Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Saturday March 27, 2010
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The new fishing year began on April 1st. We have licenses available for sale here at the shop.
Charette and Clayton Lakes opened on Monday March 1st. Still no reports from either two and I don't expect to with the spring winds upon us. I'll post reports as they come in. One of our guides has been doing quite well at Santa Cruz Lake. Small tech buggers as we call them seem to out fish a standard woolly bugger. Think small, in different colors than the standard. My favorites are a Hale Bopp Leech in wine or brown, and a Pop's bugger in grizzly. Bluewater Lake will open on April 24th.. Trout fishing will probably be slow here as well, but the tiger muskies should produce some action once the ice is off. I have no reports if any of these lakes are ice-free. Typically they are covered by a layer of thin unsafe ice. If any one goes, let me know what the conditions are and how you did.
Pecos River 86 cfs below Terrero; Slow to Fair: At Villanueva State Park; Slow
The upper Pecos has some open water, but water temps are in the mid to high thirties and fishing is a little on the slow side. Big golden stonefly nymphs and small dark nymphs presented close to the bottom in the deeper runs is the way to go. Green caddis larva or pupa are also fooling alot of fish. The better fishing has been from Pecos to Terrero, from 10:00 am til about 3:00 pm when the flows begin to increase from snowmelt. To get a fishing day on Pecos National Historical Park, see their website at http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm or call 505-757-7272. 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 453 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Not much change here. I do hear however, that the suspended moss in the current is getting worse. Make sure to clean off your rig so the fish can see your flies. Visibilty on the river is still around to 2-3 feet. Fishing is good on the usual midge fare. Red, cream, orange, gray and olive larva size 18-24, midge pupa in olive and gray size 22-24, along with black or olive bunny leeches. Blue winged olives have been coming off with the stormy weather. Gray, olive or chocolate RS2's, johnny flashes and foam wing emergers size 22-24 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm have been producing. Fish the deeper slower runs especially after a very cold night. Some of the smaller fish have been eating blue wings off of the surface. Gray CDC biot BWO's and Furimsky's BWO BDE's were the hot surface flies There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. Also, the Special Trout Water section is all catch and release. If you see someone in violation, turn them into Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263. Officers have been 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!
Rio Grande 885 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 1120 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande has come up in flow and the water is a little muked up with 12" of visibility or less. Crane fly larvae, stonelfy nymphs, and caddis larva on a long nymph rig picked up a few for one of our guides scouting at Pilar. No word on the caddis hatch yet. Water temps may have to come up a few degrees more as we are definitely seeing an increase in flow from snowmelt. It could be any day now and I'll post reports of bugs coming off if I hear about it! Pike fishing, or I should say catching, has been a little slow. I think it may be due to pressure and it might be time to explore and find a new honey hole. The increase in flow does change things, so also try the usual spots and see if you still have willing fish. Pike hunt by feel and they'll take large streamers that move water regardless of water clarity, just be sure to cover the water thoroughly. Cover the deep, slower runs and change flies frequently to see which ones trigger a strike.
Jemez Mountain Streams 39 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The lower streams like the East Fork above Battleship Rock and the main stem Jemez have more water and are fishing fair from mid-day on. Some of the upper reaches of the San Antonio and East Fork have open water but waist deep snows hem the river. Dry dropper rigs with small beadheaded nymphs work well at this time of year. Tungsten psycho mays, tungsten zebra midges, or a black ice nymph under a PMX should do. Forest Road 376 is closed limiting access on the Guadalupe, however you can park just upstream of Gilman Tunnels and hike up to good spots. Much like the Pecos, mid-day has been good before the snowmelt works it's way down in the afternoons. The Valles Caldera opens up to fishing on May 22nd. The no longer have the lottery system in place. To reserve a space, you can call, visit the website, or take a chance and walk-on before 7:00 am: See the Caldera's website at http://vallescaldera.gov/ for more details.
Cimarron River .5 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Slow to Fair
Thankfully enough snow is melting to increase the flows on some of the tribs in the state park which has opened up more water. Some of the tighter spots in the canyon are tougher to fish because of the snow along the banks and the solar gain on the water isn't as good. I like lower down near Clear Creek. Fish small midge and baetis nymphs under an attractor or an indicator.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow to Fair: 412 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 456 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The fishing El Vado may pick up with warmer weather and the increase in the release out of the dam. You can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. Fish will be on the move until the flows have stabilized. The recent incresase in the release here also changes things up a bit. Start at one of you favorite spots, but if it doesn't produce move onto a next one. 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 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 108 cfs at Granite; Slow: 202 cfs at Salida; Fair to Good
Fishing has picked up near Salida. This time of year is about the blue winged olive hatches. The fish are moving out of their winter lies in the deeper pools and coming up into the riffles to feed. They tend to be there during cloud cover and bad weather. Baetis nymphs and emergers worked in the shallow water has been the ticket. Big golden stone fly nymphs with a size 20 black midge pupa can still be another productive set up. The caddis hatch will be another couple of weeks or so. We'll let you know.
Animas River 260 cfs at Durango; Fair
The Animas is fairly clear and fishing fair. A weighted nymphs with a trailing midge or pheasant tail drifted tight to the bottom will pick up some fish. Baetis should begin coming off during cloudy weather. Look for them in the riffles. Some good streamer fishing early morning or at dusk.
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 can change with the weather! 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.
