Reservoir with the fish finder. Flows on the La Jara are already headed towards fishable so expect a report on that stream soon. Also expect the Los Pinos to drop and clear early. The snowpack has plummeted the last 3 months from about 190 to 115 % so I dont think we will have the extended runoff thru June which puts the big stonefly hatch bag on the table. Two months ago I was cancelling fly orders for the big hatch today looks like we will need them. For those planning expect the flows on the La Jara to get good early, maybe a week or so for the La Jara and by early June on the Los Pinos. The Conejos will fish well early up high but the lower river may be big until the 10th or 15th of June. The high country streams late June. We normally see a nice stonefly hatch on the Los Pinos and the Stones on the Conejos normally are out on the banks starting June 14th". Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report. Keep looking at the releases out of Platoro Reservoir. If they drop below 200 cfs, the meadows below the dam will fish better.

Rio Grande 698 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande had been fishing fair lately. Releases have been ramping up out of Rio Grande Reservoir then flattened out at 1100 cfs. Today the release has been reduced and is currently at 698 cfs. There is decent water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable past South Fork.

Arkansas River 1620 cfs at Salida: Fair
Flows throughout the upper Arkansas River basin are down today, the result of cooler weather, but the release out of Twin Lakes went up yesterday morning. With similar weather in the forecast for the next week, expect the river and tributaries to stabilize and probably recede, restoring some clarity and creating some edgewater fishing opportunities. With the high flows, what caddis activity remains may be mostly inaccessible to the fish. Nymphing the deeper holding water and slow runs is probably the best option now. A big stone followed by a large (10-12) copper john is a good combo. Dredge the deeper holding water and seam lines - places that don't change too much with the addition of more water. Get your nymph to the bottom - if it isn't on the fish's nose, he won't take it

Animas River 2640 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango has doubled in flow over the past week and is very high and roiling. The river is stirred up, the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1800 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are in runoff, with the most fishable section just below Rico. Closer to Pagosa Springs, the Piedra and San Juan have aslo risen dramatically since late last week. Williams Creek below the dam may be the only fishable water in the area. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff has already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Friday May 23, 2008

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.

San Juan River 2150 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The Bureau of Rec. has announced a revised release schedule for Navajo Dam. For the details and dates of the releases, please see our Announcements Page. The release today will eventually make it to 3000 cfs by this evening. The water is still a little murky but clearing with visibility of about 3 feet. I've had some very good reports over the past week. The best reports are still coming from the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive. Size 24 red midge larvae and size 24 pheasant tails, size 20 black and red midge larvae, chamois leeches, and chocolate foam wing emergers have been the better producers. There is aslo a lot less debris in the water.

Rio Grande 2580 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 3500 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past weeks. Even though the water is quite murky, you can pick up fish on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. 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 and clearer water 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 449 cfs below Terrero; Slow to Fair
The river above the village of Pecos has started to rise over the past week. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 3pm when the colder melt water hits the river. It's the wading thats almost impossible. While the flows are high, look for big rock outcroppings and shelves which slow the current. Fish move into these places during heavy current. They will eat your flies, so long as they are pasted tight to the bottom. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week and may offer an alternative to the Pecos if it gets to high to fish. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 9.7 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 9.7 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 160 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Very Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is waning, but some waters are in still a little high and murky. The Guadalupe and Rio de las Vacas are still high. The upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva are fishing very well. The best reports have come from the East Fork draining the Caldera and upper Cebolla above Seven Springs Hatchery. Dry fly fishing with size 12-14 yellow stimulators, red quills, and small parachute adams has been excellent mid-day. There have been reports of sporadic stonefly hatches on the Guadalupe. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs is scheduled to open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2500 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 2600 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 1230 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river impossible to wade and the water is still murky. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. 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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes. Fishing has slowed at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and most of the fish have left the shallows. Most anglers have reported slow fishing and the wind has definitely been a limiting factor. The best fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Midges and midge emergers in red and gray in a size 12 and calibaetis nymphs seem to pick up most of the fish. A couple of our customers were out this weekend. They reported that the fish were holding deep between 12 and 20 feet. They found lots of midges and a good mid-day calibaetis hatch near the dam. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. Enbom and Mundo were both stocked with larger fish on Tuesday May 13th. Get in on the action when it does happen because I suspect that those fish will end up on a stringer as well! Mundo has bass and catfish as well as trout and can prevent a bust if the other lakes are tough. Enbom has had some pressure. A float tube is absolutely invaluable there. Dust off your float tube and get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring; fishing is going to be awesome!

