Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Saturday August 27, 2011
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais
San Juan River 905 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Declining flows on the Animas means more release out of Navajo Dam into the San Juan River. The extra water makes fishing the upper and lower flats better and your float downstream doesn't have as much bump and grind. Use smaller flies especially near the dam as the water is clear. In the mornings, use a red midge larva as your point fly and trail a size #24-26 black or gray midge pupa like a UV flash midge emerger. As the afternoon progresses, change your flies to baetis, such as a gray or chocolate RS2 or foam wing emerger. Small #16-18 ants fished along the banks are also bringing up fish. The Special Trout Water section is all catch and release and has a two fly only rule. 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 Costilla 38 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Good: Shuree Ponds; Slow to Fair
The release is at a good level. Expect the fish to utilize whatever cover is avaiable which in most cases is right up against the bank. The upper pond at Shuree Ponds is quite low and weedy. Better reports from the lower pond.
Pecos River 49 cfs below Terrero; Good:
The river is at a great level and the fish are happier with a little more water over their backs. We are getting some rainfal somewhere over the Pecos watershed everyday. If you see murky water down low, consider driving upriver to find clearer water. Use small flies during clear water and switch to a bigger more flashy fly if the water is murky. Caddis, yellow sallies, hoppers ants, and beetles have been the best producers dry fly wise. Nymphing with a dry dropper rig can end your slump. Try flashback pheasant tails, oops fly, or a nitro caddis. The first PUBLIC access is Dalton Day Use. I know we all want a place to fish, but don't be a poacher. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Program for the summer ended August 8th. You can make a reservation for the fall season starting August 8th. The fall season runs from September 8th through November 7th. Please see their website for the details at http://www.nps.gov/peco/index.htm and click on "2011 Fishing Program".
Rio Grande 87 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 219 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow to Fair for trout, Fair to Good for smallmouth bass
How low can the Rio go? I guess we'll be finding that out here soon. This is some of the lowest water levels I've seen on the Rio in a long time. Low current velocity and warmer water temps have made trout fishing slow. Best fly fishing on the Rio is for smallmouth bass on streamers. Cover the deeper slower runs for the bass. Pike hunt by feel. Large streamers that moves water will still get a pikes attention. Vary your retrieves and change up the color of your flies to see which ones trigger a bite.
Jemez Mountain Streams 19 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Good
Low and warm water is plaguing the streams of the Jemez. The only really water worth fishing is the Cebolla or the de las Vacas/Guadalupe watershed. Ash runoff from the Las Conchas fire has killed quite a lot of fish on the East Fork and Rio San Antonio, and the streambed is covered in it. The Valles Caldera National Preserve is open but with limied access on the East Fork only. The visitor center is open and the Valles Caldera will resume normal summer activities excluding those which normally occur in the burned areas. The Rio San Antonio fishing program on the Preserve is suspended for the remainder of this year. The limited fishing progam on the East Fork runs through October 9th. Please call the Valles Caldera or visit their website at www.vallescaldera.gov for more information.
