Ed'd Fly Fishing Report for Monday July 26, 2010

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais

The Rio Costilla 80 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Very Good
The Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest opened Thursday July 1st. This area is truly a scenic gem for New Mexico. It's loaded with elk, bison, and turkey, but it usually draws people for the fishing. The Rio Costilla is one place you can reliably catch a Rio Grande Cutthroat and Shuree Ponds are known for it's large rainbows. The stream is dry fly fishing at it's best. High riding attractor like PMX's and Aerial Assault's, and yellow sallies and caddis flies work very well on those quick striking cutties. Take damsel nymphs, diving caddis, and some aquatic snail patterns for the lunkers at Shuree. All of the streams in the Valle Vidal are no kill. The bag limit for Shuree is only 2 fish over 15 inches. Please report anyone breaking thes rules to New Mexico Game and Fish at 800-432-4263 or the Forest Service at 575-586-0520.

San Juan River 856 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Ah, the bittersweet vagaries of the San Juan. We definitely need the rain, especially in the four corners, and it also brings a good ant fall to the river. The downside, lower flows out of Navajo Dam. The release is down below Navajo Dam as rainfall has brought up the Animas. From Texas Hole up to the Cable, fishing is good on #22-26 olive, gray, black, or brown midge pupa and larva in the morning and up towards the dam all day. Afternoons below Texas Hole have been best with chocolate, olive, or gray baetis emergers like a #20 24 foam wing, RS2, or WD40. The baetis are active from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. It's back to the olive, brown, or black midge larva after 5. The mosquitoes are out, so be prepared! 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!

Pecos River 241 cfs below Terrero; Good: At Pecos National Historical Park; Fair:
A ton of rain here over the weekend made for some big water. The good news is that the river is coming down and clearing above Dalton Canyon and the fishing is good. River wide, there are caddis hatches, PMD's, and yellow sallies, especially up high. Western March Browns, or Rithrogenia mayflies are starting their emergence as well. This is some of the best in dry fly fishing on the Pecos. Remember, the first public access is at Dalton Day Use. Fly choices would be anato-mays, hares ears, red quills, headlight sallies, neversink caddis, and extended body PMD's. The summer fishing program at Pecos National Historical Park ends on Monday August 2nd. Mid-day water temps are getting warm and the fishing is getting slow. The fall season begins on Thursday September 2nd and runs through October 25th. To get a fishing day on Pecos NHP, 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.

Rio Grande 75 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 3072 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The recent rainfall may have murked up the Rio, but the stream guage doesn't provide that detail. The Rio Grande is at it's summer flow. Trout fishing at Pilar is fair early or late in the day or better most of the day up in the gorge where there is more spring inflow and cooler water. Smallmouth, however will eat during the heat of the day and can be picked up on small streamers and crayfish patterns. If you're going to go for trout, try a crane fly larvae or stonefly nymphs with a trailing caddis pupa or flashback pheasant tail. A streamer fished deep in the pockets could get you a nice trout or even a smallie or a pike!

Jemez Mountain Streams 37 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
If any place benefited with all of the rain it is here. The upper streams like the East Fork just west of the Caldera, the San Antonio, the Guadalupe, and the Cebolla are fishing well. Fish are taking dries early and late in the day. If it starts to get hot out, shaded ares like the East Fork from the East Fork Trailhead down to Battleship should fish most of the day. Some of the more open streams slow during mid-day. As far as flies go, try a black cricket, small neversink caddis, headlight sallies, and PMD's, or go to a red legged hopper in the afternoons. The Valles Caldera is open to fishing. They no longer have the lottery system in place there. 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 30 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 45 cfs at Cimarron
The release is down, however it's still up into the willows on the upper river. The river is more open the further east you go especially below Clear Creek. PMD's are off. Golden stone nymphs, caddis pupa, black WD40's, yellow pmx's, pink cahills, and PMD's were reported to be the hot flies. The Red River around the corner is also fishing well on pretty much the same flies.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes
The last report from Jicarilla Game and Fish is from July 6th. I suspect that fishing has slowed even more with the higher day time temps. Fishing at Enbom in the mornings would be your best bet. There are lots of damsel nymphs in the water and you might find a fish or two taking them off of the top. Fishing should improve with cooler weather and some much needed rain, however I've had no reports.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 57 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 624 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 279 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The best fishing on the Chama is the stretch above the town of Chama. Access can be had through the Sargent Wildlife Area. Good dry fly fishing on PMD's, green drakes, caddis, and red quills. The river flowing into El Vado is getting warm and trout fishing is slow. This section of river warms alot in mid summer from irrigation return. Below El Vado, you can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers in the murky water coming out of the dam. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams and be careful with the higher flows. The stretch below Abiquiu typically doesn't typically fish well over the summer. Currently the release is low and water calls downstream may increase the release at any time. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught, get kept. 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 128 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 211 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 17, 2010. "Yes a little while has passed. We have been on the moving water of Conejos County and what a beautiful office it is. Very little guide brain strain this past week. We have fished from behind the shop in Mogote to above the Reservoir and for the most part really good fishing. Seems like the Drake hatch so far has been pretty light when it comes off but the fish seem to be really on them when they are out. So many other bugs up high right now it is confusing at times to figure it out. I have spent about half of my guide days in the last week on the tributaries and each time I do they remind why they are worth it. Most of the fish right now have been on the dry. Down low an assortment of attractor dries and up higher smaller stones, drakes, BWO's, red quills, and PMD's. You just need an assortment of bugs so that when you see them you have something close enough to move some fish. Cripples and emergers behind the dries seems to be really effective. As the water clears and begins to drop the tippet size, presentation, drift, silhouette, movement, and length of leader and whatever else I dont remember right now becomes more important. I want to say thanks again to all of you for supporting our guides and fly shop in the middle of nowhere!"Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 88 cfs below Thirty Mile Bridge; Fair: 327 cfs below Windy Gap; Fair
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir are back down for the moent. Currently the flows are low and the upper river like the box cayon is very fishable. It' sounds like the best fishing is from Rio Grande Reservoir down to Wagon Wheel Gap. Lots of caddis river wide and PMD's and green and gray drakes moving upstream of South Fork every day. Nymph fishing with PMD's, caddis and drake nymphs has been good.

Pagosa Area Piedra River 116 cfs at Arboles; Slow: San Juan at Pagosa 142 cfs; Slow
Flows are now increasing on alot of waters around the San Juan Mountains and the Pagosa area is no different. THe cooler weather and water should improve fishing on the Piedra below Williams Creek and on Williams. The upper forks of the Piedra as well as The San Juan and trubutaries abovee Pagosa are fishing good. On the upper forks, use caddis, golden stones, and PMD's. On the San Juan there are lots of caddis and some PMD's, and Red Quills. The East Fork of the San Juan as well as Turkey and Fourmile are also fishing well. Take a box full of PMD's, golden stones, neversink caddis, and a few nitro caddis pupa and double bead golden nymphs for a droppper set up. Or swing that caddis dropper at the end of your drift and hang on!

Arkansas River 455 cfs at Granite; Good: 709 cfs at Salida; Good
The river is at it's summer flows and fishing is great. Around Buena Vista, fish are taking caddis early and late in the day and are eating PMD's and yellow sallies mid-day. Look for them right off of the shelves or along the edges in the soft water. At Hayden Meadows, try hoppers, yellow sallies, and small caddis. The water is low and clear so use some stealth. Around Salida, PMD's and lots of caddis with the best action in the afternoons. Antero Reservoir continues to fish very well.

Animas River 456 cfs at Durango; Good
Some heavy rainfall over the past weekend has brought the flow up on the Animas. Fishing is going to depend on clarity. Lots of caddis around as well as golden stones and PMD's. Best fishing is in the afternoons, especially for dry fly action. Don't forget to try a swinging caddis pupa!

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 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.

For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a list of fire restrictions or closures.

Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Friday July 23, 2010

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais

The Rio Costilla 80 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Very Good
The Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest opened Thursday July 1st. This area is truly a scenic gem for New Mexico. It's loaded with elk, bison, and turkey, but it usually draws people for the fishing. The Rio Costilla is one place you can reliably catch a Rio Grande Cutthroat and Shuree Ponds are known for it's large rainbows. The stream is dry fly fishing at it's best. High riding attractor like PMX's and Aerial Assault's, and yellow sallies and caddis flies work very well on those quick striking cutties. Take damsel nymphs, diving caddis, and some aquatic snail patterns for the lunkers at Shuree. All of the streams in the Valle Vidal are no kill. The bag limit for Shuree is only 2 fish over 15 inches. Please report anyone breaking thes rules to New Mexico Game and Fish at 800-432-4263 or the Forest Service at 575-586-0520.

San Juan River 856 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release is down below Navajo Dam as flows have increased on the Animas. The above 500 cfs release makes for better boat fishing and hopefully spreads some of the anglers out. There are still reports of PMD's and caddis on the lower river. There has been one ant fall but it was rather weak and it will probably take a good downpour to get it going. They already had some good rain in the past 24 hours. From Texas Hole up to the Cable, fishing is good on #24-24 olive, gray, black, or brown midge pupa and larva in the morning and up towards the dam all day. Afternoons below Texas Hole have been best with olive or gray baetis emergers like a #22 foam wing, RS2, or WD40. The baetis are active from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. It's back to the black midge larva after 5. The mosquitoes are out, so be prepared! 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!

Pecos River 59 cfs below Terrero; Good: At Pecos National Historical Park; Fair:
The river is clear above Dalton Canyon and the fishing is good. River wide, there are caddis hatches, PMD's, and yellow sallies, especially up high. Western March Browns, or Rithrogenia mayflies are starting their emergence as well. This is some of the best in dry fly fishing on the Pecos. Remember, the first public access is at Dalton Day Use. Fly choices would be anato-mays, hares ears, red quills, headlight sallies, neversink caddis, and extended body PMD's. The summer fishing program at Pecos National Historical Park began on June 24th. Mid-day water temps are getting warm and the fishing slows. Despite the fact that it is no where in writing, the staff at Pecos NHP are also wanting anglers to have a Habitat Improvement Stamp. This is also contrary to what I'd been told by Game and Fish, but go ahead and get one so you won't get turned away. To get a fishing day on Pecos NHP, 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.

Rio Grande 79 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 262 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is at it's summer flow. Trout fishing at Pilar is fair early or late in the day or better most of the day up in the gorge where there is more spring inflow and cooler water. Smallmouth, however will eat during the heat of the day and can be picked up on small streamers and crayfish patterns. If you're going to go for trout, try a crane fly larvae or stonefly nymphs with a trailing caddis pupa or flashback pheasant tail. A streamer fished deep in the pockets could get you a nice trout or even a smallie or a pike!

Jemez Mountain Streams 14 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The upper streams like the East Fork just west of the Caldera, the San Antonio, the Guadalupe, and the Cebolla are fishing fair. Fish are taking dries early and late in the day. Shaded ares like the East Fork from the East Fork Trailhead down to Battleship should fish most of the day. Some of the more open streams slow during mid-day. As far as flies go, try a black cricket, small neversink caddis, headlight sallies, and PMD's, or go to a red legged hopper in the afternoons. The Valles Caldera is open to fishing. They no longer have the lottery system in place there. 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 26 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 39 cfs at Cimarron
The release is down today and we'll see it catch up to the guage at Cimarron soon. The extra water makes some of the upper river tougher to fish where it's brushier. The river is more open the further east you go especially below Clear Creek. PMD's are off. Golden stone nymphs, caddis pupa, black WD40's, yellow pmx's, pink cahills, and PMD's were reported to be the hot flies. The Red River around the corner is also fishing well on pretty much the same flies.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes
The last report from Jicarilla Game and Fish is from July 6th. I suspect that fishing has slowd even more with the higher day time temps. Fishing at Enbom in the mornings would be your best bet. There are lots of damsel nymphs in the water and you might find a fish or two taking them off of the top. Fishing should improve with cooler weather and some much needed rain.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 35 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 789 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 905 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The best fishing on the Chama is the stretch above the town of Chama. Access can be had through the Sargent Wildlife Area. Good dry fly fishing on PMD's, green drakes, caddis, and red quills. The river flowing into El Vado is getting warm and trout fishing is slow. This section of river warms alot in mid summer from irrigation return. Below El Vado, you can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers in the murky water coming out of the dam. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams and be careful with the higher flows. The stretch below Abiquiu typically doesn't typically fish well over the summer. Currently the release is high and murky and water calls downstream may increase the release at any time. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught, get kept. 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.

Off The Beaten Path Abiquiu Lake
I'm going to leave this one up for at least another week. Bass fishing has really picked up on the lake. They can be caught at this time of year right from the shore. The best time of day to catch them on poppers is in the morning. Get there at day break when the water is the most calm. Cast your poppers right at the submerged trees just off of the shore. Around 11:00 am or so when the sun is high and it's getting warm, switch to a subsurface pattern like a clouser minnow. Again, work the trees and be prepared to lose a few flies. Look for them in the coves. The more trees in the water, the better. Sometimes you can get a carp to eat in there as well. Stay within the high water mark as there is some private land along the northeast shore. I love going to a place like this when I can't find enough room to cast on my favorite trout stream. It's a perfect place to fish when you have those afternoon honeydo's. I'll get there early and enjoy the sunrise, fish hard until 9 or 10, then swim the dogs and headout as the powerboat crowd shows up.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 186 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 290 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 17, 2010. "Yes a little while has passed. We have been on the moving water of Conejos County and what a beautiful office it is. Very little guide brain strain this past week. We have fished from behind the shop in Mogote to above the Reservoir and for the most part really good fishing. Seems like the Drake hatch so far has been pretty light when it comes off but the fish seem to be really on them when they are out. So many other bugs up high right now it is confusing at times to figure it out. I have spent about half of my guide days in the last week on the tributaries and each time I do they remind why they are worth it. Most of the fish right now have been on the dry. Down low an assortment of attractor dries and up higher smaller stones, drakes, BWO's, red quills, and PMD's. You just need an assortment of bugs so that when you see them you have something close enough to move some fish. Cripples and emergers behind the dries seems to be really effective. As the water clears and begins to drop the tippet size, presentation, drift, silhouette, movement, and length of leader and whatever else I dont remember right now becomes more important. I want to say thanks again to all of you for supporting our guides and fly shop in the middle of nowhere!"Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 113 cfs below Thirty Mile Bridge; Fair: 333 cfs below Windy Gap; Fair
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir is up today. Currently the flows are fairly low and the upper river like the box cayon is very fishable. It' sounds like the best fishing is from Rio Grande Reservoir down to South Fork. Lots of caddis river wide and PMD's and green and gray drakes moving upstream of South Fork every day. Nymph fishing with stoneflies, caddis and drake nymphs has been good.

Pagosa Area Piedra River 52 cfs at Arboles; Slow: San Juan at Pagosa 97 cfs; Slow
Flows are declining on alot of our area waters and the Pagosa area is no different. Take a water temp if you are on the Piedra below Williams Creek or on Williams. If you get anything in the mid-sixties, consider fishing elsewhere. The upper forks of the Piedra as well as The San Juan and trubutaries abovee Pagosa are fishing good. On the upper forks, use caddis, golden stones, and PMD's. Williams Creek below the dam is getting low and warm. Some rainfall could change that for the better. On the San Juan there are lots of caddis and some PMD's, and Red Quills. The East Fork of the San Juan as well as Turkey and Fourmile are also fishing well. Take a box full of PMD's, golden stones, neversink caddis, and a few nitro caddis pupa and double bead golden nymphs for a droppper set up. Or swing that caddis dropper at the end of your drift and hang on!