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 440 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 1660 cfs at Mogote; Slow to Fair
"May 19, 2008 Well we had a little epic before it got hot this last couple of days but this morning the Conejos is cookin'! Expect the flows to head towards 2000 cfs soon. With the warm week ahead expect big water for a while. We had some guys up below the dam yesterday till late in the big water and I will be curious if those fish are stacked up on the edges or are uncatchable at this level. Today we are headed up to catch the Splake and Cutts at La Jara Reservoir with the fish finder. Flows on the La Jara are already headed towards fishable so expect a report on that stream soon. Also expect the Los Pinos to drop and clear early. The snowpack has plummeted the last 3 months from about 190 to 115 % so I dont think we will have the extended runoff thru June which puts the big stonefly hatch bag on the table. Two months ago I was cancelling fly orders for the big hatch today looks like we will need them. For those planning expect the flows on the La Jara to get good early, maybe a week or so for the La Jara and by early June on the Los Pinos. The Conejos will fish well early up high but the lower river may be big until the 10th or 15th of June. The high country streams late June. We normally see a nice stonefly hatch on the Los Pinos and the Stones on the Conejos normally are out on the banks starting June 14th". Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report. Keep looking at the releases out of Platoro Reservoir. If they drop below 200 cfs, the meadows below the dam will fish better.

Rio Grande 1100 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande had been fishing fair lately. Releases have been ramping up out of Rio Grande Reservoir and flattened out at 1100 cfs. There is decent water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable past South Fork.

Arkansas River 1600 cfs at Salida: Fair
Flows throughout the upper Arkansas River basin are down today, the result of cooler weather, but the release out of Twin Lakes went up this morniong. With similar weather in the forecast for the next week, expect the river and tributaries to stabilize and probably recede, restoring some clarity and creating some edgewater fishing opportunities. With the high flows, what caddis activity remains may be mostly inaccessible to the fish. Nymphing the deeper holding water and slow runs is probably the best option now. A big stone followed by a large (10-12) copper john is a good combo. Dredge the deeper holding water and seam lines - places that don't change too much with the addition of more water. Get your nymph to the bottom - if it isn't on the fish's nose, he won't take it

Animas River 3350 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango has doubled in flow over the past week and is very high and roiling. The river is stirred up and the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1980 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are in runoff, with the most fishable section just below Rico. Closer to Pagosa Springs, the Piedra and San Juan have aslo risen dramatically since late last week. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff has already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Saturday May 17, 2008

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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes. Fishing has slowed at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and most of the fish have left the shallows. Most anglers have reported slow fishing and the wind has definitely been a limiting factor. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. While this lake does grow big fish, the attempts at it being a trophy fishery are almost futile because of people taking the more mature fish. Enbom and Mundo will both be stocked with larger fish next Tuesday. Get in on the action when it does happen because I suspect that those fish will end up on a stringer as well! The best fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Midges and midge emergers in red and gray in a size 12 and damsel nymphs seem to pick up most of the fish. Overall, the prospects for fishing on the Jicarilla Nation look good. Drought years of the past have taken their toll, but this years snowpack means ample water for the lakes. Most rivers like the Chama, San Juan, Conejos, and Rio Grande are going to have an extended runoff, so dust off your float tube and get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring; fishing is going to be awesome!

San Juan River 1010 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The Bureau of Rec. has announced a revised release schedule for Navajo Dam. For the details and dates of the releases, please see our Announcements Page. The release has been decreased to 1000 cfs last week. The water is still a little murky but clearing with visibility of about 3 feet. I'v had some very good reports over the past few days. The best reports are still coming from the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as large as #18's and 20's. Flies with white colors are the hot ticket right now. White and cream midge larvae, chamois leeches, flesh flies or white bunny leeches, or cheese egg patterns have been the better producers. There has been mixed reports of debris in the water, so you may have to clean your rig often.

