Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Thursday March 29, 2012
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San Juan River 458 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Not much change here. There has been still some midge hatches and blue-winged olives are starting to show up in greater numbers. Good midge fishing and midge hatches during the mornings and decent blue winged olive activity in the afternoons. In the mornings, use a red midge larva as your point fly and trail a size #24-26 black, olive, black, or gray midge pupa. As the afternoon progresses, change your flies to baetis, such as a gray or chocolate RS2 or foam wing emerger. 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!
Pecos River 191 cfs below Terrero; Fair: at Villanueva State Park; Slow
The Pecos is in a state of runoff lately. I expect this to be temporary until the lower elevation snows melt off, unless we have even higher than normal temps. The water is murky up in the canyon and muddy throughout the Historical Park. The fish are taking caddis larave and pupa, stonefly nymphs, egg patterns, and San Juan worms. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Program for the spring started Thursday March 8th. Take note that the water flows are approaching 200 cfs and the program may be suspended. See our announcements page or the Park's website at: http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm for more info.
Rio Grande 1250 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 1450 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The flows on the Rio are fluctuating with some localized runoff with the warnmer weather we've been experiencing lately. Water is very murky, but best in the mornings. There are some baetis and even some caddis flying about. Nymph the obvious pocket water or chunk some streamers for trout. Pike fishing is slow and the best pike fishing may be done for the season. The water is quite murky and pike hunt by feel. Large streamers that moves water will still get a pike's attention. Vary your retrieves and change up the color of your flies to see which ones trigger a bite.
Jemez Mountain Streams 160 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow, depending on the watershed.
The lower Guadalupe can be accessed below Gilman tunnels and is fishing fair in the warmer part of the day. The lower Jemez river is stocked and may be worth fishing for rainbows. The fishing program at the Valles Caldera National Preserve will not open as planned on May 12th. See their website at: http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx for the details or to get a refund if you have already made reservations for this year.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 881 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 412 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 283 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Fair
The Chama below Abiquiu dam 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 cold and very slow. The release out of El Vado is murky and although, fishable. Big nymphs dead drifted and finished with a swing or stripping streamers is the way to go there. The stretch below Abiquiu Dam is fishing good. Small stuff like midges and baetis with a worm or a crane fly larva as an attractor is the typicall rig. 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:
Animas River 931 at Durango; Slow
The lower reaches near Durango and southward is getting murky, especially in the afternoons with some loacalized snowmelt. The diminishing clarity and influx of colder water has slowed the fishing. Bigger bugs like stonefly nymphs or streamer have been getting more attention than the little stuff.
Arkansas River 156 cfs at Granite; Slow: 270 cfs at Salida; Slow
The best fishing on the Ark is below Pueblo reservoir. Fishing from Salida downstream into Bighorn Sheep Canyon has been pretty slow with slush and ice especially in the mornings. The fish move from their deeper winter lies in the afternoons to feed on midges and baetis mid-day. Nymphing with golden stonefly nymphs, caddis larvae, baeties, and midges have been the most productive.
It's early spring in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions can change with the weather! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
For the most current stream flows, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
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.
Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a full list of fire restrictions or closures.
San Juan River 458 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Not much change here. There has been still some midge hatches and blue-winged olives are starting to show up in greater numbers. Good midge fishing and midge hatches during the mornings and decent blue winged olive activity in the afternoons. In the mornings, use a red midge larva as your point fly and trail a size #24-26 black, olive, black, or gray midge pupa. As the afternoon progresses, change your flies to baetis, such as a gray or chocolate RS2 or foam wing emerger. 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!
Pecos River 191 cfs below Terrero; Fair: at Villanueva State Park; Slow
The Pecos is in a state of runoff lately. I expect this to be temporary until the lower elevation snows melt off, unless we have even higher than normal temps. The water is murky up in the canyon and muddy throughout the Historical Park. The fish are taking caddis larave and pupa, stonefly nymphs, egg patterns, and San Juan worms. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Program for the spring started Thursday March 8th. Take note that the water flows are approaching 200 cfs and the program may be suspended. See our announcements page or the Park's website at: http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm for more info.
Rio Grande 1250 cfs at Cerro; Slow: 1450 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Poor for smallmouth bass
The flows on the Rio are fluctuating with some localized runoff with the warnmer weather we've been experiencing lately. Water is very murky, but best in the mornings. There are some baetis and even some caddis flying about. Nymph the obvious pocket water or chunk some streamers for trout. Pike fishing is slow and the best pike fishing may be done for the season. The water is quite murky and pike hunt by feel. Large streamers that moves water will still get a pike's attention. Vary your retrieves and change up the color of your flies to see which ones trigger a bite.
Jemez Mountain Streams 160 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow, depending on the watershed.
The lower Guadalupe can be accessed below Gilman tunnels and is fishing fair in the warmer part of the day. The lower Jemez river is stocked and may be worth fishing for rainbows. The fishing program at the Valles Caldera National Preserve will not open as planned on May 12th. See their website at: http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx for the details or to get a refund if you have already made reservations for this year.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Poor: 881 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 412 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 283 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Fair
The Chama below Abiquiu dam 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 cold and very slow. The release out of El Vado is murky and although, fishable. Big nymphs dead drifted and finished with a swing or stripping streamers is the way to go there. The stretch below Abiquiu Dam is fishing good. Small stuff like midges and baetis with a worm or a crane fly larva as an attractor is the typicall rig. 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:
Animas River 931 at Durango; Slow
The lower reaches near Durango and southward is getting murky, especially in the afternoons with some loacalized snowmelt. The diminishing clarity and influx of colder water has slowed the fishing. Bigger bugs like stonefly nymphs or streamer have been getting more attention than the little stuff.
Arkansas River 156 cfs at Granite; Slow: 270 cfs at Salida; Slow
The best fishing on the Ark is below Pueblo reservoir. Fishing from Salida downstream into Bighorn Sheep Canyon has been pretty slow with slush and ice especially in the mornings. The fish move from their deeper winter lies in the afternoons to feed on midges and baetis mid-day. Nymphing with golden stonefly nymphs, caddis larvae, baeties, and midges have been the most productive.
It's early spring in New Mexico and water and fishing condtitions can change with the weather! Please CALL the fly shop for the latest in stream flows and water conditions.
For the most current stream flows, see our links page and click on New Mexico Stream Flows.
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.
Click on Public Lands Information Center from our links page for a full list of fire restrictions or closures.
posted by High Desert Angler at Thursday, March 29, 2012
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