Arkansas River 485 cfs at Granite; Good: 742 cfs at Salida; Good
The river is at it's summer flows anf fishing is great. Around Buena Vista, fish are taking caddis early and late in the day and are eating PMD's and yellow sallies mid-day. Look for them right off of the shelves or along the edges in the soft water. At Hayden Meadows, try hoppers, yellow sallies, and small caddis. The water is low and clear so use some stealth. Around Salida, PMD's and lots of caddis with the best action in the afternoons. Antero Reservoir continues to fish very well.

Animas River 410 cfs at Durango; Good
Some heavy rainfall ovet the past 24 hours has brought the flow up on the Animas. Fishing is going to depend on clarity. Lots of caddis around as well as golden stones and PMD's. Best fishing is in the afternoons, especially for dry fly action. Don't forget to try a swinging caddis pupa!

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 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.

For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a list of fire restrictions or closures.

Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Tuesday July 20, 2010

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais

The Rio Costilla 79 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Very Good
The Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest opened Thursday July 1st. This area is truly a scenic gem for New Mexico. It's loaded with elk, bison, and turkey, but it usually draws people for the fishing. The Rio Costilla is one place you can reliably catch a Rio Grande Cutthroat and Shuree Ponds are known for it's large rainbows. The stream is dry fly fishing at it's best. High riding attractor like PMX's and Aerial Assault's, and yellow sallies and caddis flies work very well on those quick striking cutties. Take damsel nymphs, diving caddis, and some aquatic snail patterns for the lunkers at Shuree. All of the streams in the Valle Vidal are no kill. The bag limit for Shuree is only 2 fish over 15 inches. Please report anyone breaking thes rules to New Mexico Game and Fish at 800-432-4263 or the Forest Service at 575-586-0520.

San Juan River 1140 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release is up below Navajo Dam as flows have declined on the Animas. The extra flow makes for better boat fishing and hopefully spreads some of the anglers out. There are still reports of PMD's and caddis on the lower river. There has been one ant fall but it was rather weak and it will probably take a good downpour to get it going. From Texas Hole up to the Cable, fishing is good on #24-24 olive, gray, black, or brown midge pupa and larva in the morning and up towards the dam all day. Afternoons below Texas Hole have been best with olive or gray baetis emergers like a #22 foam wing, RS2, or WD40. The baetis are active from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. It's back to the black midge larva after 5. The mosquitoes are out, so be prepared! 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!

Pecos River 61 cfs below Terrero; Good: At Pecos National Historical Park; Fair:
The river is clear above Dalton Canyon and the fishing is good. River wide, there are caddis hatches, PMD's, and yellow sallies, especially up high. Western March Browns, or Rithrogenia mayflies are starting their emergence as well. This is some of the best in dry fly fishing on the Pecos. Remember, the first public access is at Dalton Day Use. Fly choices would be anato-mays, hares ears, red quills, headlight sallies, neversink caddis, and extended body PMD's. The summer fishing program at Pecos National Historical Park began on June 24th. Mid-day water temps are getting warm and the fishing slows. Despite the fact that it is no where in writing, the staff at Pecos NHP are also wanting anglers to have a Habitat Improvement Stamp. This is also contrary to what I'd been told by Game and Fish, but go ahead and get one so you won't get turned away. To get a fishing day on Pecos NHP, 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.

Rio Grande 93 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 266 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is at it's summer flow. Trout fishing at Pilar is fair early or late in the day or better most of the day up in the gorge where there is more spring inflow and cooler water. Smallmouth, however will eat during the heat of the day and can be picked up on small streamers and crayfish patterns. If you're going to go for trout, try a crane fly larvae or stonefly nymphs with a trailing caddis pupa or flashback pheasant tail. A streamer fished deep in the pockets could get you a nice trout or even a smallie or a pike!

Jemez Mountain Streams 15 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The upper streams like the East Fork just west of the Caldera, the San Antonio, the Guadalupe, and the Cebolla are fishing fair. Fish are taking dries early and late in the day. Shaded ares like the East Fork from the East Fork Trailhead down to Battleship should fish most of the day. Some of the more open streams slow during mid-day. As far as flies go, try a black cricket, small neversink caddis, headlight sallies, and PMD's, or go to a red legged hopper in the afternoons. The Valles Caldera is open to fishing. They no longer have the lottery system in place there. 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 42 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 40 cfs at Cimarron
The release is up it seems as the temps also climb. The extra water makes some of the upper river tougher to fish where it's brushier. The river is more open the further east you go especially below Clear Creek. PMD's are off. Golden stone nymphs, caddis pupa, black WD40's, yellow pmx's, pink cahills, and PMD's were reported to be the hot flies. The Red River around the corner is also fishing well on pretty much the same flies.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes
The last report from Jicarilla Game and Fish is from July 6th. I suspect that fishing has slowd even more with the higher day time temps. Fishing at Enbom in the mornings would be your best bet. There are lots of damsel nymphs in the water and you might find a fish or two taking them off of the top. Fishing should improve with colloer weather and some much needed rain.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 23 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 978 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 1100 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The best fishing on the Chama is the stretch above the town of Chama. Access can be had through the Sargent Wildlife Area. Good dry fly fishing on PMD's, green drakes, caddis, and red quills. The river flowing into El Vado is getting warm and trout fishing is slow. This section of river warms alot in mid summer from irrigation return. Below El Vado, you can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers in the murky water coming out of the dam. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams and be careful with the higher flows. The stretch below Abiquiu typically doesn't typically fish well over the summer. Currently the release is high and murky and water calls downstream may increase the release at any time. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught, get kept. 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.

Off The Beaten Path Abiquiu Lake
I'm going to leave this one up for at least another week. Bass fishing has really picked up on the lake. They can be caught at this time of year right from the shore. The best time of day to catch them on poppers is in the morning. Get there at day break when the water is the most calm. Cast your poppers right at the submerged trees just off of the shore. Around 11:00 am or so when the sun is high and it's getting warm, switch to a subsurface pattern like a clouser minnow. Again, work the trees and be prepared to lose a few flies. Look for them in the coves. The more trees in the water, the better. Sometimes you can get a carp to eat in there as well. Stay within the high water mark as there is some private land along the northeast shore. I love going to a place like this when I can't find enough room to cast on my favorite trout stream. It's a perfect place to fish when you have those afternoon honeydo's. I'll get there early and enjoy the sunrise, fish hard until 9 or 10, then swim the dogs and headout as the powerboat crowd shows up.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 210 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 281 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 17, 2010. "Yes a little while has passed. We have been on the moving water of Conejos County and what a beautiful office it is. Very little guide brain strain this past week. We have fished from behind the shop in Mogote to above the Reservoir and for the most part really good fishing. Seems like the Drake hatch so far has been pretty light when it comes off but the fish seem to be really on them when they are out. So many other bugs up high right now it is confusing at times to figure it out. I have spent about half of my guide days in the last week on the tributaries and each time I do they remind why they are worth it. Most of the fish right now have been on the dry. Down low an assortment of attractor dries and up higher smaller stones, drakes, BWO's, red quills, and PMD's. You just need an assortment of bugs so that when you see them you have something close enough to move some fish. Cripples and emergers behind the dries seems to be really effective. As the water clears and begins to drop the tippet size, presentation, drift, silhouette, movement, and length of leader and whatever else I dont remember right now becomes more important. I want to say thanks again to all of you for supporting our guides and fly shop in the middle of nowhere!"Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 59 cfs below Thirty Mile Bridge; Fair: 222 cfs below Windy Gap; Fair
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir have dropped over the last two weeks. Currently the flows are fairly low and the upper river like the box cayon is very fishable. It' sounds like the best fishing is from Rio Grande Reservoir down to South Fork. Lots of caddis river wide and PMD's and green and gray drakes moving upstream of South Fork every day. Nymph fishing with stoneflies, caddis and drake nymphs has been good.