Rio Grande 1590 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 2310 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past weeks. Even though the water is quite murky, you can pick up fish on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. Fish move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. 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 and clearer water 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 268 cfs below Terrero; Slow to Fair
The river above the village of Pecos has remained fairly stable with the cooler waether over the past few days. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 3pm when the colder melt water hits the river. While the flows are high, look for big rock outcroppings and shelves which slow the current. Fish move into these places during heavy current. They will eat your flies, so long as they are pasted tight to the bottom. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 21 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 21 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Fishing has picked up with the increase in the release from Eagle Nest dam. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 183 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is waning, but some waters are in still high and murky. The Guadalupe and Rio de las Vacas are still high so fish the upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva. The best reports have come from the East Fork draining the Caldera and upper Cebolla above Seven Springs Hatchery. Dry fly fishing has picked up. Size 12-14 yellow stimulators, red quills, and small parachute adams picked up quite a few fish for one of my customers yesterday. also try fishing small dark flashy nymphs under a buoyant dry fly. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs will open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2050 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 614 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 754 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river hard to wade and the water is still murky. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. 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 186 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 778 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Good
"May 15, 2008. More incredible fishing on the upper river, today the flows were dropped again to 189 and it has been somewhere between good and incredible this week up higher. Wednesday we hiked up the Lake Fork which is home to pure Rio Grande Cutts. The fishing for brown trout and some to 16" was really good just below Rock Lake so we thought that by the time we got to the Cutthroat water above Rock it should be bordering easy! Not so. Tough fishing periiod in the meadow until we put a Pizza bet on it and 2 minutes later Devan was hooked up to a nice Rio Grande and won a SLV Pizza! He said "never make a food bet with a poor hungry fishiing guide"! We continued on to Big Lake and proceeded to hook over a 100 fish in about an hour and a half. All Rio Grande Cutts all incredible to see. They were fat and healthy. The fishing was so good no one would pick up the video camera. Our hands were so numb after the spree that we built a stick fire to warm up before the trek back but we had to leave Devan at the lake casting my 4 weight Scott G2 after we realized that when he said "Ok, this is my last fish" he was lying! Just a great afternoon and alot of fun. Lake Fork is a gorgeous stream and looking forward to going back when the bugs are flying and the water warmer. Please read below for a more detailed report. May 9, 2008. Possibly one of the most unlikely "epic" days happened yesterday! The water is off color and high but the fish just killed flies yesterday on the upper river. Conejos River Angler guides, Devan Ence and Troy Smith got enough "big fish" photos to stack a fish diary for months. Multiple fish over 20" and about half bows and half browns and lots of wild rainbows in all sizes from 9" to 22". Two fish straightened out hooks fishing 3x flouro and were never seen. We will post some of them on the site next week. As far as fishing here on the Conejos goes, our upper Hamilton Ranch and the Meadows is the place to be. The lower river is big. If the releases will top out right now we will continue to have some great fishing. Not a soul fishing - amazing! Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 646 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande has been fishing fair lately although it appears that releases are fluctuating daily out of Rio Grande Reservoir. Thay were raised again yesterday. There is decent water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable past South Fork.

Arkansas River 1270 cfs at Salida: Fair
The Arkansas River is fishing fair above Salida in the mornings before the colder snowmelt hits. Move downriver during the day to find better water temps. The river downstream of Salida is fishing fair towards Canon City. Release from Twin Lakes Reservoir are up again. Despite the extra cold water, there has been sporadic caddis hatchesfrom Caoldale to Wellsville. Blue Winged olives are still making ther afternoon appearance, especially with the cloudy conditions this past week. Streamers, midges, caddis, and baetis are the flies for the Ark.

Animas River 2400 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is high and roiling. The river is stirred up and the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1990 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are in runoff, with the most fishable section just below Rico. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff has already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Tuesday May 13, 2008

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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes. Fishing has slowed at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and most of the fish have left the shallows. Most anglers have reported slow fishing and the wind has definitely been a limiting factor. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. While this lake does grow big fish, the attempts at it being a trophy fishery are almost futile because of people taking the more mature fish. Enbom and Mundo will both be stocked with larger fish next Tuesday. Get in on the action when it does happen because I suspect that those fish will end up on a stringer as well! The best fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Midges and midge emergers in red and gray in a size 12 and damsel nymphs seem to pick up most of the fish. Overall, the prospects for fishing on the Jicarilla Nation look good. Drought years of the past have taken their toll, but this years snowpack means ample water for the lakes. Most rivers like the Chama, San Juan, Conejos, and Rio Grande are going to have an extended runoff, so dust off your float tube and get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring; fishing is going to be awesome!

San Juan River 1230 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The Bureau of Rec. has announced a revised release schedule for Navajo Dam. For the details and dates of the releases, please see our Announcements Page. The release has been decreased to 1000 cfs yesterday. The water is still a little murky but clearing. The best reports prior to the drop have come from the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as large as #18's and 20's. Flies with white colors are the hot ticket right now. White and cream midge larvae, chamois leeches, flesh flies or white bunny leeches, or cheese egg patterns have been the better producers. There has been mixed reports of debris in the water, so you may have to clean your rig often.

