Fly Fishing Report for Sunday March 8, 2009
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San Juan River 499 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release from the dam is still murky but improving with visibilty reportedly at 2-4 feet. Despite the visibility, fishing is good. Midge nymphing is the most productive. Size #20-24 red, black, and gray midges, and size #22 gray and chocolate RS2's and gray and chocolate foam back emergers with an egg attractor have been the better producers. Good reports from Simon Point up to Cable Hole. If you absolutely must feel the weight of a fish on the end of your line, a bunny leech or woolly bugger in black or white can end your slump. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st. Word is that Game and Fish has been checking people for licenses, barbless flies, and the number of flies on your rig!
Rio Grande 558 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 801 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is murky and flows have come up over the past week. Trout fishing is slow but should improve if we don't get a lot of snowmellt. The famed caddis hatch is a few weeks away. Save your sick days as it might take fishing the Rio for a week to hit the hatch right. Streamers fished in the pockets or in the tailouts can pick up some trout at Pilar. There is clearer water and a little less of it in the box to the Wild and Scenic Rivers. Show them a crane fly larvae with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge. You just can't go wrong with big bodied nymphs tied with peacock herl. 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. We've been seeing bigger pike lately. These are generally older females that have seen everything. If you see a laid up pike, it probably won't eat. Cover the deeper slower runs and change flies frequently to see which ones trigger a strike. Old Faithful, a red and white pike fly, doesn't have as much game as it usually does right now.
Pecos River approximately 30 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The stream guage on the Pecos River finally thawed out last week. The water is a little murky and has come up with snowmelt. Fishing is fair upstream of the village of Pecos to Terrero. The reports on the upper river haven't been as favorable. Big, dark stonefly nymphs and small black midges were working. Water temps are in the mid-thirties so you'll have to get your flies down to the fish and put them in front of the fish' nose. Game and Fish has stocked Villanueva State Park probably for the last time, a cople of weeks ago. Red and chartreuse copper johns and egg patterns work well on the stockers. If you are fishing in the village of Pecos and even Camino Rincon, you are trespassing. Don't be a poacher! Please respect all of the landowners along the Pecos and stay out of all posted private waters. Please report anyone over harvesting fish or poaching to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 13 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Slow
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. The release is still low and likely to remain so for a little while. Better fishing will come soon on the Cimarron, especially if we get more release out of Eagle Nest Dam. There are sporadic midge hatches but the fish are very spooky. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are bwo's, Griffith's gnats, hares ear nymphs, and Barr's emergers.
Jemez Mountain Streams 58 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The Jemez streams collectively have been showing a runoff pattern with last week's warmer weather. Things will slow down with the latest cold front that moved through, however we are expected to see warm weather return next week. The lower Jemez, Guadalupe and East Fork up from Battleship Rock have been fishing fair mid-day. The East fork just west of the Caldera has more open water and may also fish ok. Nymphing with a dry and a dropper is more productive with size 16-18 prince nymphs, pheasant tails, and black or blue copper johns.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 193 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair to Good: and 316 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama River upstream of Tierra Amarilla is fishing slow, but much like the Pecos, fishing a large nymph attractor with a trailing midge or pheasant tail can be productive. Check the flows before you make that drive to one of the tailwaters. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky. Nymphing is tough with bad visibility but, streamer fishing is still good. Focus on the obvious seams and tailouts for a feeding fish. Releases from Abiquiu Dam are near perfect although I haven't had any reports on the fishing. This stretch was also recently stocked. The water clarity is better here, so start reducing the size of your flies. Baetis nymphs, midges, and crane fly larva are the flies for the Chama below Abiquiu. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught get kept. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. The Chama River above El Vado and below Abiquiu are Special Trout Waters with reduced bag limits. The density of fish is very low there and is not stocked. Please report anyone over harvesting here to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
In Southern Colorado:
Arkansas River 472 cfs at Salida: Slow
Releases out of Twin Lakes and snowmelt have brought the Arkansas up over last couple of weeks. The water temps are around 40 degrees and fishing has improved. Fishing the gravel bars with stonefly nymphs and a trailing pheasant tail or caddis nymph seems to pick up a few fish. The better water is downstream of town in Bighorn Sheep Canyon towards Canon City or below Pueblo Reservoir. Fish the seams and tailouts. Other fair fishing can be had on the South Platte below Spinney Reservoir, that is if you can deal with the wind.
Animas River 265 cfs at Durango; Slow
Much like every other lower elevation freestone stream, the water levels are rising. Also much like every other lower elevation freestone stream, stonefly nymphs with a trailing midge or pheasant tail is working the best. Make sure they are drifted tight to the bottom and cover the obvious seams and tailouts.
Conejos River 57 cfs at Mogote; Slow
More and more ice is melting off of the river and open water is returning. Jon Harp of the Conejos River Anglers mangaged to catch a nice fish in the fly water last week. Wanna guess what he was fishing with? Well, like every other lower elevation freestone stream, a big, dark stonefly nymph with a smaller trailing nymph seems to be the way to go. Expect to see more open water with warmer weather upon us next week. If the trend continues, it's going to be a nymph fisher's paradise fishing pre-runoff. Hopefully the river doesn't blow out before the Superfly.
Please see our announcements page for more news and upcoming events!
Call us at the shop for conditions on waters not listed here. 888-988-7688 out of Santa Fe or 988-7688 in Santa Fe.