Pagosa Area Piedra River 45 cfs at Arboles; Slow: San Juan at Pagosa 93 cfs; Slow
Flows are declining on alot of our area waters and the Pagosa area is no different. Take a water temp if you are on the Piedra below Williams Creek or on Williams. If you get anything in the mid-sixties, consider fishing elsewhere. The upper forks of the Piedra as well as The San Juan and trubutaries abovee Pagosa are fishing good. On the upper forks, use caddis, golden stones, and PMD's. Williams Creek below the dam is getting low and warm. Some rainfall could change that for the better. On the San Juan there are lots of caddis and some PMD's, and Red Quills. The East Fork of the San Juan as well as Turkey and Fourmile are also fishing well. Take a box full of PMD's, golden stones, neversink caddis, and a few nitro caddis pupa and double bead golden nymphs for a droppper set up. Or swing that caddis dropper at the end of your drift and hang on!

Arkansas River 460 cfs at Granite; Good: 700 cfs at Salida; Good
The river is at it's summer flows anf fishing is great. Around Buena Vista, fish are taking caddis early and late in the day and are eating PMD's and yellow sallies mid-day. Look for them right off of the shelves or along the edges in the soft water. At Hayden Meadows, try hoppers, yellow sallies, and small caddis. The water is low and clear so use some stealth. Around Salida, PMD's and lots of caddis with the best action in the afternoons. Antero Reservoir continues to fish very well.

Animas River 281 cfs at Durango; Good
The Animas is dropping in flow and has some clarity the fishing is good. Lots of caddis around as well as golden stones and PMD's. Best fishing is in the afternoons, especially for dry fly action. Don't forget to try a swinging caddis pupa!

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 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.

For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a list of fire restrictions or closures.

Ed'd Fly Fishing Report for Monday July 12, 2010

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais

The Rio Costilla 75 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Very Good
I've already had a couple of good reports for the Costilla and Shuree Ponds. The Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest opened Thursday July 1st. This area is truly a scenic gem for New Mexico. It's loaded with elk, bison, and turkey, but it usually draws people for the fishing. The Rio Costilla is one place you can reliably catch a Rio Grande Cutthroat and Shuree Ponds are known for it's large rainbows. The stream is dry fly fishing at it's best. High riding attractor like PMX's and Aerial Assault's, and yellow sallies and caddis flies work very well on those quick striking cutties. Take damsel nymphs and some aquatic snail patterns for the lunkers at Shuree. All of the streams in the Valle Vidal are no kill. The bag limit for Shuree is only 2 fish over 15 inches. Please report anyone breaking thes rules to New Mexico Game and Fish at 800-432-4263 or the Forest Service at 575-586-0520.

San Juan River 957 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release is up below Navajo Dam as flows have declined on the Animas. The extra flow makes for better boat fishing and hopefully spreads some of the angler out. There are reports of PMD's and caddis on the lower river. There ahs been one ant fall but it was rather weak and it will probably take a good downpour to get it going. From Texas Hole up to the Cable, fishing is good on #24-24 olive, gray, black, or brown midge pupa and larva in the morning and up towards the dam all day. Afternoons below Texas Hole have been best with olive or gray baetis emergers like a #22 foam wing, RS2, or WD40. The baetis are active from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. It's back to the black midge larva after 5. The mosquitoes are out, so be prepared! 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!

Pecos River 75 cfs below Terrero; Good: At Villanueva State Park; Poor:
The river is a little murky with the best clarity above Dalton Canyon. River wide, there are caddis hatches, PMD's, and yellow sallies, especially up high. Western March Browns, or Rithrogenia mayflies are starting their emergence as well. This is some of the best in dry fly fishing on the Pecos. Remember, the first public access is at Dalton Day Use. Fly choices would be anato-mays, hares ears, red quills, headlight sallies, neversink caddis, and extended body PMD's. The summer fishing program at Pecos National Historical Park began on June 24th. To get a fishing day on Pecos NHP, 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.

Rio Grande 116 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 271 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is at it's summer flow. Trout fishing at Pilar is fair early or late in the day or better most of the day up in the gorge where there is more spring inflow and cooler water. Smallmouth, however will eat during the heat of the day and can be picked up on small streamers and crayfish patterns. If you're going to go for trout, try a crane fly larvae or stonefly nymphs with a trailing caddis pupa or flashback pheasant tail. A streamer fished deep in the pockets could get you a nice trout or even a smallie or a pike!

Jemez Mountain Streams 20 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The upper streams like the East Fork just west of the Caldera, the San Antonio, the Guadalupe, and the Cebolla are fishing fairly well. Fish are taking dries early and late in the day. Shaded ares like the East Fork from the East Fork Trailhead down to Battleship should fish well all day. Some of the more open streams slow during mid-day. As far as flies go, try a black cricket, small neversink caddis, headlight sallies, and PMD's, or go to a red legged hopper in the afternoons. The Valles Caldera is open to fishing. They no longer have the lottery system in place there. 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 36 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 32 cfs at Cimarron
Finally we have more water in the stream. It's brushier on the upper end, but there is more open water the further east you go especially below Clear Creek. PMD's are also starting to pop. Golden stone nymphs, caddis pupa, black WD40's, freestones, pmx's, and fuzzy wuzzy's were reported to be the hot flies. The Red River around the corner is pretty much done with runoff and is fishing well as is the Rio Costilla outside the Valle Vidal boundary.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes
The fishing on the Jicarilla Lakes has been good, although trout fishing at Mundo has slowed and Stone Lake is still very slow. The best reports this week came from Enbom Lake. Enbom Lake is currently the hot spot for trout on the Jicarilla fishing lakes. The best action is with flies near the surface which has a lot to do with the weeds getting very thick out there. The fish have been surface oriented lately so dry fly fishermen should definitely give it a shot with attractor patterns, parachute adams’, or even adult damsel patterns (blue). Stone Lake remains very slow this week. The water is clear and the weeds are not that bad yet, but the fish are not biting. If the wind is down and the lake is glassy I would suggest using the higher banks to sight fish or even locate breaks in the weed beds. I often have the best luck right next to the weed beds in the summer months. Damsels, damsels, damnsels!!! The preceeeding report was excerpted from the Jicarilla Nation weblog fishing report by Kevin Terry.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 44 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; FAir: 782 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 790 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The best fishing on the Chama is the stretch above town. Access can be had through the Sargent Wildlife Area. Good dry fly fishing on PMD's, green drakes, caddis, and red quills. The river flowing into El Vado is getting warm and trout fishing is slow. This section of river warms alot in mid summer from irrigation return. Below El Vado, you can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers in the murky water coming out of the dam. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. The stretch below Abiquiu typically doesn't typically fish well over the summer. Currently the release is moderate and fairly clear but water calls downstream may increase the release at any time. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught, get kept. 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.

