Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Wednesday June 27, 2012
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.tu.org/science/aquatic-invasive-species-ais
San Juan River 1010 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Declining flows on the Animas means more release out of Navajo Dam. Summer can be great time to be on the Juan as the release will usually make it arounnd 1,000 cfs by early July. This spreads out the fly fishers and the trout as well. Look for the first emergences of caddis and PMD's in the lower river. The water is clear so it's be time to go back to smaller flies. Also, be willing to go and find the fish rather than stay in your favorite spot. 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 38 cfs below Terrero; Good: at Villanueva State Park; Poor
The river is clear and fishing very well. The stonefly hatch is done but there are tons of caddis mid-day into the evening. Great dry fly fishing pretty much river long especially on caddis in a size #16 tan or yellow. There are a few big gray drakes coming off mid-day and a smaller rithrogenia mayfly in the afternoons from Terrero up. During the middle of the day, nymphing has been more productive. Nitro caddis, hotwire caddis or good and plenties for the caddis nymphs, and small tan anato-mays ans big eye hares ears round out the fare. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Summer Program started Thursday June 21st. You can make reservations for their summer fishing program now. 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 70 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 233 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair to Good for smallmouth bass
Trout fishing has slowed some with the climb in water temperature. It's time to go early or late in the day. The better fishing seems to be in the late afternoons. Throw a small #16-18 caddis dry for the evening risers. Nymphing with big stonefly nymphs or crane fly larvae are picking up trout sub surface. If the trout you catch are hard to revive, stop fishing for them! Smallmouth bass are biting pretty good and you can target them specifically. The smallies are taking woolly buggers and crayfish patterns dredged in the slower eddies. Pike fishing is slow and the best pike fishing may be done for the season. Large streamers that move 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 4.4 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good, depending on the watershed.
The bottom keeps dropping out of the flows on the streams of the Jemez Mountains. Smaller PMD dries and caddis dries are picking trout on top. Suspend a small beadhead like a yellow copper john or a big eye hares ear if no one is taking your dry. Mid-day fishing is starting to get slower. Go to more shaded reaches or fish later in the affternoon. The fishing program at the Valles Caldera National Preserve has resumed as of Saturday June 23rd! See our announcements page or their website for more information. They are also offering fly fishing clinics on Saturdays through the summer. See their website at: http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx for the details.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 14 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 1020 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 1150 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The Chama flowing into El Vado Reservoir is dropping fast. If you didn't get a chance to fish here before now, you are too late. The water being pulled off for irrigation upstream and the return from the ditches has adversely affected the fishing here and will continue throughout the summer. The Chama coming over the border from Colorado is clear and fishing well in the canyon up from the Sargent Wildlife Area. The release below both dams is way too high for safe wading and the water is stirred up, especially below Abiquiu. 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 195 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 243 cfs at Mogote; Good
The release out of Platoro Reservoir has been rather steady for a few weeks. Check the flows before you go, because a release higher than 150 cfs makes the Pinnacles unfishable for everyone but the strongest waders. The pocket water above the Pinnacles up to the meadows has been fishing well especially on stoneflies. On the lower river, it's all about an early emergence of PMD's and gray drakes. Look for them to proceed upriver in bigger numbers over the next couple of weeks. The water is fairly clear.
Pagosa Area: Piedra River 59 cfs at Arboles; Good: San Juan River 84 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Good
The stoneflies are done on the Piedra. Reports are that the area above Williams Reservoir is closed. Contact the District Ranger Office at 970-264-2268 to check on closures. Also be aware that there is a lot of smoke along the Piedra river drainage. The upper forks of the Piedra may not be accessible. The San Juan is clear. Look for PMD's and caddis especially in the evenings. Just over Wolf Creek Pass, the South Fork and it's tribs are also fishing very well.
Rio Grande 124 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge; Good: 330 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Stoneflies are still the name of the game. There are four or so different species of stoneflies about from Del Norte to Creede. The green drakes are starting to pop around Del Norte to Creede. These fish really key in on dries more than nymphs when the stones are out. Big uglies like chubby chernobyls, aerial assaults, and Karnop's freestone are bringing fish up. Cast tight to the banks. The river below South Fork is low and getting warm by mid-day. Consider fishing elsewhere during the afternoons.
Animas River 366 at Durango; Fair to Good
The Animas is coming down and fishing better, although there is a fair amount of raft traffic. It'll be all about the bigger bugs like stonefly nymphs here. The typical stonefly nymph with a trailing baetis or caddis pupa is the way to go. Throw streamers if your nymphs aren't getting more attention.
Arkansas River 235 cfs at Granite; Slow to Fair: 401 cfs at Salida; Fair to Good
The fishing here is absolutey unprecedented. Normally, the Arknasas would have much higher water and consequently tougher fishing. Fishing on the Ark over the summer should remain good as long as the water temps stay below 70 degrees. Hayden Meadows down to Buena Vista is fishing very well. Smaller offerings like little yellow saliies, PMD's and green and gray drakes both nymphs and driesare making up the fare. Down around Salida bigger golden stones, nymphs and dries with yellow sallies in the mix are still the top producers. Warmer water temps in Bighorn Sheep Canyon are slowing the fishing in the afternoons.
Santa Fe and Carson National Forests are in Stage 2 Fire Restrictions!
For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/. Click on the fire restriction tab on the right for any info on closures or what restricions are in place.