Rio Grande 1460 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 2250 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past weeks. Even though the water is quite murky, you can pick up fish on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. Fish move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. 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 no rafting and kayaking and clearer water 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 379 cfs below Terrero; Slow to Fair
The river above the village of Pecos has remained fairly stable with the cooler waether over the past few days, but that will all change with warmer weather. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 4pm when the colder melt water hits the lower river. While the flows are high, look for big rock outcroppings and shelves which slow the current. Fish move into these places during heavy current. They will eat your flies, so long as they are pasted tight to the bottom. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 21 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 21 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Fishing has picked up with the increase in the release from Eagle Nest dam. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 183 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is waning, but some waters are in still high and murky. The lower elevation streams like the Jemez River and the Guadalupe are quite high so fish the upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva. The best reports have come from the East Fork draining the Caldera and upper Cebolla above Seven Springs Hatchery. Be methodical and fish small dark flashy nymphs under a buoyant dry fly. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs will open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2790 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 719 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 897 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river unwadeable and have stirred things up quite a bit. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. Releases are expected to stay high for awhile. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. Most sections of the Chama and the Brazos were stocked this past week. 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 305 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 1120 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Good
"May 12, 2008 Flows have come down, and the water clarity much better on lower river; the water is clear coming out of dam, and fishing is fair to good on the lower river. Fishing is good to excellent on the upper. Fishing on our upper lease has been fantastic for big fish. Please read below for a more detailed report. May 9, 2008. Possibly one of the most unlikely "epic" days happened yesterday! The water is off color and high but the fish just killed flies yesterday on the upper river. Conejos River Angler guides, Devan Ence and Troy Smith got enough "big fish" photos to stack a fish diary for months. Multiple fish over 20" and about half bows and half browns and lots of wild rainbows in all sizes from 9" to 22". Two fish straightened out hooks fishing 3x flouro and were never seen. We will post some of them on the site next week. As far as fishing here on the Conejos goes, our upper Hamilton Ranch and the Meadows is the place to be. The lower river is big. If the releases will top out right now we will continue to have some great fishing. Not a soul fishing - amazing!Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 388 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande has been fishing fair lately although it appears that releases are fluctuating daily out of Rio Grande Reservoir. There is decent water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable past South Fork.

Arkansas River 1260 cfs at Salida: Fair
The Arkansas River is fishing fair above Salida in the mornings before the colder snowmelt hits. Move downriver during the day to find better water temps. The river downstream of Salida is fishing fair towards Canon City. The unforeseen dam safety inspection at Twin Lakes reservoir was a bust as the releases went back up starting Monday last week. The caddis hatch has actually moved up towards Salida this weekend. Blue Winged olives are still making ther afternoon appearance, especially with the cloudy conditions this past week. Streamers, midges, caddis, and baetis are the flies for the Ark.

Animas River 2310 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is high and roiling. The river is stirred up and the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1010 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are in runoff, with the most fishable section just below Rico. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff has already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Monday May 12, 2008

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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes. Fishing has slowed at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and most of the fish have left the shallows. Most anglers have reported slow fishing and the wind has definitely been a limiting factor. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. While this lake does grow big fish, the attempts at it being a trophy fishery are almost futile because of people taking the more mature fish. Enbom and Mundo will both be stocked with larger fish next Tuesday. Get in on the action when it does happen because I suspect that those fish will end up on a stringer as well! The best fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Midges and midge emergers in red and gray in a size 12 and damsel nymphs seem to pick up most of the fish. Overall, the prospects for fishing on the Jicarilla Nation look good. Drought years of the past have taken their toll, but this years snowpack means ample water for the lakes. Most rivers like the Chama, San Juan, Conejos, and Rio Grande are going to have an extended runoff, so dust off your float tube and get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring; fishing is going to be awesome!

San Juan River 2300 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
The Bureau of Rec. has announced a revised release schedule for Navajo Dam. For the details and dates of the releases, please see our Announcements Page. The release is scheduled to be decreased today to 1000 cfs. The water is still a little murky but clearing.The best reports have come from the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as large as #18's and 20's. Flies with white colors are the hot ticket right now. White and cream midge larvae, chamois leeches, flesh flies or white bunny leeches, or cheese egg patterns have been the better producers. There has been mixed reports of debris in the water, so you may have to clean your rig often. Don't forget your wading staff!

Rio Grande 1430 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 2340 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past weeks. Even though the water is quite murky, you can pick up fish on the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. Fish move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. 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 less rafting and kayaking and cleare water 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 370 cfs below Terrero; Slow to Fair
The river above the village of Pecos has remained fairly stable with the cooler waether over the past few days, but that will all change with warmer weather. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 4pm when the colder melt water hits the lower river. While the flows are high, look for big rock outcroppings and shelves which slow the current. Fish move into these places during heavy current. They will eat your flies, so long as they are pasted tight to the bottom. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 22 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 22 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Fishing has picked up with the increase in the release from Eagle Nest dam. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 186 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is waning, but some waters are in still high and murky. The lower elevation streams like the Jemez River and the Guadalupe are quite high so fish the upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva. The best reports have come from the East Fork draining the Caldera and upper Cebolla above Seven Springs Hatchery. Be methodical and fish small dark flashy nymphs under a buoyant dry fly. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs will open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2340 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 711 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 984 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river unwadeable and have stirred things up quite a bit. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. Releases are expected to stay high for awhile. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. Most sections of the Chama and the Brazos were stocked this past week. 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 238 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 951 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Good
"May 12, 2008 Flows have come down, and the water clarity much better on lower river; the water is clear coming out of dam, and fishing is fair to good on the lower river. Fishing is good to excellent on the upper. Fishing on our upper lease has been fantastic for big fish. Please read below for a more detailed report. May 9, 2008. Possibly one of the most unlikely "epic" days happened yesterday! The water is off color and high but the fish just killed flies yesterday on the upper river. Conejos River Angler guides, Devan Ence and Troy Smith got enough "big fish" photos to stack a fish diary for months. Multiple fish over 20" and about half bows and half browns and lots of wild rainbows in all sizes from 9" to 22". Two fish straightened out hooks fishing 3x flouro and were never seen. We will post some of them on the site next week. As far as fishing here on the Conejos goes, our upper Hamilton Ranch and the Meadows is the place to be. The lower river is big. If the releases will top out right now we will continue to have some great fishing. Not a soul fishing - amazing!Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 255 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande has been fishing fair lately although it appears that releases are fluctuating daily out of Rio Grande Reservoir. There is decent water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. There is lots of water below Wagon Wheel Gap making the river floatable past South Fork.