Off The Beaten Path Abiquiu Lake
Water temps have finally reached a point where the bass fishing has really picked up. They can be caught at this time of year right from the shore. The best time of day to catch them on poppers, a bass fishing dry fly basically, is in the morning. Get there at day break when the water is the most calm. Cast your poppers right at the submerged trees just off of the shore. They'll often give you a second chance if you blow your first hook set. Around 11:00 am or so when the sun is high and it's getting warm, switch to a subsurface pattern like a clouser minnow. Again, work the trees and be prepared to lose a few flies. The southern side of the lake has alot of submerged trees and can be accessed from NM Highway 96. Find a pullout and hike down to the lake. Another good spot is to walk north of the boat ramp and fish off of the ledges as you go. There are some coves with a lot off trees in the water. Sometimes you can get a carp to eat in there as well. Stay within the high water mark as there is some private land along the northeast shore. I love going to a place like this when I can't find enough room to cast on my favorite trout stream. It's a perfect place to fish when you have those afternoon honeydo's. I'll get there early and enjoy the sunrise. I'll fish hard until 9 or 10, then swim the dogs and headout as the powerboat crowd shows up.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 207 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 281 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 7, 2010. "We get alot of calls right now asking "What are they bitin' on?" and "How's the fishin'?" well that is our job to answer those but after another week guiding it hits me there are a couple of answers to "How's the fishin'?" Both fantastic and tough. Skill level, whether you are fishing with a guide or not and which part of the drainage you are fishing in has a huge part in your success. After being out on a few guide trips I have observed that the client fishing with the guide catches about 85% of the fish. I would also say that 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish. If you feel like you are one of the 90 then I would say take a few dollars and split a guide with a buddy and see how this is happening. For almost the entire year starting in late March we have been consistently catching fish and on average bigger fish. Its just that we are constantly changing where, how, and when to do so. With that said I have been up higher for the most part this week and have run into alot of stones of several varieties as well as sparse hatches of Drakes. Most of the fish we have caught have been on dries. Yesterday a client I was fishing with occasionally deemed a fish to be a "guide fish" because of the difficulty of the cast and had a chance to land a male cutt that was just under 20" on a #6 Salmonfly. He was under a tree in the tree roots and came out and sipped it so slow I almost did not wait long enough for him to get it. Several days ago I guided down by the shop and ran into a beautiful Drake hatch that lasted a few hours and alot of larger browns ate hard during that time. Alot of fish in some really fast water that day until the hatch dropped off and all of a sudden there were big fish in lazy edges in the shade and they crushed a G String worm for another hour until they vanished at about 3:00. The river is very buggy right now and so just expect good opportunities to land bigger fish on dries."Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 93 cfs below Thirty Mile Bridge; Fair: 343 cfs below Windy Gap; Fair
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir have been steady for over two weeks now. Currently the flows are fairly low and the upper river is very fishable. It' sounds like the best fishing is below Creede to South Fork. Lots of caddis river wide and PMD's and green and gray drakes moving upstream of South Fork every day. Nymph fishing with stoneflies, caddis and drake nymphs has been good.

Pagosa Area Piedra River 90 cfs at Arboles; Slow: San Juan at Pagosa 151 cfs; Slow
Flows are way down on the Piedra and fishing is good. The upper forks are fishing well with caddis, golden stones, and PMD's. Williams Creek below the dam is getting low and warm. Some rainfall could change that for the better. The San Juan in town is fishing very well. Lots of caddis and some PMD's for that stretch. The East Fork of the San Juan as well as Turkey and Fourmile are lower and fishing well. Take a box full of PMD's, golden stones, neversink caddis, and a few nitro caddis pupa and double bead golden nymphs for a droppper set up. Or swing that caddis dropper at the end of your drift and hang on!

Arkansas River 465 cfs at Granite; Good: 758 cfs at Salida; Good
The river is at it's summer flows anf fishing is great. Around Buena Vista, fish are taking caddis early and late in the day and are eating PMD's and yellow sallies mid-day. Look for them right off of the shelves or along the edges in the soft water. At Hayden Meadows, try hoppers, yellow sallies, and small caddis. The water is low and clear so use some stealth. Around Salida, PMD's and lots of caddis with the best action in the afternoons. Antero Reservoir continues to fish very well.

Animas River 476 cfs at Durango; Good
The Animas is dropping in flow and has some clarity the fishing is good. Lots of caddis around as well as golden stones and PMD's. Best fishing is in the afternoons, especially for dry fly action. Don't forget to try a swinging caddis pupa!

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 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.

For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a list of fire restrictions or closures.

Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Thursday July 8, 2010

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais

The Rio Costilla 54 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Very Good
The flows are absolutely ideal right now! I've already had a couple of good reports for the Costilla and Shuree Ponds. The Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest opened Thursday July 1st. This area is truly a scenic gem for New Mexico. It's loaded with elk, bison, and turkey, but it usually draws people for the fishing. The Rio Costilla is one place you can reliably catch a Rio Grande Cutthroat and Shuree Ponds are known for it's large rainbows. The stream is dry fly fishing at it's best. High riding attractor like PMX's and Aerial Assault's, and yellow sallies and caddis flies work very well on those quick striking cutties. Take damsel nymphs and some aquatic snail patterns for the lunkers at Shuree. All of the streams in the Valle Vidal are no kill. The bag limit for Shuree is only 2 fish over 15 inches. Please report anyone breaking thes rules to New Mexico Game and Fish at 800-432-4263 or the Forest Service at 575-586-0520.

San Juan River 1060 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release is up below Navajo Dam as flows have declined on the Animas. The extra flow makes for better boat fishing and hopefully spreads some of the angler out. There are reports of PMD's and caddis on the lower river. There ahs been one ant fall but it was rather week and it will probably take a good downpour to get it going. From Texas Hole up to the Cable, fishing is good on #24-24 olive, gray, black, or brown midge pupa and larva in the morning and up towards the dam all day. Afternoons below Texas Hole have been best with olive or gray baetis emergers like a #22 foam wing, RS2, or WD40. The baetis are active from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. It's back to the black midge larva after 5. The mosquitoes are out, so be prepared! 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!

Pecos River 89 cfs below Terrero; Good: At Villanueva State Park; Poor:
The river is a little murky with the best clarity above Dalton Canyon. River wide, there are caddis hatches, PMD's, yellow sallies, especially up high, and some gray drakes coming off about mid-day. Western March Browns, or Rithrogenia mayflies are starting their emergence as well. This is some of the best in dry fly fishing on the Pecos. Remember, the first public access is at Dalton Day Use. Fly choices would be anato-mays, hares ears, red quills, headlight sallies, neversink caddis, and extended body PMD's. The summer fishing program at Pecos National Historical Park began on June 24th. To get a fishing day on Pecos NHP, 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.

Rio Grande 136 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 344 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is at it's summer flow. Trout fishing at Pilar is fair early or late in the day or better most of the day up in the gorge where there is more spring inflow and cooler water. Smallmouth, however will eat during the heat of the day and can be picked up on small streamers and crayfish patterns. If you're going to go for trout, try a crane fly larvae or stonefly nymphs with a trailing caddis pupa or flashback pheasant tail. A streamer fished deep in the pockets could get you a nice trout or even a smallie or a pike!

Jemez Mountain Streams 18 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The upper streams like the East Fork just west of the Caldera, the San Antonio, the Guadalupe, and the Cebolla are fishing fairly well. Fish are taking dries early and late in the day. Shaded ares like the East Fork from the East Fork Trailhead down to Battleship should fish well all day. Some of the more open streams slow during mid-day. As far as flies go, try a black cricket, small neversink caddis, headlight sallies, and PMD's, or go to a red legged hopper in the afternoons. The South Fork Fire is not affecting any of the waters we typically fish in the Jemez Mountains. The Valles Caldera is open to fishing. They no longer have the lottery system in place there. 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 36 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 33 cfs at Cimarron
Finally we have more water in the stream. It's brushier on the upper end, but there is more open water the further east you go especially below Clear Creek. PMD's are also starting to pop. Golden stone nymphs, caddis pupa, black WD40's, freestones, pmx's, and fuzzy wuzzy's were reported to be the hot flies. The Red River around the corner is pretty much done with runoff and is fishing well as is the Rio Costilla outside the Valle Vidal boundary.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes
Enbom Lake has been hit or miss. The Rainbows have been quite active lately chasing adult damselflies throughout the day. On average, the best action has been in the mornings and evenings. The water temps are in the high 60’s so if you are practicing catch and release please land and release the fish as soon as possible, and avoid placing them in weedy areas if you can. Enbom Lake is the first stop for the weed harvester and we will hopefully be at it by Thursday (7/1) afternoon. Float tubes and boats will help you avoid the weeds, but they are getting pretty thick. Stone Lake has had its first confirmed catch reported in weeks. This big Bow measured 23 inches and had the typical Stone Lake body type, in other words, it was FAT! That was the one and only report this week. The preceeeding report was excerpted from the Jicarilla Nation weblog fishing report by Kevin Terry.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 48 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 782 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 790 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
Runoff is finally done on the Chama. The river flowing into El Vado is perfect. I'm not sure of clarity, but I'd hit it now! This section of river warms alot in mid summer from irrigation return so don't wait. Below El Vado, you can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers in the murky water coming out of the dam. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. The stretch below Abiquiu typically doesn't typically fish well over the summer. Currently the release is moderate and fairly clear but water calls downstream may increase the release at any time. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught, get kept. 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.