Cimarron River 36 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 252 cfs at Cimarron
The release out of Eagle's Nest Dam is still within a good range to fly fish. The slightly lower flows amke the upper river a little easier to fish. Golden stones, scuds, and baetis nymphs have all been working. Nearby over Bobcat Pass, the Red River all the way to Questa is fishing well.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Fair to Good: 35 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow to Fair: 1000 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 456 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The upper Chama in the Sargent Wildlife area has the most consistent good fishing on the Chama as a whole. The stretch flowing downstream of the village of Chama into El Vado reservoir is low and the water temps are high making fishing very slow. The river below El Vado is open within Cooper's El Vado Ranch, but the release is too high to wade. If you can find a spot, big nymphs dead drifted and finished with a swing or stripping streamers is the way to go there. The stretch below Abiquiu Dam typically won't really fish well until autumn when irrigators aren't calling for water. The release here is also too high to wade safely. 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 36 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 131 cfs at Magote; Good
August 10, 2011. "Troy and I had both guided a group of 4 today (All Californian’s, I love them, they are gregarious, fun, I can spot them from from a great distance!) and decided to stay low and fish the lower river and see what we could figure out. A great day. I netted about 40 fish and saw 60 or so fish hooked. Fun to watch. The flows are down just under 200 which makes it very easy to get around but still plenty of water to not have to sneak around to much. Troy’s group did about the same and both of us had fish eat a fly called a Robin really hard early. I don’t fish it much but Josh Curtis told me this am that I should have one (or 6)! Thank you! By 11:00 they were off of it and we took a while to find some other flies that worked. The worm, chironocone, and a golden Jimmy Leg was good in the afternoon as well as 6 or 8 fish eating a hopper. By 6:00 pm the water was about 69 degrees and the bright sun was in the fishes eyes and I thought we were done but we hooked another 10 fish in the last run of the day. Devan went up to watch some friends fish the on the upper river just below the Pinnacles fish a couple of evenings ago and saw an incredible caddis hatch the last hour of light and the fish were up on them and fed like mad into the dark. Maybe we get need to sell a day and a half guide trip and start at 5:00 am and end at 9:00 pm! I think we would see some amazing stuff. I think the fish know when we humans like to drink coffee and cocktails! Those beverages might be costing us some fish! Anyway the Conejos has some huge stoneflies coming out and leaving huge cases on the rocks at night and some caddis late and during the day hoppers and some huge stones have worked well as dries. The tribs right now are low and the ones up high (at 10,000’ elevation) are very good right now while tribs like the La Jara and Los Pinos and can be tough. When landing fish right now in the afternoons please be additionally careful and don’t take them out of the water because they can get pretty stressed. A couple of days ago I guide on one of the higher tribs and it was fantastic. There were some mayflies coming off and when they were out the fish seemed very interested but for most of the day we caught most of the fish on droppers. Because of the consistent rains we have had the worm has been back on the menu and I don’t fish a day on any river here without it on for a part of the day. The number of people here has dropped dramatically and the pressure on the river has let up. Nice to see the fish get a break and I would suspect that that should stay that way from here on out. Thank you all for your support!"
The preceeding report was provided by Jon Harp of the Conejos River Anglers.
Rio Grande 102 cfs at Thirty Mile bridge in Creede; Good: 261 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Dropping flows and a lower release have made the upper river from Creede to South Fork more wadable especially the box canyon above Creede. The upper Rio and the streams around Pagosa Springs have the best fishing going! Still good reports of caddis on this section with afew golden stones and hoppers in the mix. Baetis hatches have been sporadic but if you find one you'll see fish coming up to the surface. The water is fairly clear and fishing is very good, with most action on dry flies.
Animas River 281 at Durango; Fair to Good
Dropping flows have made the Animas more fishable. Some caddis and stoneflies, but if your not finding the bugs, nymph the pockets. The tribs like Hermosa Creek may offer cooler water and better fishing especially on dry flies.
Piedra River 152 cfs at Arboles; Good
The lower Piedra is high and muddy. More muddy than high. The upper forks have cooler, clearer water and better fishing. The Piedra and WWilliams Creek below the Williams Creek confluence can get warm and fish slow. It seems that there has been some rain lately which would help the fishing. Caddis, yellow salliies, beetles and hoppers round out the summer fare. Williams Creek below the reservoir is sslow and the water is warm. Same for the reservoir.
San Juan River 177 cfs in Pagosa Springs; Good
THe San Juan has come up in flow with some recent rainfall. The San Juan below Pagosa is warm and fishing is slow. Upstream of Pagosa, check out the East Fork or Turkey or Four Mile for clear water if something blows out from a rain storm. The South Fork of the Rio Grande over Wolf Creek Pass is also fishing well. Yellow sallies and caddis are most prevalent, but there are more still some golden stones and PMD's.
Arkansas River 475 cfs at Granite; Good: 557 cfs at Salida; Good
Good fishing from Granite all the way to Swissvale. The canyon on either side of Buena Vista has good pocket water fishing. The broader sections of river around Salida and down into Bighorn Sheep Canyon offer easier wading. Fish move off on the banks and into the main channel mid-day. Yellow Sallies, caddis and red quills are the bugs to choose.
For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/
Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a full list of fire restrictions or closures.
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.