Arkansas River 1100 cfs at Salida: Fair
The Arkansas River is fishing fair above Salida in the mornings before the colder snowmelt hits. Move downriver during the day to find better water temps. The river downstream of Salida is fishing fair towards Canon City. The unforeseen dam safety inspection at Twin Lakes reservoir was a bust as the releases went back up starting Monday last week. The caddis hatch has actually moved up towards Salida this weekend. Blue Winged olives are still making ther afternoon appearance, especially with the cloudy conditions this past week. Streamers, midges, caddis, and baetis are the flies for the Ark.

Animas River 2120 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is high and roiling. The river is stirred up and the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1190 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are in runoff, with the most fishable section just below Rico. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff has already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Saturday May 10, 2008

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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes. Fishing has slowed at Stone Lake. The false spawning behavior is gone and the fish have left the shallows. Most anglers have reported slow fishing and the wind has definitely been a limiting factor. Stone Lake does have special regulations, but most people are keeping the bigger fish that they catch. While this lake does grow big fish the attempts at it being a trophy fishery are almost futlie because of the people taking the more mature fish. Enbom and Mundo will both be stocked with larger fish next Tuesday. Get in on the action when it does happen because I suspect that those fish will end up on a stringer as well! The best fly fishing has been in the early mornings during the midge hatch and before the wind kicks up. Overall, the prospects for fishing on the Jicarilla Nation look good. Drought years of the past have taken their toll, but this years snowpack means ample water for the lakes. Most rivers like the Chama, San Juan, Conejos, and Rio Grande are going to have an extended runoff, so dust off your float tube and get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring; fishing is going to be awesome!

San Juan River 2350 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
Releases were expected to increase to 3000 cfs starting Friday May 9th. The release may go up today. The Bureau of Rec. will ramp up the release over the next few weeks to 5000 cfs by May 24th. Please see our Announcements Page for the details. The water is still a little murky but clearing with the reduction in flows and change in penstocks. The reports prior to this latest change in flows had been fair. Fish the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats for easier wading. Crossing the main channel isn't advised at higher flows! The best reports have been from anglers fishing out of boats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as large as #18's and 20's. Flies with white colors are the hot ticket right now. White and cream midge larvae, chamois leeches, flesh flies or white bunny leeches, or cheese egg patterns have been the better producers. There has been mixed reports of debris in the water, so you may have to clean your rig often. Don't forget your wading staff!

Rio Grande 1770 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 2520 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past few days. Even though the water is quite murky, fish the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. Fish move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. 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 less 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 357 cfs below Terrero; Slow to Fair
The river above the village of Pecos has remained fairly stable with the cooler waether over the past few days, but that will all change with warmer weather. The water this morning is the clearest it's been in days. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 4pm when the colder melt water hits the lower river. Fish the deeper pools with a nymph rigs. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. The Pecos and most of it's tributaries were heavily stocked this past week. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper johns generally work on the stockers. 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 11 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are 11 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Fishing has picked up with the increase in the release from Eagle Nest dam. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 195 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is waning, but some waters are in still high and murky. The lower elevation streams like the Jemez River and the Guadalupe are quite high so fish the upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva. The best reports have come from the East Fork draining the Caldera and upper Cebolla above Seven Springs Hatchery. Be methodical and fish small dark flashy nymphs. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs will open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2540 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 704 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 992 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river unwadeable and have stirred things up quite a bit. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. Releases are expected to stay high for awhile. The Chama River above the village of Chama is in full runoff and is very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. Most sections of the Chama and the Brazos were stocked this past week. 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 156 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 951 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Good
"May 9, 2008. Possibly one of the most unlikely "epic" days happened yesterday! The water is off color and high but the fish just killed flies yesterday on the upper river. Conejos River Angler guides, Devan Ence and Troy Smith got enough "big fish" photos to stack a fish diary for months. Multiple fish over 20" and about half bows and half browns and lots of wild rainbows in all sizes from 9" to 22". Two fish straightened out hooks fishing 3x flouro and were never seen. We will post some of them on the site next week. As far as fishing here on the Conejos goes, our upper Hamilton Ranch and the Meadows is the place to be. The lower river is big. If the releases will top out right now we will continue to have some great fishing. Not a soul fishing - amazing!Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 507 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande has been fishing fair lately, and it appears that releases are accounting for the extra water. There is decent water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. The snow along many of the shaded banks is still high and just getting to the water is incredibly difficult in some places above Creede.

