Ed's Fly Fishing Report Friday June 26, 2009
Learn more about Aquatic Invasive Species at www.protectyourwaters.net
Pecos River approximately 116 cfs below Terrero; Good
The river is fishing well and does clear rapidly between thundershowers. The giant stonefly hatch is waning and the fish are getting harder to fool on the big bugs. The good news is that every thing else is hatching and providing for great dry flyt fishing. Gray Drakes, Red Quills, Blue Winged Olives, PMD's, yellow sallies, and a small cream colored caddis have made an appearance over the past week. 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.
San Juan River 522 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The High Spring Release for the San Juan has ended and the release is down to the 500 cfs flow we'll see over the next year. Fishing above Texas Hole has slowed some. Fishing brown, cream, or olive midges in the morning can pick up a few fish, however the better fishing is on baetis patterns from lunch time til 4 pm. Mdge fishing will pick back up in the evenings. Caddis and PMD's have been coming off on the lower river if you can float or arrange for a guide. Time to go back to the small stuff and fluorocarbon tippets. Streamers in the deeper runs can be incredible. There was already one ant fall and we could see more with the summer rains upon us. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st. Game and Fish officers have been heavy handed and are checking people for licenses, barbless flies, and the number of flies on your rig! File those barbs or go barbless, as the fines are steep!
Jicarilla Nation Lakes; Fair for trout
Fishing at Stone Lake is slow to fair, but still your best bet at fish over twenty inches. Clarity is diminished because of a green algae bloom. Damsel nymphs seem to be the ticket right. Takes are very light so try a slow hand twist retrieve to remain in constant contact with your flies. Take caution on the windy days if you are in a boat. Both Mundo and Enbom received stocking of 16-18" fish recently. Enbom is more protected from wind than Stone. Catching in general has been better here. There have been good calibaetis hatches there as well mid-day. Damsel nymphs are producing very well. The weeds are getting worse at Enbom and fishing from the bank is getting tough so bring your float tube. On Mundo, it's all about catfish and bass lately, although some of the newly planted fish are getting caught as well.
Rio Grande 513 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 826 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is murky. Not the greatest summer fishing unless you want to catch some river smallies. Smallmouth eat crayfish patterns and wooly buggers in the eddies and you can pick out some trout in the tailouts of larger runs or in the pockets. The rafting and kayaking traffic is dimishing. 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. Cover the deeper slower runs and change flies frequently to see which ones trigger a strike.
Cimarron River 31 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Although the release is high, fishing is good. The lower river is more open and can fish better than the brushy stuff on the upper end. There are golden stone and baetis hatches and the PMD's or Ginger duns are just starting to show themselves. Flies for the Cimarron are PMD's caddis, yellow sallies, scuds, hares ear nymphs, and Barr's PMD emergers.
Jemez Mountain Streams 74 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The rains may affect the streams of the Jemez, they clear quickly the flows are near summer levels and they are fishing well. The Cebolla, the East Fork, and the San Antonio are nymphing well with a dries and a dry with a dropper with size 14-18 prince nymphs, pheasant tails, and black or blue copper johns are the tactics. Forest Road 376 to the San Antonio hot springs is open. Fishing in the Jemez can be very good the higher you go. It's the perfect place for light tackle, so take your onie and go high. Other hatches are little yellow sallies, cream caddis, and red quills.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Fair to Good: 638 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow to Fair: 826 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 503 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The Chama River upstream of Tierra Amarilla is fishing fair, except the flows are high from the recent rains we've had. The Chama can take a few days to clear up, so keep checking the reports. Also, 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. The release is back up for the weekend rafting scene. The release usually goes up on Friday afternoon and come back down on Sunday afternoon. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. Releases from Abiquiu Dam are a little high for optimum fishing and the water is very murky. The release out of Abiquiu fluctuates greatly depending on irrigation need and municipal water supplies so it's best to find someplace else to fish most of the summer. Baetis nymphs, midges, and crane fly larva are the usual 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 best fishing here is up on the lake for smallmouth and walleye from the shore. 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 657 cfs below Platoro, 1530 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Good
June 19, 2009 "The big bugs have sputtered seemingly haphazardly on the lower river and the fishing reports have varied wildly the last few days. The exception is the tribs which have been good to fantastic. Very good dry fly fishing on most of the tributaries and the Conejos has had a couple of days that have been very good on top but today was not one of those for some bizzare Conejos type reason. The outrageous caddis hatch has begun alongside the big bugs and fish have suprisingly been eating some small stuff alongside the Salmon/Willow/Pteronarcys. Golden Stones and caddis emergers have been some of the best nymphs. The Salmonfly the best dry. Expect it to get buggier and buggier each day and the fish will begin to look up more and more each day. Great time to be here. Still nymphing in the meadow but our guide trips up there have been good to great." Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceding report. The release out of Platoro Reservior went up again this morning, once again making the meadows tough to fish as well as the Pinnacles. The Pinnacles won't be wadeable till the flows come back down below 200 cfs.