San Juan River 905 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Declining flows on the Animas means more release out of Navajo Dam into the San Juan River. The extra water makes fishing the upper and lower flats better and your float downstream doesn't have as much bump and grind. Use smaller flies especially near the dam as the water is clear. In the mornings, use a red midge larva as your point fly and trail a size #24-26 black or gray midge pupa like a UV flash midge emerger. As the afternoon progresses, change your flies to baetis, such as a gray or chocolate RS2 or foam wing emerger. Small #16-18 ants fished along the banks are also bringing up fish. The Special Trout Water section is all catch and release and has a two fly only rule. 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 Costilla 38 cfs below Costilla Reservoir; Good: Shuree Ponds; Slow to Fair
The release is at a good level. Expect the fish to utilize whatever cover is avaiable which in most cases is right up against the bank. The upper pond at Shuree Ponds is quite low and weedy. Better reports from the lower pond.
Pecos River 49 cfs below Terrero; Good:
The river is at a great level and the fish are happier with a little more water over their backs. We are getting some rainfal somewhere over the Pecos watershed everyday. If you see murky water down low, consider driving upriver to find clearer water. Use small flies during clear water and switch to a bigger more flashy fly if the water is murky. Caddis, yellow sallies, hoppers ants, and beetles have been the best producers dry fly wise. Nymphing with a dry dropper rig can end your slump. Try flashback pheasant tails, oops fly, or a nitro caddis. The first PUBLIC access is Dalton Day Use. I know we all want a place to fish, but don't be a poacher. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Program for the summer ended August 8th. You can make a reservation for the fall season starting August 8th. The fall season runs from September 8th through November 7th. Please see their website for the details at http://www.nps.gov/peco/index.htm and click on "2011 Fishing Program".
Rio Grande 87 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 219 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow to Fair for trout, Fair to Good for smallmouth bass
How low can the Rio go? I guess we'll be finding that out here soon. This is some of the lowest water levels I've seen on the Rio in a long time. Low current velocity and warmer water temps have made trout fishing slow. Best fly fishing on the Rio is for smallmouth bass on streamers. Cover the deeper slower runs for the bass. Pike hunt by feel. Large streamers that moves water will still get a pikes attention. Vary your retrieves and change up the color of your flies to see which ones trigger a bite.
Jemez Mountain Streams 19 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Good
Low and warm water is plaguing the streams of the Jemez. The only really water worth fishing is the Cebolla or the de las Vacas/Guadalupe watershed. Ash runoff from the Las Conchas fire has killed quite a lot of fish on the East Fork and Rio San Antonio, and the streambed is covered in it. The Valles Caldera National Preserve is open but with limied access on the East Fork only. The visitor center is open and the Valles Caldera will resume normal summer activities excluding those which normally occur in the burned areas. The Rio San Antonio fishing program on the Preserve is suspended for the remainder of this year. The limited fishing progam on the East Fork runs through October 9th. Please call the Valles Caldera or visit their website at www.vallescaldera.gov for more information.