It's early spring in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing frequently! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
For the most current stream flows, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
San Juan River 499 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release from the dam is still murky but improving with visibilty reportedly at 2-4 feet. Despite the visibility, fishing is good. Midge nymphing is the most productive. Size #20-24 red, black, and gray midges, and size #22 gray and chocolate RS2's and gray and chocolate foam back emergers with an egg attractor have been the better producers. Good reports from Simon Point up to Cable Hole. If you absolutely must feel the weight of a fish on the end of your line, a bunny leech or woolly bugger in black or white can end your slump. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st. Word is that Game and Fish has been checking people for licenses, barbless flies, and the number of flies on your rig!
Rio Grande 558 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 801 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is murky and flows have come up over the past week. Trout fishing is slow but should improve if we don't get a lot of snowmellt. The famed caddis hatch is a few weeks away. Save your sick days as it might take fishing the Rio for a week to hit the hatch right. Streamers fished in the pockets or in the tailouts can pick up some trout at Pilar. There is clearer water and a little less of it in the box to the Wild and Scenic Rivers. Show them a crane fly larvae with a trailing pheasant tail or black midge. You just can't go wrong with big bodied nymphs tied with peacock herl. 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. We've been seeing bigger pike lately. These are generally older females that have seen everything. If you see a laid up pike, it probably won't eat. Cover the deeper slower runs and change flies frequently to see which ones trigger a strike. Old Faithful, a red and white pike fly, doesn't have as much game as it usually does right now.
Pecos River approximately 30 cfs below Terrero; Slow
The stream guage on the Pecos River finally thawed out last week. The water is a little murky and has come up with snowmelt. Fishing is fair upstream of the village of Pecos to Terrero. The reports on the upper river haven't been as favorable. Big, dark stonefly nymphs and small black midges were working. Water temps are in the mid-thirties so you'll have to get your flies down to the fish and put them in front of the fish' nose. Game and Fish has stocked Villanueva State Park probably for the last time, a cople of weeks ago. Red and chartreuse copper johns and egg patterns work well on the stockers. If you are fishing in the village of Pecos and even Camino Rincon, you are trespassing. Don't be a poacher! Please respect all of the landowners along the Pecos and stay out of all posted private waters. Please report anyone over harvesting fish or poaching to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
Cimarron River 13 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Slow
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. The release is still low and likely to remain so for a little while. Better fishing will come soon on the Cimarron, especially if we get more release out of Eagle Nest Dam. There are sporadic midge hatches but the fish are very spooky. There is more water at the eastern end of the park below Clear Creek. Flies for the Cimarron are bwo's, Griffith's gnats, hares ear nymphs, and Barr's emergers.
Jemez Mountain Streams 58 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The Jemez streams collectively have been showing a runoff pattern with last week's warmer weather. Things will slow down with the latest cold front that moved through, however we are expected to see warm weather return next week. The lower Jemez, Guadalupe and East Fork up from Battleship Rock have been fishing fair mid-day. The East fork just west of the Caldera has more open water and may also fish ok. Nymphing with a dry and a dropper is more productive with size 16-18 prince nymphs, pheasant tails, and black or blue copper johns.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 193 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair to Good: and 316 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama River upstream of Tierra Amarilla is fishing slow, but much like the Pecos, fishing a large nymph attractor with a trailing midge or pheasant tail can be productive. Check the flows before you make that drive to one of the tailwaters. The fishing is generally fair below El Vado using big nymphs with flash and sparkle or streamers, but the water is murky. Nymphing is tough with bad visibility but, streamer fishing is still good. Focus on the obvious seams and tailouts for a feeding fish. Releases from Abiquiu Dam are near perfect although I haven't had any reports on the fishing. This stretch was also recently stocked. The water clarity is better here, so start reducing the size of your flies. Baetis nymphs, midges, and crane fly larva are the flies for the Chama below Abiquiu. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught get kept. The tailwater sections usually fish best below 300 cfs. The Chama River above El Vado and below Abiquiu are Special Trout Waters with reduced bag limits. The density of fish is very low there and is not stocked. Please report anyone over harvesting here to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
In Southern Colorado:
Arkansas River 472 cfs at Salida: Slow
Releases out of Twin Lakes and snowmelt have brought the Arkansas up over last couple of weeks. The water temps are around 40 degrees and fishing has improved. Fishing the gravel bars with stonefly nymphs and a trailing pheasant tail or caddis nymph seems to pick up a few fish. The better water is downstream of town in Bighorn Sheep Canyon towards Canon City or below Pueblo Reservoir. Fish the seams and tailouts. Other fair fishing can be had on the South Platte below Spinney Reservoir, that is if you can deal with the wind.
Animas River 265 cfs at Durango; Slow
Much like every other lower elevation freestone stream, the water levels are rising. Also much like every other lower elevation freestone stream, stonefly nymphs with a trailing midge or pheasant tail is working the best. Make sure they are drifted tight to the bottom and cover the obvious seams and tailouts.
Conejos River 57 cfs at Mogote; Slow
More and more ice is melting off of the river and open water is returning. Jon Harp of the Conejos River Anglers mangaged to catch a nice fish in the fly water last week. Wanna guess what he was fishing with? Well, like every other lower elevation freestone stream, a big, dark stonefly nymph with a smaller trailing nymph seems to be the way to go. Expect to see more open water with warmer weather upon us next week. If the trend continues, it's going to be a nymph fisher's paradise fishing pre-runoff. Hopefully the river doesn't blow out before the Superfly.
Please see our announcements page for more news and upcoming events!
Call us at the shop for conditions on waters not listed here. 888-988-7688 out of Santa Fe or 988-7688 in Santa Fe.
It's early spring in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions are changing frequently! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
For the most current stream flows, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
posted by High Desert Angler at Sunday, March 08, 2009
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