Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Thursday April 12, 2012
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San Juan River 499 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 Bureau of Reclamation will hold a meeting in Farmington on April 24th to discuss their plans for the Peak Spring Release. I will post informattion on the PSR when it becomes available. 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 188 cfs below Terrero; Fair: at Villanueva State Park; Slow
The Pecos is, well basically in runoff. The river keeps rising with the warmer days and un-frozen nights. The recent slow down in flows won't last with this weekend's warmer weather. The water is murky up in the canyon, with visibility around a foot. The fish are eating, but your offering has to get their attention. Think big like stonefly nymphs, or bright like egg patterns, San Juan worms, and big copper johns. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Program for the spring has ended officially on April 9th. You can make reservations for their summer fishing program starting May 21st. The summer season runs from June 21st to August 6th. See our announcements page or the Park's website at: http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm for more info.
Rio Grande 232 cfs at Cerro; Slow to Fair: 458 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair to Good for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The caddis hatch is underway!!! The flows on the Rio have really diminished with the start of irrigation season in Colorado making for easier wading during the hatch. There will be a little fluctuation with some localized runoff with the warnmer weather we've been experiencing lately. Water is still murky, and best in the mornings with about a foot of visibility. The best action on dry flies is in the eveing for the egglayers returning to the water. Dark bodied dry flies and bright green caddis pupa are the best color choices. Pike fishing is slow and the best pike fishing may be done for the season. Even though the water is 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 116 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair, depending on the watershed.
Forest Road 376 should be open giving anglers more access to the Guadalupe. Fishing has improved with the lower flows. I can't say runoff is over in the Jemez, but we could be seeing the waning side of runoff. 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: 728 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 365 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 485 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama below El Vado dam now seems to have the most consistent good fishing on the Chama. The stretch flowing downstream of the village of Chama into El Vado reservoir is cold, murky, and very high. Fishing upriver of El Vado is very slow. The release out of El Vado is murky and big bugs with flash and streamers is the way to go there. The stretch below Abiquiu Dam is fishing fair, but it probably won't last as releases usually pick up for irrigation. 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 93 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Fair: 316 cfs at Mogote; Fair
THe outflow to Platoro Reservoir is matching the inflow. It seems that runoff may have come earlier than expected to the Conejos. The river is obviously picking up more trib flow as flows downstream. The best reports have been from anglers throwing heavily weighted San Juan worms or G-Strings. Egg patterns and stonefly nymphs were also reported to be picking up fish. Look for a crowded river with this weekend Superfly event.
Animas River 640 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. Probably better to be thinking of rafting it rather than fishing it. Bigger bugs like stonefly nymphs or streamer have been getting more attention than the little stuff.
Arkansas River 142 cfs at Granite; Slow to Fair: 184 cfs at Salida; Fair to Good
The fishing on the Ark is really good around Salida with good hatches of blue winged olives. The are some fairly reliable reports of caddis strating to come off around Canon City. Best guess is that it will hit Salida nearer to the end of the month. Around Salida, look for pods of fish rising to BWO's. The river upstream of Salida will get loweer as you move upriver. The water is clear so practice stealthy approaches.
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 499 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 Bureau of Reclamation will hold a meeting in Farmington on April 24th to discuss their plans for the Peak Spring Release. I will post informattion on the PSR when it becomes available. 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 188 cfs below Terrero; Fair: at Villanueva State Park; Slow
The Pecos is, well basically in runoff. The river keeps rising with the warmer days and un-frozen nights. The recent slow down in flows won't last with this weekend's warmer weather. The water is murky up in the canyon, with visibility around a foot. The fish are eating, but your offering has to get their attention. Think big like stonefly nymphs, or bright like egg patterns, San Juan worms, and big copper johns. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Program for the spring has ended officially on April 9th. You can make reservations for their summer fishing program starting May 21st. The summer season runs from June 21st to August 6th. See our announcements page or the Park's website at: http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm for more info.
Rio Grande 232 cfs at Cerro; Slow to Fair: 458 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair to Good for trout, Slow for smallmouth bass
The caddis hatch is underway!!! The flows on the Rio have really diminished with the start of irrigation season in Colorado making for easier wading during the hatch. There will be a little fluctuation with some localized runoff with the warnmer weather we've been experiencing lately. Water is still murky, and best in the mornings with about a foot of visibility. The best action on dry flies is in the eveing for the egglayers returning to the water. Dark bodied dry flies and bright green caddis pupa are the best color choices. Pike fishing is slow and the best pike fishing may be done for the season. Even though the water is 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 116 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair, depending on the watershed.
Forest Road 376 should be open giving anglers more access to the Guadalupe. Fishing has improved with the lower flows. I can't say runoff is over in the Jemez, but we could be seeing the waning side of runoff. 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: 728 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Poor: 365 cfs below El Vado Dam; Fair: and 485 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Slow to Fair
The Chama below El Vado dam now seems to have the most consistent good fishing on the Chama. The stretch flowing downstream of the village of Chama into El Vado reservoir is cold, murky, and very high. Fishing upriver of El Vado is very slow. The release out of El Vado is murky and big bugs with flash and streamers is the way to go there. The stretch below Abiquiu Dam is fishing fair, but it probably won't last as releases usually pick up for irrigation. 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 93 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Fair: 316 cfs at Mogote; Fair
THe outflow to Platoro Reservoir is matching the inflow. It seems that runoff may have come earlier than expected to the Conejos. The river is obviously picking up more trib flow as flows downstream. The best reports have been from anglers throwing heavily weighted San Juan worms or G-Strings. Egg patterns and stonefly nymphs were also reported to be picking up fish. Look for a crowded river with this weekend Superfly event.
Animas River 640 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. Probably better to be thinking of rafting it rather than fishing it. Bigger bugs like stonefly nymphs or streamer have been getting more attention than the little stuff.
Arkansas River 142 cfs at Granite; Slow to Fair: 184 cfs at Salida; Fair to Good
The fishing on the Ark is really good around Salida with good hatches of blue winged olives. The are some fairly reliable reports of caddis strating to come off around Canon City. Best guess is that it will hit Salida nearer to the end of the month. Around Salida, look for pods of fish rising to BWO's. The river upstream of Salida will get loweer as you move upriver. The water is clear so practice stealthy approaches.
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, April 12, 2012
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