Arkansas River 2880 cfs below Granite; Good: 2940 cfs at Salida; Fair
Flows are going up with higher releases out of Twin Lakes and Clear creek Reservoirs. The best fishing is going to be from Hayden Meadows down to the Lake Creek confluence. Fishing from Brown's Canyon to Buena Vista has been great on big dries and stonefly droppers or double nymph rigs fished tight to the banks or in the deeper holes. Caddis continue to hatch each afternoon from Granite upstream. Visibility is better the further upstream you go.
Animas River 3500 cfs at Durango; Slow to Fair
The Animas is very murky and way up after some heavy local rainfall. It may take a day ar three to come down and clear up. Stonefly nymphs with a trailing midge or pheasant tail drifted and swung along the banks will pick up some fish. The release on the Delores below McPhee has been reduced futher to 71 cfs. While not as perfect of a flow for the "D", fish it now before the aquatic vegetation grows too high.
Pagosa Area: Piedra River 446 cfs at Arboles; Fair to Good: San Juan River 890 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Fair
The San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado can really produce some very heavy local rainfall as is evident by the higher flows on the Animas and the Chama. While the flows didn't come up as much here, the streams did come up and murk up. The Pagosa area streams are high, but come down and clear quick. Streamers fished in the softer water may pick you up a few fish on the main stem San Juan and lower Piedra. Good reports on Williams Creek below the dam and some stoneflies on the Piedra just below Williams Creek confluence.
Rio Grande 670 cfs at Creede; Slow to Fair: 1450 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Fair to Good
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir are all over the place, but despite that, waning runoff has made much of the river more fishable to the wading angler. The flows are high so do be careful. This is another place to put on your radar as the salmon fly hatch is just beginning below South Fork. The South Fork of the Rio Grande seems to have the areas best fishing right now. There are caddis everywhere and the Green Drake hatch is just beginnng. We'll keep you posted so keep checking the
reports.
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 summer time in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions change 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.
Pecos River approximately 116 cfs below Terrero; Good
The river is fishing well and does clear rapidly between thundershowers. The giant stonefly hatch is waning and the fish are getting harder to fool on the big bugs. The good news is that every thing else is hatching and providing for great dry flyt fishing. Gray Drakes, Red Quills, Blue Winged Olives, PMD's, yellow sallies, and a small cream colored caddis have made an appearance over the past week. 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.
San Juan River 522 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The High Spring Release for the San Juan has ended and the release is down to the 500 cfs flow we'll see over the next year. Fishing above Texas Hole has slowed some. Fishing brown, cream, or olive midges in the morning can pick up a few fish, however the better fishing is on baetis patterns from lunch time til 4 pm. Mdge fishing will pick back up in the evenings. Caddis and PMD's have been coming off on the lower river if you can float or arrange for a guide. Time to go back to the small stuff and fluorocarbon tippets. Streamers in the deeper runs can be incredible. There was already one ant fall and we could see more with the summer rains upon us. There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. This rule went into effect on July 1st. Game and Fish officers have been heavy handed and are checking people for licenses, barbless flies, and the number of flies on your rig! File those barbs or go barbless, as the fines are steep!
Jicarilla Nation Lakes; Fair for trout
Fishing at Stone Lake is slow to fair, but still your best bet at fish over twenty inches. Clarity is diminished because of a green algae bloom. Damsel nymphs seem to be the ticket right. Takes are very light so try a slow hand twist retrieve to remain in constant contact with your flies. Take caution on the windy days if you are in a boat. Both Mundo and Enbom received stocking of 16-18" fish recently. Enbom is more protected from wind than Stone. Catching in general has been better here. There have been good calibaetis hatches there as well mid-day. Damsel nymphs are producing very well. The weeds are getting worse at Enbom and fishing from the bank is getting tough so bring your float tube. On Mundo, it's all about catfish and bass lately, although some of the newly planted fish are getting caught as well.
Rio Grande 513 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 826 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is murky. Not the greatest summer fishing unless you want to catch some river smallies. Smallmouth eat crayfish patterns and wooly buggers in the eddies and you can pick out some trout in the tailouts of larger runs or in the pockets. The rafting and kayaking traffic is dimishing. 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. Cover the deeper slower runs and change flies frequently to see which ones trigger a strike.