Off The Beaten Path Abiquiu Lake
Water temps have finally reached a point where the bass fishing has really picked up. They can be caught at this time of year right from the shore. The best time of day to catch them on poppers, a bass fishing dry fly basically, is in the morning. Get there at day break when the water is the most calm. Cast your poppers right at the submerged trees just off of the shore. They'll often give you a second chance if you blow your first hook set. Around 11:00 am or so when the sun is high and it's getting warm, switch to a subsurface pattern like a clouser minnow. Again, work the trees and be prepared to lose a few flies. The southern side of the lake has alot of submerged trees and can be accessed from NM Highway 96. Find a pullout and hike down to the lake. Another good spot is to walk north of the boat ramp and fish off of the ledges as you go. There are some coves with a lot off trees in the water. Sometimes you can get a carp to eat in there as well. Stay within the high water mark as there is some private land along the northeast shore. I love going to a place like this when I can't find enough room to cast on my favorite trout stream. It's a perfect place to fish when you have those afternoon honeydo's. I'll get there early and enjoy the sunrise. I'll fish hard until 9 or 10, then swim the dogs and headout as the powerboat crowd shows up.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 207 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 281 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 7, 2010. "We get alot of calls right now asking "What are they bitin' on?" and "How's the fishin'?" well that is our job to answer those but after another week guiding it hits me there are a couple of answers to "How's the fishin'?" Both fantastic and tough. Skill level, whether you are fishing with a guide or not and which part of the drainage you are fishing in has a huge part in your success. After being out on a few guide trips I have observed that the client fishing with the guide catches about 85% of the fish. I would also say that 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish. If you feel like you are one of the 90 then I would say take a few dollars and split a guide with a buddy and see how this is happening. For almost the entire year starting in late March we have been consistently catching fish and on average bigger fish. Its just that we are constantly changing where, how, and when to do so. With that said I have been up higher for the most part this week and have run into alot of stones of several varieties as well as sparse hatches of Drakes. Most of the fish we have caught have been on dries. Yesterday a client I was fishing with occasionally deemed a fish to be a "guide fish" because of the difficulty of the cast and had a chance to land a male cutt that was just under 20" on a #6 Salmonfly. He was under a tree in the tree roots and came out and sipped it so slow I almost did not wait long enough for him to get it. Several days ago I guided down by the shop and ran into a beautiful Drake hatch that lasted a few hours and alot of larger browns ate hard during that time. Alot of fish in some really fast water that day until the hatch dropped off and all of a sudden there were big fish in lazy edges in the shade and they crushed a G String worm for another hour until they vanished at about 3:00. The river is very buggy right now and so just expect good opportunities to land bigger fish on dries."Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 91 cfs below Thirty Mile Bridge; Fair: 312 cfs below Windy Gap; Fair
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir have been steady for over two weeks now. Currently the flows are fairly low and the upper river is very fishable. It' sounds like the best fishing is below Creede to South Fork. Lots of caddis river wide and brown stones and green and gray drakes moving upstream of South Fork every day. Nymph fishing with stoneflies, caddis and drake nymphs has been good. Rainfall over the weekend has reduced the visibility, but should improve unless the area sees more rain.

Pagosa Area Piedra River 104 cfs at Arboles; Slow: San Juan at Pagosa 160 cfs; Slow
Flows are way down on the Piedra and fishing is good. The upper forks and the Williams are fishing great with alot of dry fly action on big stones. The San Juan in town is fishing very well. The East Fork of the San Juan as well as Turkey and Fourmile are lower and fishing well. Take a box full of PMD's, golden sotones, neversink caddis, and a few nitro caddis pupa and double bead golden nymphs for a droppper set up. Or swing that caddis dropper at the end of your drift and hang on!

Arkansas River 455 cfs at Granite; Good: 767 cfs at Salida; Good
The river is dropping fast opening more possibilities along the Ark. Above Buena Vista, it's all about caddis although the plae morning duns are starting to emerge, The are tight to the bank so fish along the edges. At Hayden Meadows, try hoppers, yellow sallies, and small caddis. The water is low and clear so use some stealth. Around Salida, PMD's are emerging but the fish are taking most of them below the suface. Lotas of caddis here as well with the best action in the afternoons. Antero Reservoir continues to fish very well.

Animas River 476 cfs at Durango; Good
The Animas is dropping in flow and has some clarity the fishing is good. Lots of caddis around as well as golden stones and PMD's. Best fishing is in the afternoons, especially for dry fly action. Don't forget to try a swinging caddis pupa!

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 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.

For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a list of fire restrictions or closures.

Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Tuesday July 6, 2010

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais

The Rio Costilla 52 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Very Good
The flows are absolutely ideal right now! I've already had a couple of good reports for the Costilla and Shuree Ponds. The Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest opened Thursday July 1st. This area is truly a scenic gem for New Mexico. It's loaded with elk, bison, and turkey, but it usually draws people for the fishing. The Rio Costilla is one place you can reliably catch a Rio Grande Cutthroat and Shuree Ponds are known for it's large rainbows. The stream is dry fly fishing at it's best. High riding attractor like PMX's and Aerial Assault's, and yellow sallies and caddis flies work very well on those quick striking cutties. Take damsel nymphs and some aquatic snail patterns for the lunkers at Shuree. All of the streams in the Valle Vidal are no kill. The bag limit for Shuree is only 2 fish over 15 inches. Please report anyone breaking thes rules to New Mexico Game and Fish at 800-432-4263 or the Forest Service at 575-586-0520.

San Juan River 1080 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release is up below Navajo Dam as flows have declined on the Animas. The extra flow makes for better boat fishing and hopefully spreads some of the angler out. There are reports of PMD's and caddis on the lower river. There ahs been one ant fall but it was rather week and it will probably take a good downpour to get it going. From Texas Hole up to the Cable, fishing is good on #24-24 olive, gray, black, or brown midge pupa and larva in the morning and up towards the dam all day. Afternoons below Texas Hole have been best with olive or gray baetis emergers like a #22 foam wing, RS2, or WD40. The baetis are active from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. It's back to the black midge larva after 5. The mosquitoes are out, so be prepared! 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!

Pecos River 82 cfs below Terrero; Good: At Villanueva State Park; Poor:
The river is a little murky with the best clarity above Dalton Canyon. River wide, there are caddis hatches, PMD's, yellow sallies, especially up high, and some gray drakes coming off about mid-day. Western March Browns, or Rithrogenia mayflies are starting their emergence as well. This is some of the best in dry fly fishing on the Pecos. Remember, the first public access is at Dalton Day Use. Fly choices would be anato-mays, hares ears, red quills, headlight sallies, neversink caddis, and extended body PMD's. The summer fishing program at Pecos National Historical Park began on June 24th. To get a fishing day on Pecos NHP, 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.

Rio Grande 173 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 333 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The Rio Grande is at it's summer flow. Trout fishing at Pilar is fair early or late in the day or better most of the day up in the gorge where there is more spring inflow and cooler water. Smallmouth, however will eat during the heat of the day and can be picked up on small streamers and crayfish patterns. If you're going to go for trout, try a crane fly larvae or stonefly nymphs with a trailing caddis pupa or flashback pheasant tail. A streamer fished deep in the pockets could get you a nice trout or even a smallie or a pike!