The new fishing year began on April 1st. We have licenses available for sale here at the shop.
Charette and Clayton Lakes opened on Monday March 1st. Still no reports from either two and I don't expect to with the spring winds upon us. I'll post reports as they come in. One of our guides has been doing quite well at Santa Cruz Lake. Small tech buggers as we call them seem to out fish a standard woolly bugger. Think small, in different colors than the standard. My favorites are a Hale Bopp Leech in wine or brown, and a Pop's bugger in grizzly. Bluewater Lake will open on April 24th.. Trout fishing will probably be slow here as well, but the tiger muskies should produce some action once the ice is off. I have no reports if any of these lakes are ice-free. Typically they are covered by a layer of thin unsafe ice. If any one goes, let me know what the conditions are and how you did.
Pecos River 86 cfs below Terrero; Slow to Fair: At Villanueva State Park; Slow
The upper Pecos has some open water, but water temps are in the mid to high thirties and fishing is a little on the slow side. Big golden stonefly nymphs and small dark nymphs presented close to the bottom in the deeper runs is the way to go. Green caddis larva or pupa are also fooling alot of fish. The better fishing has been from Pecos to Terrero, from 10:00 am til about 3:00 pm when the flows begin to increase from snowmelt. To get a fishing day on Pecos National Historical Park, see their website at http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm or call 505-757-7272. 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 453 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Not much change here. I do hear however, that the suspended moss in the current is getting worse. Make sure to clean off your rig so the fish can see your flies. Visibilty on the river is still around to 2-3 feet. Fishing is good on the usual midge fare. Red, cream, orange, gray and olive larva size 18-24, midge pupa in olive and gray size 22-24, along with black or olive bunny leeches. Blue winged olives have been coming off with the stormy weather. Gray, olive or chocolate RS2's, johnny flashes and foam wing emergers size 22-24 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm have been producing. Fish the deeper slower runs especially after a very cold night. Some of the smaller fish have been eating blue wings off of the surface. Gray CDC biot BWO's and Furimsky's BWO BDE's were the hot surface flies There is a two fly only rule for the quality waters of the San Juan. Also, the Special Trout Water section is all catch and release. If you see someone in violation, turn them into Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263. Officers have been 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!
Rio Grande 885 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 1120 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande has come up in flow and the water is a little muked up with 12" of visibility or less. Crane fly larvae, stonelfy nymphs, and caddis larva on a long nymph rig picked up a few for one of our guides scouting at Pilar. No word on the caddis hatch yet. Water temps may have to come up a few degrees more as we are definitely seeing an increase in flow from snowmelt. It could be any day now and I'll post reports of bugs coming off if I hear about it! Pike fishing, or I should say catching, has been a little slow. I think it may be due to pressure and it might be time to explore and find a new honey hole. The increase in flow does change things, so also try the usual spots and see if you still have willing fish. Pike hunt by feel and they'll take large streamers that move water regardless of water clarity, just be sure to cover the water thoroughly. Cover the deep, slower runs and change flies frequently to see which ones trigger a strike.
Jemez Mountain Streams 39 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The lower streams like the East Fork above Battleship Rock and the main stem Jemez have more water and are fishing fair from mid-day on. Some of the upper reaches of the San Antonio and East Fork have open water but waist deep snows hem the river. Dry dropper rigs with small beadheaded nymphs work well at this time of year. Tungsten psycho mays, tungsten zebra midges, or a black ice nymph under a PMX should do. Forest Road 376 is closed limiting access on the Guadalupe, however you can park just upstream of Gilman Tunnels and hike up to good spots. Much like the Pecos, mid-day has been good before the snowmelt works it's way down in the afternoons. The Valles Caldera opens up to fishing on May 22nd. The no longer have the lottery system in place. To reserve a space, you can call, visit the website, or take a chance and walk-on before 7:00 am: See the Caldera's website at http://vallescaldera.gov/ for more details.
Cimarron River .5 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Slow to Fair
Thankfully enough snow is melting to increase the flows on some of the tribs in the state park which has opened up more water. Some of the tighter spots in the canyon are tougher to fish because of the snow along the banks and the solar gain on the water isn't as good. I like lower down near Clear Creek. Fish small midge and baetis nymphs under an attractor or an indicator.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow to Fair: 412 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 456 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The fishing El Vado may pick up with warmer weather and the increase in the release out of the dam. You can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. Fish will be on the move until the flows have stabilized. The recent incresase in the release here also changes things up a bit. Start at one of you favorite spots, but if it doesn't produce move onto a next one. 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 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 108 cfs at Granite; Slow: 202 cfs at Salida; Fair to Good
Fishing has picked up near Salida. This time of year is about the blue winged olive hatches. The fish are moving out of their winter lies in the deeper pools and coming up into the riffles to feed. They tend to be there during cloud cover and bad weather. Baetis nymphs and emergers worked in the shallow water has been the ticket. Big golden stone fly nymphs with a size 20 black midge pupa can still be another productive set up. The caddis hatch will be another couple of weeks or so. We'll let you know.
Animas River 260 cfs at Durango; Fair
The Animas is fairly clear and fishing fair. A weighted nymphs with a trailing midge or pheasant tail drifted tight to the bottom will pick up some fish. Baetis should begin coming off during cloudy weather. Look for them in the riffles. Some good streamer fishing early morning or at dusk.
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 can change with the weather! 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, March 26, 2010
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