It's 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 1010 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Declining flows on the Animas means more release out of Navajo Dam. Summer can be great time to be on the Juan as the release will usually make it arounnd 1,000 cfs by early July. This spreads out the fly fishers and the trout as well. Look for the first emergences of caddis and PMD's in the lower river. The water is clear so it's be time to go back to smaller flies. Also, be willing to go and find the fish rather than stay in your favorite spot. 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 38 cfs below Terrero; Good: at Villanueva State Park; Poor
The river is clear and fishing very well. The stonefly hatch is done but there are tons of caddis mid-day into the evening. Great dry fly fishing pretty much river long especially on caddis in a size #16 tan or yellow. There are a few big gray drakes coming off mid-day and a smaller rithrogenia mayfly in the afternoons from Terrero up. During the middle of the day, nymphing has been more productive. Nitro caddis, hotwire caddis or good and plenties for the caddis nymphs, and small tan anato-mays ans big eye hares ears round out the fare. Please respect the landowners along the Pecos and don't trespass. The Pecos National Historical Park's Fishing Summer Program started Thursday June 21st. You can make reservations for their summer fishing program now. 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 70 cfs at Cerro; Fair: 233 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Fair for trout, Fair to Good for smallmouth bass
Trout fishing has slowed some with the climb in water temperature. It's time to go early or late in the day. The better fishing seems to be in the late afternoons. Throw a small #16-18 caddis dry for the evening risers. Nymphing with big stonefly nymphs or crane fly larvae are picking up trout sub surface. If the trout you catch are hard to revive, stop fishing for them! Smallmouth bass are biting pretty good and you can target them specifically. The smallies are taking woolly buggers and crayfish patterns dredged in the slower eddies. Pike fishing is slow and the best pike fishing may be done for the season. Large streamers that move 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 4.4 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Fair to Good, depending on the watershed.
The bottom keeps dropping out of the flows on the streams of the Jemez Mountains. Smaller PMD dries and caddis dries are picking trout on top. Suspend a small beadhead like a yellow copper john or a big eye hares ear if no one is taking your dry. Mid-day fishing is starting to get slower. Go to more shaded reaches or fish later in the affternoon. The fishing program at the Valles Caldera National Preserve has resumed as of Saturday June 23rd! See our announcements page or their website for more information. They are also offering fly fishing clinics on Saturdays through the summer. See their website at: http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx for the details.
The Chama River above the village of Chama; Good: 14 cfs below the town of Tierrra Amarilla; Slow: 1020 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow: and 1150 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Poor
The Chama flowing into El Vado Reservoir is dropping fast. If you didn't get a chance to fish here before now, you are too late. The water being pulled off for irrigation upstream and the return from the ditches has adversely affected the fishing here and will continue throughout the summer. The Chama coming over the border from Colorado is clear and fishing well in the canyon up from the Sargent Wildlife Area. The release below both dams is way too high for safe wading and the water is stirred up, especially below Abiquiu. 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 195 cfs below Platoro Reservoir; Good: 243 cfs at Mogote; Good
The release out of Platoro Reservoir has been rather steady for a few weeks. Check the flows before you go, because a release higher than 150 cfs makes the Pinnacles unfishable for everyone but the strongest waders. The pocket water above the Pinnacles up to the meadows has been fishing well especially on stoneflies. On the lower river, it's all about an early emergence of PMD's and gray drakes. Look for them to proceed upriver in bigger numbers over the next couple of weeks. The water is fairly clear.
Pagosa Area: Piedra River 59 cfs at Arboles; Good: San Juan River 84 cfs at Pagosa Springs; Good
The stoneflies are done on the Piedra. Reports are that the area above Williams Reservoir is closed. Contact the District Ranger Office at 970-264-2268 to check on closures. Also be aware that there is a lot of smoke along the Piedra river drainage. The upper forks of the Piedra may not be accessible. The San Juan is clear. Look for PMD's and caddis especially in the evenings. Just over Wolf Creek Pass, the South Fork and it's tribs are also fishing very well.
Rio Grande 124 cfs at Thirty Mile Bridge; Good: 330 cfs at Wagon Wheel Gap; Good
Stoneflies are still the name of the game. There are four or so different species of stoneflies about from Del Norte to Creede. The green drakes are starting to pop around Del Norte to Creede. These fish really key in on dries more than nymphs when the stones are out. Big uglies like chubby chernobyls, aerial assaults, and Karnop's freestone are bringing fish up. Cast tight to the banks. The river below South Fork is low and getting warm by mid-day. Consider fishing elsewhere during the afternoons.
Animas River 366 at Durango; Fair to Good
The Animas is coming down and fishing better, although there is a fair amount of raft traffic. It'll be all about the bigger bugs like stonefly nymphs here. The typical stonefly nymph with a trailing baetis or caddis pupa is the way to go. Throw streamers if your nymphs aren't getting more attention.
Arkansas River 235 cfs at Granite; Slow to Fair: 401 cfs at Salida; Fair to Good
The fishing here is absolutey unprecedented. Normally, the Arknasas would have much higher water and consequently tougher fishing. Fishing on the Ark over the summer should remain good as long as the water temps stay below 70 degrees. Hayden Meadows down to Buena Vista is fishing very well. Smaller offerings like little yellow saliies, PMD's and green and gray drakes both nymphs and driesare making up the fare. Down around Salida bigger golden stones, nymphs and dries with yellow sallies in the mix are still the top producers. Warmer water temps in Bighorn Sheep Canyon are slowing the fishing in the afternoons.
Santa Fe and Carson National Forests are in Stage 2 Fire Restrictions!
For the most current fire information go to http://nmfireinfo.wordpress.com/. Click on the fire restriction tab on the right for any info on closures or what restricions are in place.
It's 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 Wednesday, June 27, 2012
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