Jemez Mountain Streams 16 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The upper streams like the East Fork just west of the Caldera, the San Antonio, the Guadalupe, and the Cebolla are fishing fairly well. Fish are taking dries early and late in the day. Shaded ares like the East Fork from the East Fork Trailhead down to Battleship should fish well all day. Some of the more open streams slow during mid-day. As far as flies go, try a black cricket, small neversink caddis, headlight sallies, and PMD's, or go to a red legged hopper in the afternoons. The South Fork Fire is not affecting any of the waters we typically fish in the Jemez Mountains. The Valles Caldera is open to fishing. They no longer have the lottery system in place there. 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 31 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 34 cfs at Cimarron
Finally we have more water in the stream. It's brushier on the upper end, but there is more open water the further east you go especially below Clear Creek. PMD's are also starting to pop. Golden stone nymphs, caddis pupa, black WD40's, freestones, pmx's, and fuzzy wuzzy's were reported to be the hot flies. The Red River around the corner is pretty much done with runoff and is fishing well as is the Rio Costilla outside the Valle Vidal boundary.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes
Enbom Lake has been hit or miss. The Rainbows have been quite active lately chasing adult damselflies throughout the day. On average, the best action has been in the mornings and evenings. The water temps are in the high 60’s so if you are practicing catch and release please land and release the fish as soon as possible, and avoid placing them in weedy areas if you can. Enbom Lake is the first stop for the weed harvester and we will hopefully be at it by Thursday (7/1) afternoon. Float tubes and boats will help you avoid the weeds, but they are getting pretty thick. Stone Lake has had its first confirmed catch reported in weeks. This big Bow measured 23 inches and had the typical Stone Lake body type, in other words, it was FAT! That was the one and only report this week. The preceeeding report was excerpted from the Jicarilla Nation weblog fishing report by Kevin Terry.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 57 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 598 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 545 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
Runoff is finally done on the Chama. The river flowing into El Vado is perfect. I'm not sure of clarity, but I'd hit it now! This section of river warms alot in mid summer from irrigation return so don't wait. Below El Vado, you can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers in the murky water coming out of the dam. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. The stretch below Abiquiu typically doesn't typically fish well over the summer. Currently the release is moderate and fairly clear but water calls downstream may increase the release at any time. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught, get kept. 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.

Off The Beaten Path Abiquiu Lake
Water temps have finally reached a point where the bass fishing has really picked up. They can be caught at this time of year right from the shore. The best time of day to catch them on poppers, a bass fishing dry fly basically, is in the morning. Get there at day break when the water is the most calm. Cast your poppers right at the submerged trees just off of the shore. They'll often give you a second chance if you blow your first hook set. Around 11:00 am or so when the sun is high and it's getting warm, switch to a subsurface pattern like a clouser minnow. Again, work the trees and be prepared to lose a few flies. The southern side of the lake has alot of submerged trees and can be accessed from NM Highway 96. Find a pullout and hike down to the lake. Another good spot is to walk north of the boat ramp and fish off of the ledges as you go. There are some coves with a lot off trees in the water. Sometimes you can get a carp to eat in there as well. Stay within the high water mark as there is some private land along the northeast shore. I love going to a place like this when I can't find enough room to cast on my favorite trout stream. It's a perfect place to fish when you have those afternoon honeydo's. I'll get there early and enjoy the sunrise. I'll fish hard until 9 or 10, then swim the dogs and headout as the powerboat crowd shows up.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 230 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 338 cfs at Mogote; Good
July 1, 2010. "Quick note tonight. Hiked waaaay up one of the tribs today and wow, what an incredible office we have. Gorgeous cutts all day most smaller but plenty of fish in the 13 to 16" range to make it fun and water so crystal clear that they seemed spookier and seemed to be pickier than any cutts should be. On one of the trips yesterday they landed a very impressive brown that was in the 23" range and a fatty on public water. Yesterday I guided the lower river and there were so many mayflies on the water and in the trees next to the river that is was distracting. About 11:30 we had a nice Drake hatch that turned on fish and they ate hard in all types of water. After that we caught fish in soft water on the G String and then is seemed to be over at 2 or 3. Late Late evenings have been good. Frank Smethurst, Devan, Jasmine and Josh went out a few nights ago and twitched dries and caught some really nice browns. Expect the river to be incredibly buggy for quite a while. Flows are beautiful. Saw Platoro today and was amazed at how full it still is even with all the water being released. Hope to see you all soon. If you are wanting info right away from us or want to make a reservation please call and dont email. Keeping all the plates spinning right now is hard and seems like the email plate is the one that falls the quickest right now." Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 145 cfs below Thirty Mile Bridge; Fair: 354 cfs below Windy Gap; Fair
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir have been steady for over two weeks now. Currently the flows are fairly low and the upper river is very fishable. It' sounds like the best fishing is below Creede to South Fork. Lots of caddis river wide and brown stones and green and gray drakes moving upstream of South Fork every day. Nymph fishing with stoneflies, caddis and drake nymphs has been good. Rainfall over the weekend has reduced the visibility, but should improve unless the area sees more rain.

Pagosa Area Piedra River 96 cfs at Arboles; Slow: San Juan at Pagosa 192 cfs; Slow
Flows are way down on the Piedra and fishing is good. The upper forks and the Williams are fishing great with alot of dry fly action on big stones. The San Juan in town is fishing very well. The East Fork of the San Juan as well as Turkey and Fourmile are lower and fishing well. Take a box full of PMD's, golden sotones, neversink caddis, and a few nitro caddis pupa and double bead golden nymphs for a droppper set up. Or swing that caddis dropper at the end of your drift and hang on!

Arkansas River 648 cfs at Granite; Good: 800 cfs at Salida; Good
The river is dropping fast opening more possibilities along the Ark. Above Buena Vista, it's all about caddis although the plae morning duns are starting to emerge, The are tight to the bank so fish along the edges. At Hayden Meadows, try hoppers, yellow sallies, and small caddis. The water is low and clear so use some stealth. Around Salida, PMD's are emerging but the fish are taking most of them below the suface. Lotas of caddis here as well with the best action in the afternoons. Antero Reservoir continues to fish very well.

Animas River 533 cfs at Durango; Good
The Animas is dropping in flow and has some clarity the fishing is good. Lots of caddis around as well as golden stones and PMD's. Best fishing is in the afternoons, especially for dry fly action. Don't forget to try a swinging caddis pupa!

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 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.

For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a list of fire restrictions or closures.

Ed'd Fly Fishing Report for Sunday July 4, 2010

Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais

The Rio Costilla 69 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Very Good
I've already had a couple of good reports for the Costilla and Shuree Ponds. The Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest opened Thursday July 1st. This area is truly a scenic gem for New Mexico. It's loaded with elk, bison, and turkey, but it usually draws people for the fishing. The Rio Costilla is one place you can reliably catch a Rio Grande Cutthroat and Shuree Ponds are known for it's large rainbows. The stream is dry fly fishing at it's best. High riding attractor like PMX's and Aerial Assault's, and yellow sallies and caddis flies work very well on those quick striking cutties. Take damsel nymphs and some aquatic snail patterns for the lunkers at Shuree. All of the streams in the Valle Vidal are no kill. The bag limit for Shuree is only 2 fish over 15 inches. Please report anyone breaking thes rules to New Mexico Game and Fish at 800-432-4263 or the Forest Service at 575-586-0520.

San Juan River 1080 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
The release is up below Navajo Dam as flows have declined on the Animas. The extra flow makes for better boat fishing and hopefully spreads some of the angler out. There are reports of PMD's and caddis on the lower river. No word on the ant fall yet although I know there has been one on Navajo Lake already. From Texas Hole up to the Cable, fishing is good on #24-24 olive, gray, black, or brown midge pupa and larva in the morning and up towards the dam all day. Afternoons below Texas Hole have been best with olive or gray baetis emergers like a #22 foam wing, RS2, or WD40. The baetis are active from 11:00 am to about 5:00 pm. It's back to the black midge larva after 5. The mosquitoes are out, so be prepared! 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!