Cimarron River 36 cfs below Eagle Nest Dam; Good: 252 cfs at Cimarron
The release out of Eagle's Nest Dam is still within a good range to fly fish. The slightly lower flows amke the upper river a little easier to fish. Golden stones, scuds, and baetis nymphs have all been working. Nearby over Bobcat Pass, the Red River all the way to Questa is fishing well.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Fair to Good: 35 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow to Fair: 1000 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 456 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow
The upper Chama in the Sargent Wildlife area has the most consistent good fishing on the Chama as a whole. The stretch flowing downstream of the village of Chama into El Vado reservoir is low and the water temps are high making fishing very slow. The river below El Vado is open within Cooper's El Vado Ranch, but the release is too high to wade. If you can find a spot, big nymphs dead drifted and finished with a swing or stripping streamers is the way to go there. The stretch below Abiquiu Dam typically won't really fish well until autumn when irrigators aren't calling for water. The release here is also too high to wade safely. 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 36 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 131 cfs at Magote; Good
August 10, 2011. "Troy and I had both guided a group of 4 today (All Californian’s, I love them, they are gregarious, fun, I can spot them from from a great distance!) and decided to stay low and fish the lower river and see what we could figure out. A great day. I netted about 40 fish and saw 60 or so fish hooked. Fun to watch. The flows are down just under 200 which makes it very easy to get around but still plenty of water to not have to sneak around to much. Troy’s group did about the same and both of us had fish eat a fly called a Robin really hard early. I don’t fish it much but Josh Curtis told me this am that I should have one (or 6)! Thank you! By 11:00 they were off of it and we took a while to find some other flies that worked. The worm, chironocone, and a golden Jimmy Leg was good in the afternoon as well as 6 or 8 fish eating a hopper. By 6:00 pm the water was about 69 degrees and the bright sun was in the fishes eyes and I thought we were done but we hooked another 10 fish in the last run of the day. Devan went up to watch some friends fish the on the upper river just below the Pinnacles fish a couple of evenings ago and saw an incredible caddis hatch the last hour of light and the fish were up on them and fed like mad into the dark. Maybe we get need to sell a day and a half guide trip and start at 5:00 am and end at 9:00 pm! I think we would see some amazing stuff. I think the fish know when we humans like to drink coffee and cocktails! Those beverages might be costing us some fish! Anyway the Conejos has some huge stoneflies coming out and leaving huge cases on the rocks at night and some caddis late and during the day hoppers and some huge stones have worked well as dries. The tribs right now are low and the ones up high (at 10,000’ elevation) are very good right now while tribs like the La Jara and Los Pinos and can be tough. When landing fish right now in the afternoons please be additionally careful and don’t take them out of the water because they can get pretty stressed. A couple of days ago I guide on one of the higher tribs and it was fantastic. There were some mayflies coming off and when they were out the fish seemed very interested but for most of the day we caught most of the fish on droppers. Because of the consistent rains we have had the worm has been back on the menu and I don’t fish a day on any river here without it on for a part of the day. The number of people here has dropped dramatically and the pressure on the river has let up. Nice to see the fish get a break and I would suspect that that should stay that way from here on out. Thank you all for your support!"
The preceeding report was provided by Jon Harp of the Conejos River Anglers.
Rio Grande 102 cfs at Thirty Mile bridge in Creede; Good: 261 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Dropping flows and a lower release have made the upper river from Creede to South Fork more wadable especially the box canyon above Creede. The upper Rio and the streams around Pagosa Springs have the best fishing going! Still good reports of caddis on this section with afew golden stones and hoppers in the mix. Baetis hatches have been sporadic but if you find one you'll see fish coming up to the surface. The water is fairly clear and fishing is very good, with most action on dry flies.
Animas River 281 at Durango; Fair to Good
Dropping flows have made the Animas more fishable. Some caddis and stoneflies, but if your not finding the bugs, nymph the pockets. The tribs like Hermosa Creek may offer cooler water and better fishing especially on dry flies.
Piedra River 152 cfs at Arboles; Good
The lower Piedra is high and muddy. More muddy than high. The upper forks have cooler, clearer water and better fishing. The Piedra and WWilliams Creek below the Williams Creek confluence can get warm and fish slow. It seems that there has been some rain lately which would help the fishing. Caddis, yellow salliies, beetles and hoppers round out the summer fare. Williams Creek below the reservoir is sslow and the water is warm. Same for the reservoir.
San Juan River 177 cfs in Pagosa Springs; Good
THe San Juan has come up in flow with some recent rainfall. The San Juan below Pagosa is warm and fishing is slow. Upstream of Pagosa, check out the East Fork or Turkey or Four Mile for clear water if something blows out from a rain storm. The South Fork of the Rio Grande over Wolf Creek Pass is also fishing well. Yellow sallies and caddis are most prevalent, but there are more still some golden stones and PMD's.
Arkansas River 475 cfs at Granite; Good: 557 cfs at Salida; Good
Good fishing from Granite all the way to Swissvale. The canyon on either side of Buena Vista has good pocket water fishing. The broader sections of river around Salida and down into Bighorn Sheep Canyon offer easier wading. Fish move off on the banks and into the main channel mid-day. Yellow Sallies, caddis and red quills are the bugs to choose.
For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/
Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a full list of fire restrictions or closures.
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.
posted by High Desert Angler at Saturday, August 27, 2011