Cimarron River 31 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good
The Cimarron River is dam controlled for the most part by Eagle Nest dam. Although the release is high, fishing is good. The lower river is more open and can fish better than the brushy stuff on the upper end. There are golden stone and baetis hatches and the PMD's or Ginger duns are just starting to show themselves. Flies for the Cimarron are PMD's caddis, yellow sallies, scuds, hares ear nymphs, and Barr's PMD emergers.
Jemez Mountain Streams 74 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The rains may affect the streams of the Jemez, they clear quickly the flows are near summer levels and they are fishing well. The Cebolla, the East Fork, and the San Antonio are nymphing well with a dries and a dry with a dropper with size 14-18 prince nymphs, pheasant tails, and black or blue copper johns are the tactics. Forest Road 376 to the San Antonio hot springs is open. Fishing in the Jemez can be very good the higher you go. It's the perfect place for light tackle, so take your onie and go high. Other hatches are little yellow sallies, cream caddis, and red quills.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Fair to Good: 638 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow to Fair: 826 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 503 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The Chama River upstream of Tierra Amarilla is fishing fair, except the flows are high from the recent rains we've had. The Chama can take a few days to clear up, so keep checking the reports. Also, 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. The release is back up for the weekend rafting scene. The release usually goes up on Friday afternoon and come back down on Sunday afternoon. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. Releases from Abiquiu Dam are a little high for optimum fishing and the water is very murky. The release out of Abiquiu fluctuates greatly depending on irrigation need and municipal water supplies so it's best to find someplace else to fish most of the summer. Baetis nymphs, midges, and crane fly larva are the usual 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 best fishing here is up on the lake for smallmouth and walleye from the shore. 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 657 cfs below Platoro, 1530 cfs at Mogote; Fair to Good
June 19, 2009 "The big bugs have sputtered seemingly haphazardly on the lower river and the fishing reports have varied wildly the last few days. The exception is the tribs which have been good to fantastic. Very good dry fly fishing on most of the tributaries and the Conejos has had a couple of days that have been very good on top but today was not one of those for some bizzare Conejos type reason. The outrageous caddis hatch has begun alongside the big bugs and fish have suprisingly been eating some small stuff alongside the Salmon/Willow/Pteronarcys. Golden Stones and caddis emergers have been some of the best nymphs. The Salmonfly the best dry. Expect it to get buggier and buggier each day and the fish will begin to look up more and more each day. Great time to be here. Still nymphing in the meadow but our guide trips up there have been good to great." Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceding report. The release out of Platoro Reservior went up again this morning, once again making the meadows tough to fish as well as the Pinnacles. The Pinnacles won't be wadeable till the flows come back down below 200 cfs.
Arkansas River 2880 cfs below Granite; Good: 2940 cfs at Salida; Fair
Flows are going up with higher releases out of Twin Lakes and Clear creek Reservoirs. The best fishing is going to be from Hayden Meadows down to the Lake Creek confluence. Fishing from Brown's Canyon to Buena Vista has been great on big dries and stonefly droppers or double nymph rigs fished tight to the banks or in the deeper holes. Caddis continue to hatch each afternoon from Granite upstream. Visibility is better the further upstream you go.
Animas River 3500 cfs at Durango; Slow to Fair
The Animas is very murky and way up after some heavy local rainfall. It may take a day ar three to come down and clear up. Stonefly nymphs with a trailing midge or pheasant tail drifted and swung along the banks will pick up some fish. The release on the Delores below McPhee has been reduced futher to 71 cfs. While not as perfect of a flow for the "D", fish it now before the aquatic vegetation grows too high.
Pagosa Area: Piedra River 446 cfs at Arboles; Fair to Good: San Juan River 890 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Fair
The San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado can really produce some very heavy local rainfall as is evident by the higher flows on the Animas and the Chama. While the flows didn't come up as much here, the streams did come up and murk up. The Pagosa area streams are high, but come down and clear quick. Streamers fished in the softer water may pick you up a few fish on the main stem San Juan and lower Piedra. Good reports on Williams Creek below the dam and some stoneflies on the Piedra just below Williams Creek confluence.
Rio Grande 670 cfs at Creede; Slow to Fair: 1450 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Fair to Good
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir are all over the place, but despite that, waning runoff has made much of the river more fishable to the wading angler. The flows are high so do be careful. This is another place to put on your radar as the salmon fly hatch is just beginning below South Fork. The South Fork of the Rio Grande seems to have the areas best fishing right now. There are caddis everywhere and the Green Drake hatch is just beginnng. We'll keep you posted so keep checking the
reports.
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 summer time in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions change 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 Friday, June 26, 2009
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