Arkansas River 1200 cfs at Salida: Fair
The Arkansas River is fishing slow above Salida. The river downstream of Salida is also fishing fair towards Canon City. The unforeseen dam safety inspection at Twin Lakes reservoir was a bust as the releases went back up starting Monday last week. The releases out of Twin Lakes has once again slowed the Caddis hatch. Blue Winged olives are still making ther afternoon appearance, especially with the cloudy conditions late this week. Streamers, midges, caddis, and baetis are the flies for the Ark.

Animas River 1960 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is high and roiling. The river is stirred up and the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1230 cfs! The upper forks of the Delores are ion runoff. Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff hass already started and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Tuesday May 6, 2008

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.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes.Fishing Report 4/29/08
"Hit or miss seems to be the most recent trend out at Stone Lake. The reports from late last week and into the weekend were very promising, but this week has been very tough out there. The fish are still making shoreline appearances but the numbers have declined and fishing pressure has increased. Mundo Lake on the other hand is improving as the water continues to clear up. Stone Lake has cleared up substantially, with visibility around 6-7 feet. The wind can be hazardous to anglers out there and recently the afternoon winds have sure shown up. Mundo and Enbom are a little more sheltered. The water at Mundo is a murky 1-2 feet. The fishing has been fair to good. Woollybuggers, and beadhead nymphs including hares ears, prince nymphs and copper johns are the reported fly patterns. 2-3 fish per hour is the average, and most of the fish are 8-13” Rainbows with a few 14-16” fish mixed in. I have heard of a few Bass caught with flies, but no news from the big boys yet. They are in there, so when the temps get a little warmer give the bass a shot. A few skinny catfish have also been caught this year up to 18”. Pressure on cats has been pretty low so far and warmer temps should help with these lazy guys too. Good Luck and keep the line tight." Kevin Terry, Jicarilla Nation Fisheries Biologist. Overall, the prospects for fishing on the Jicarilla Nation look very good. Drought years of the past have taken their toll, but this years snowpack means ample water for the lakes. Most rivers like the Chama, San Juan, Conejos, and Rio Grande are going to have an extended runoff, so dust off your float tube and get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring: fishing is going to be awesome!

San Juan River 2340 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
Releases are expected to stay at the current flow 2200 cfs, with a scheduled increase to 3000 cfs starting Friday May 9th. Releases will ramp up over the next few weeks to 5000 cfs by May 24th. Please see our Announcements Page for the details. The water is still a little murky but clearing with the reduction in flows and change in penstocks. The reports prior to this latest change in flows had been fair. Fish the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats for easier wading. Crossing the main channel isn't advised at higher flows! The best reports have been from anglers fishing out of boats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as large as #18's and 20's. Flashy flies and red worms and red midge larvae generally work if the water is stained. The best producers are red and orange San Juan worms, chamois leeches, or egg patterns, with a trailing red or black midge. Black, olive, or flesh bunny leeches round out the fly choices. There is lots of debris in the water, making it so you are cleaning your rig every drift. Don't forget your wading staff!

Rio Grande 1180 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 1830 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past few days. The caddis hatch has started and is above Pilar and into the gorge and is very sporadic. Even though the water is quite murky, fish the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. Fish move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. 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 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 below Terrero; Fair to Good
The river above the village of Pecos has remained fairly stable with the cooler waether over the past few days, but that will all change with warmer weather. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 4pm when the colder melt water hits the lower river. Fish the deeper pools with a nymph rigs. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper higgins generally work on the stockers. 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 28 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are still just 28 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Fishing has picked up with the increase in the release from Eagle Nest dam. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 219 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good
Runoff on the Jemez streams is waning, but some waters are in still high and murky. The lower elevation streams like the Jemez River and the Guadalupe are quite high so fish the upper reaches of the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva. The best reports have come from the East Fork draining the Caldera and upper Cebolla above Seven Springs Hatchery. Be methodical and fish small dark flashy nymphs. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs will open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 2560 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 1000 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 1280 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river unwadeable and have stirred things up quite a bit. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. Releases are expected to stay at these levels for awhile. The Chama River above the village of Chama is running very high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. Water managers are making room in the reservoirs for the expected above average runoff. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. 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 168 cfs below Platoro Reservoir, 790 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Good
May 6, 2008. "Had a chance to fish with one of our younger guides yesterday and we were both excited to fish the Tailwater section of the river below the dam for the first time this year. Always some aprehension as to how the big browns wintered, but after a few hours is was obvious that all is well. The browns look good and some very fat already, water level was perfect at 138 cfs and not a car or person in site! Midge patterns and worm clusters were the ticket. Alot of fish were in soft water and back eddies. Troy and I both reflected on our best days of in the meadow and both agreed that rising water and even high water were great times. Expect plenty of both in the weeks to come so if you are looking at the lower river thinking it is to high just realize that at this time the flows are perfect for fishing up high. Pleae read our April 23 report for better advice on the lower river. With the lower river at 800 cfs we will be floating and throwing big streamers and doing some dredging but even at that level it should fish good. Once it gets over 1000 it will get tough for a while." Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 670 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande has been fishing fair lately, and it appears that releases may have been icreased out of Continental or Rio Grande reservoirs. There is open water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. The snow along many of the shaded banks is still waist high and just getting to the water is incredibly difficult with out skis or snowshoes in some places near Creede.