Pecos River 145 cfs below Terrero; Good: At Villanueva State Park; Poor:
Flows are up with Friday night's downpour. The river is murky with the best clarity above Dalton Canyon. Dry fly fishing will be alittle slower until things clear, but you can still pick them up on bigger and flashier nymphs when it's turbid. River wide, there are caddis hatches, PMD's, yellow sallies, especially up high, and some gray drakes coming off about mid-day. Western March Browns, or Rithrogenia mayflies may be starting their emergence as well. This is some of the best in dry fly fishing on the Pecos. Remember, the first public access is at Dalton Day Use. Fly choices would be twenty inchers, pat's rubber legs, el caminos, headlight sallies, neversink caddis, and extended body PMD's. The summer fishing program at Pecos National Historical Park begins on June 24th. To get a fishing day on Pecos NHP, 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.

Rio Grande 173 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 388 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair for smallmouth bass
The flows on the Rio Grande are nearing a summer flow. Trout fishing at Pilar is fair early or late in the day or better most of the day up in the gorge where there is more spring inflow and cooler water. Smallmouth, however will eat during the heat of the day and can be picked up on small streamers and crayfish patterns. If you're going to go for trout, try a crane fly larvae or stonefly nymphs with a trailing caddis pupa or flashback pheasant tail. A streamer fished deep in the pockets could get you a nice trout or even a smallie or a pike!

Jemez Mountain Streams 18 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Good
The upper streams like the East Fork just west of the Caldera, the San Antonio, the Guadalupe, and the Cebolla are fishing fairly well. Fish are taking dries early and late in the day. Shaded ares like the East Fork from the East Fork Trailhead down to Battleship should fish well all day. Some of the more open streams slow during mid-day. As far as flies go, try a black cricket, small neversink caddis, headlight sallies, and PMD's, or go to a red legged hopper in the afternoons. The South Fork Fire is not affecting any of the waters we typically fish in the Jemez Mountains. The Valles Caldera is open to fishing. They no longer have the lottery system in place there. 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 27 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 27 cfs at Cimarron
Finally we have more water in the stream. It's brushier on the upper end, but there is more open water the further east you go especially below Clear Creek. PMD's are also starting to pop. Golden stone nymphs, caddis pupa, black WD40's, freestones, pmx's, and fuzzy wuzzy's were reported to be the hot flies. The Red River around the corner is pretty much done with runoff and is fishing well as is the Rio Costilla outside the Valle Vidal boundary.

Jicarilla Nation Lakes
Enbom Lake has been hit or miss. The Rainbows have been quite active lately chasing adult damselflies throughout the day. On average, the best action has been in the mornings and evenings. The water temps are in the high 60’s so if you are practicing catch and release please land and release the fish as soon as possible, and avoid placing them in weedy areas if you can. Enbom Lake is the first stop for the weed harvester and we will hopefully be at it by Thursday (7/1) afternoon. Float tubes and boats will help you avoid the weeds, but they are getting pretty thick. Stone Lake has had its first confirmed catch reported in weeks. This big Bow measured 23 inches and had the typical Stone Lake body type, in other words, it was FAT! That was the one and only report this week. The preceeeding report was excerpted from the Jicarilla Nation weblog fishing report by Kevin Terry.

The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 70 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Good: 641 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 649 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
Runoff is finally done on the Chama. The river flowing into El Vado is perfect. I'm not sure of clarity, but I'd hit it now! This section of river warms alot in mid summer from irrigation return so don't wait. Below El Vado, you can use big nymphs with flash and sparkle, but your better off with streamers in the murky water coming out of the dam. Cover the tailouts of pools and hit the obvious seams. The release is up to it's weekend high. Fish during the week for a lower release around 150 cfs. Fishing is a little tougher than during the week but it can be done. The stretch below Abiquiu typically doesn't typically fish well over the summer. Currently the release is moderate and fairly clear but water calls downstream may increase the release at any time. Even though this stretch does have some decent natural reproduction, most of the fish that get caught, get kept. 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.

Off The Beaten Path Abiquiu Lake
Water temps have finally reached a point where the bass fishing has really picked up. They can be caught at this time of year right from the shore. The best time of day to catch them on poppers, a bass fishing dry fly basically, is in the morning. Get there at day break when the water is the most calm. Cast your poppers right at the submerged trees just off of the shore. They'll often give you a second chance if you blow your first hook set. Around 11:00 am or so when the sun is high and it's getting warm, switch to a subsurface pattern like a clouser minnow. Again, work the trees and be prepared to lose a few flies. The southern side of the lake has alot of submerged trees and can be accessed from NM Highway 96. Find a pullout and hike down to the lake. Another good spot is to walk north of the boat ramp and fish off of the ledges as you go. There are some coves with a lot off trees in the water. Sometimes you can get a carp to eat in there as well. Stay within the high water mark as there is some private land along the northeast shore. I love going to a place like this when I can't find enough room to cast on my favorite trout stream. It's a perfect place to fish when you have those afternoon honeydo's. I'll get there early and enjoy the sunrise. I'll fish hard until 9 or 10, then swim the dogs and headout as the powerboat crowd shows up.

In Southern Colorado:

Conejos River 326 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 469 cfs at Mogote; Fair
June 29, 2010. "Before I get carried away writing a short blog just wanted to say thank you to all of you for your support. It is good to see all of the familiar faces in the shop and it has been a fun year for that. The fishing, well I have guided alot of places this last week and so some of what I know of the Conejos is from the other guides. I know that yesterday the Drakes were heavy low and the fish were on them hard. Big fish. Got a chance to guide some of the tribs this week and for the most part they were incredible. PMD's and Drakes on the tribs with a few smaller stones around. We have 29 different Drake patterns and it seems sometimes you need more than you should. Fish can be and will get picky. Cripples and emergers behind the adults will soon become more important. In the meadow up high I say BWO's and assorted bigger mahogony's but not many fish on them on the surface. Expect it to just get buggier up there as well but for the most part the vast majority of the heavy bug activity is a little lower. The Canyon section is fishing pretty incredible but the wading is tough. Almost all of the tribs are at very good levels except the ones at the highest elevation. Those are on the bigger side. Some of the other guys have seen some very large browns and bows up on stones and drakes this past few days. Lots of fun stories at the end of the day right now and there does not seem to be that many anglers here during the week. Get a chance, fish! Jon Harp of Conejos River Anglers provided the preceeding report.

Rio Grande 167 cfs below Thirty Mile Bridge; Fair: 423 cfs below Windy Gap; Fair
Releases out of Rio Grande Reservoir have been steady for over a week now. Currently the flows are fairly low and the upper river is very fishable. Lots of caddis river wide and brown stones and salmonflies moving upstream of South Fork every day. Check the flows at Thirty Mile before you go unless you can float it. Nymph fishing with stoneflies, caddis and drake nymphs has been good. Flows have been reduced out of Beaver Reservoir. This has improved clarity and fishing on the South Fork.

Pagosa Area Piedra River 116 cfs at Arboles; Slow: San Juan at Pagosa 385 cfs; Slow
Flows are way down on the Piedra and fishing is good. The upper forks and the Williams are fishing great with alot of dry fly action on big stones. The San Juan in town is fishing very well. The East Fork of the San Juan as well as Turkey and Fourmile are lower and fishing well. Take a box full of big stone dries like Freestones, in orange and golden, and rogue foam stones, neversink caddis, and a few nitro caddis pupa and double bead golden nymphs for a droppper set up.

Arkansas River 829 cfs at Granite; Slow: 1120 cfs at Salida; Slow
The river is dropping fast opening more possibilities along the Ark. Above Buena Vista, stones are starting to emerge, The river is still too high to wade, so fish along the edges; thats where the fish are looking for the bugs anyway. At Hayden Meadows, try hoppers, yellow sallies, and small caddis. The water is low and clear so use some stealth. Flows below 1500 cfs are ideal below Buena Vista and down into Bighorn Sheep Canyon. Flows may hit that target later in the week. Antero Reservoir continues to fish very well.

Animas River 640 cfs at Durango; Slow
The Animas is dropping in flow and has some clarity the fishing is good. Lots of caddis around as well as golden stones and PMD's.

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 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.

For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/

Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a list of fire restrictions or closures.