Arkansas River 478 cfs at Salida: Fair
The Arkansas River is fishing fair above Salida. The river downstream of Salida is also fishing fair towards Canon City. Due to an unforeseen dam safety inspection, the Twin Lakes release will was ramped down from 375 cfs to zero over last weekend. The release will be ramped back starting today over four days to 375cfs by Friday. This is the best fishing flows we have had all spring and will be more apt to generate caddis activity and feeding behavior among fish. With the cloudy days, the Blue winged olives have been coming off, but the caddis hatch is still below Salida. Streamers, midges, caddis, and baetis are the flies for the Ark.

Animas River 1850 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is high and roiling. The river is stirred up and the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is underway. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1010 cfs! Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff is already starting and is expected to last well into June.

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.

Friday, May 02, 2008

Fly Fishing Report for Friday May 2, 2008

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.

The annual fishing license year begins April 1st. New Mexico state fishing licenses for the 2008-2009 license year are available for sale NOW. The annual permits for the Jicarilla Nation (Stone Lake) are also available now.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes.Fishing Report 4/29/08
"Hit or miss seems to be the most recent trend out at Stone Lake. The reports from late last week and into the weekend were very promising, but this week has been very tough out there. The fish are still making shoreline appearances but the numbers have declined and fishing pressure has increased. Mundo Lake on the other hand is improving as the water continues to clear up. Stone Lake has cleared up substantially, with visibility around 6-7 feet. The wind can be hazardous to anglers out there and recently the afternoon winds have sure shown up. Mundo and Enbom are a little more sheltered. The water at Mundo is a murky 1-2 feet. The fishing has been fair to good. Wollybuggers, and beadhead nymphs including hares ears, prince nymphs and copper johns are the reported fly patterns. 2-3 fish per hour is the average, and most of the fish are 8-13” Rainbows with a few 14-16” fish mixed in. I have heard of a few Bass caught with flies, but no news from the big boys yet. They are in there, so when the temps get a little warmer give the bass a shot. A few skinny catfish have also been caught this year up to 18”. Pressure on cats has been pretty low so far and warmer temps should help with these lazy guys too. Good Luck and keep the line tight." Kevin Terry, Jicarilla Nation Fisheries Biologist. Overall, the prospects for fishing on the Jicarilla Nation look very good. Drought years of the past have taken their toll, but this years snowpack means ample water for the lakes. Most rivers like the Chama, San Juan, Conejos, and Rio Grande are going to have an extended runoff, so dust off your float tube and get out to the Jicarilla lakes this spring: fishing is going to be awesome!

San Juan River 2290 cfs below Navajo Dam; Fair
Releases are expected to stay at the current flow 2200 cfs, with a scheduled increase to 5000 cfs in late May. The water was murky but clearing with the reduction in flows and change in penstocks. The reports prior to this latest change in flows had been fair. Fish the upper flats, cable hole, and lower flats for easier wading. Crossing the main channel isn't advised at higher flows! The best reports have been from anglers fishing out of boats. Midge nymphing has been the most productive and expect to use flies as large as #18's and 20's. Flashy flies and red worms and red midge larvae generally work if the water is stained. The best producers are red and orange San Juan worms, chamois leeches, or egg patterns, with a trailing red or black midge. Black, olive, or flesh bunny leeches round out the fly choices. Don't forget your wading staff!

Rio Grande 1350 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 2060 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is very murky and will likely remain so until late June or July. Most of the tributaries have also started to come up dramatically in the past few days. The caddis hatch has started and is above Pilar and into the gorge and is very sporadic. Even though the water is quite murky, fish the edges dry fly dropper style with caddis nymphs. Fish move into the shallows to feed when they can no longer see in deeper water and heavy currents. 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 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 below Terrero; Slow
The river above the village of Pecos has come up alot over the past few days. Last night's cooler temps have kept flows low this morning, but that will all change with warmer weather. Fishing is better mid-day during the downward trend in flows, but slows down by 4pm when the colder melt water hits the lower river. Fish the deeper pools with a nymph rigs. The best producers have been a stonefly nymph with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge with lots of weight. Egg patterns, and red and chartreuse copper higgins generally work on the stockers. 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 28 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Releases out of the dam are still just 26 cfs today. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek, but the river does get murkier. The least murky water is just below Tolby Creek. Fishing has picked up with the increase in the release from Eagle Nest dam. Flies for the Cimarron are golden stonefly nymphs, black midge larvae, hares ear nymphs, Barr's emergers, and gray and olive scuds.

Jemez Mountain Streams 195 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
Runoff on the Jemez streams is waning, but some waters are in still high and murky. The lower elevation streams like the Jemez River and the Guadalupe are quite high so fish the East Fork, Cebolla, or the San Antonio above La Cueva. The best reports have come from the East Fork draining the Caldera and upper Cebolla above Seven Springs Hatchery. Be methodical and fish small dark flashy nymphs. Forest Road 376 is open from Highway 126 to the Gilman Tunnels. Upper 376 to the San Antonio Hot Springs will open on June 1st.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Slow: 1790 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 1000 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 1290 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, however the current flows make the river unwadeable and have stirred things up quite a bit. Fish the edges and obvious eddies. Releases are expected to stay at these levels for awhile. The Chama River above the village of Chama is running high and quite cold. The tailwater sections usually fish best at about 150 cfs. Water managers are making room in the reservoirs for the expected above average runoff. The nearby Brazos is also in runoff. 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 550 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Very Good
April 28, 2008. "Water levels were around 450CFS which is a good flow and fishing has stayed good on the lower river. (Friday AM, release out of Platoro went up on Thursday to 104 cfs). Fishing up high at this point is still not very good. (Above RMAC). The reports I am getting have all been ugly. The lower river however was still fishing really well. Water is creeping up the fishing has been fair to very good. Water temps in the afternoon are about 48 degrees have been plenty good enough to get some fish active. The upcoming weather is expected to be around 60 degrees for daytime temps and will keep the runoff from escalating to quickly. Expect flows to be stable for a while longer if the releases from Platoro remain low. The fish are spending a chunk of their day in the soft water and also some pretty deep water. A dry dropper is a great way to fish the soft water now and you will have to switch to some heavy setups with big stoneflies and trailing a SJ Worm for the deeper pockets. Best flies at this time are a tungsten Golden Stone, Pat's Rubber Leg, SJ Tungsten Worm, and big dark streamers. The dirtier the water, the better the worm and streamer will fish. The big fish love the off color water and they will come out from the cutbank and from underneath their rock to feed. Sheep Creek pumps alot of dirty water into the river so fish above it if you dont like the color. The Conejos is a tailwater and the further up the river you fish the clearer the water you will find. The off color water here can fish as good or better than clear water, especially for most amateur fisherman. If you have not fished the river much - Use a guide! Here is somthing that will make it easier for you to come. We will give away the lodging at half price for all fisherman coming with guide trips thru May. If you are within a quick shot of the river get in the car with a buddy and come and have lodging, lunch, and a guide for $175 a day!" Jon Harp, of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 372 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge near Creede; Slow to Fair
The upper Rio Grande has been fishing fair lately, and it appears that releases may have been reduced out of Continental or Rio Grande reservoirs. There is open water and the fish are feeding. Big stonefly nymphs and pheasant tails and midges seem to be picking up the most fish. The snow along many of the shaded banks is still waist high and just getting to the water is incredibly difficult with out skis or snowshoes in some places.

Arkansas River 594 cfs at Salida: Fair
The Arkansas River is fishing fair above Salida. The river downstream of Salida is also fishing fair towards Canon City. Due to an unforeseen dam safety inspection, the Twin Lakes release will be ramped down from this morning’s flow of 375 to zero over the next four days. Following Monday, the release will be ramped back up over four days to 375 on next Friday. This means that Saturday through Wednesday will present the best fishing flows we have had all spring and will be more apt to generate caddis activity and feeding behavior among fish. Blue winged olives have been coming off lately, but the caddis hatch is still below Texas Creek. Streamers, midges, caddis, and baetis are the flies for the Ark.

Animas River 1760 cfs at Durango; Poor
The Animas River near Durango is high and roiling. The river is stirred up and the water is cold, and the kayak hatch is just beginning. The Delores below McPhee is also way up and currently flowing at a whopping 1100 cfs! Spring fishing may be tough here as it seems as runoff is already starting and is expected to last well into June.

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.