Ed's Fly Fishing Report for Tuesday March 18, 2014
Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! Learn more at http://www.100thmeridian.org/emersion.asp
San Juan River 322 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Mna the reports I've been getting lately on the Juan have all been very good. The clarity of the river below the dam is getting better every day and is around 30 inches. As a result, the fish are turning their attention to midges and baetis and are more reluctant to eat eggs and worms. A little flash in your flies is still a good thing. Dry fly fishing is coming back with some afternoon baetis hatches below Texas Hole, especially on the overcast days. Balck and olive midge larvae and pupa are the top producers near the dam especially in the mornings. Move down river after lunch to get the baetis hatch. Chocolate and olive have been the best baetis colors. Johnny flas and foam wing emergers are among the favorites. 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 33 cfs near Pecos; Slow to Fair: at Villanueva State Park; Slow to Fair
Villanueva State Park hasn't been stocked since the 6th. Egg patterns, copper johns in bright colors and buggers tend to work on the stockers. Fishing in the park is on it's way out as there won't be any more plantings of fish and there is better fishing to be had elsewhere. The fishing is getting better up above the village of Pecos. Although the public accesses are open below Terrero, it still pays to go above Terrero as the lower river hasn't been stocked after last summers fish kills. Alot of the bugs are back and the fishing should be good once the stae stocks the lower river. The river looks great after the ton of rain we had in September flushed a lot of the ash and sediment from the streambed. The outlook for the Pecos for this spring is looking more promising everyday. Keep your fingers crossed that we don't get a lot of flooding with this summer's rains. Currently the fishing program is still suspended at Pecos National Historical Park until further notice. To check for dates and availability for the 2014 spring fishing season see the Park's website at http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm for more info.
Rio Grande 489 cfs at Cerro; Fair to Good: 648 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow to Poor for smallmouth bass
Some of the recent snows we had is melting at lower elevations and is affecting the river. It's a little colder, higher and murky than earlier in the month.. Fishing may improve as flows stabilize and clarity gets better or runoff may happen early if we get back into that unseasonably warm weather that we have been experiencing. Keep checking back to see what will befall the Rio.Caddis might come off if the conditions are right near the end of the month. Fishing with big crane flies or stoneflies and caddis pupa and larvae should be among the fly choices. Pike fishing is slow. Gauge your success by how many you see, if you got a follow or not and of course an eat. Some days you get'em and some days a follow is as good as it gets. 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 34 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The lower Jemez, the lower Guadalupe, and even the East Fork up from Battleship Rock are starting to fish well during the warmer part of the day. The fish will eat nymphs 99 percent of the time, but try a dry dropper rig just as an easy presentation in the low and clear water you'll see in the winter. The upper streams are colder and fishing is much slower and harder to get to. The Fishing Program on the Valles Caldera National Preserve will resume this starting May 16th. Please see their website for details or to make a reservation for the 2014 season at http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx
Chama River 94 cfs above El Vado Reservoir; Slow: 50 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 82 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Fair to Good
The river below Abiquiu continues to fish well. The upper portion towards the dam is receiving the most pressure. The lower portions are fishing better with warmer weather and have less pressure. The release has been steady and the clarity is good. Lots of midges and baetis right now. The release below El Vado has been reduced to an all time low. I haven't seen it this low for a long time. It might make it easier for people to find fish in the reduced habitat, but the real downer is that it takes some patience to watch your slow drift. Also. the lack of velocity means that the tailwater effect, warmer water coming out of the lake bottom, does not last long downstream. I like a little more water here. Best fishing from Coopers towards the dam. Same flies and tactics as below Abiquiu. The Chama River above El Vado and below Abiquiu are Special Trout Waters with reduced bag limits. Please report anyone over harvesting there to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
In Southern Colorado:
Animas River 265 cfs at Durango; Slow to Fair
The Animas was fishing fair but things may have changed with a little local runoff entering the river. The best fishing is near Durango and down into the Southern Ute waters. The water is colder and fishing is slower the farther you go upstream.. Fishing the deeper runs and pools with big stonefly nymphs and a trailing baetis nymph and streamers are getting some fish or cover the deeper runs with streamers..
Arkansas River 354 cfs at Granite; Slow to Fair: 496 cfs at Salida; Slow to Fair
The fishing is slow from Salida upstream. The frigid temps in the valley have had their impact on water temps. Consider fishing way downstream of Salida down to the Royal Gorge or give the tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir a try. The extra water is coming out of Twin Lakes. Usually this slows the fishing down from Granite to Salida with the influx of cold water but currently it has a stabilizing effect on water temps and the increased velocity is making more food available to trout. The best fishing will be in the warmest part of the day, generally from 11-3. Fish in the deeper runs mid-channel in the and cover the shallow riffles from mid-day on if you see active surface feeding. .
It's spring in New Mexico and water and fishing conditions and water flows 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 and closures.
San Juan River 322 cfs below Navajo Dam; Good
Mna the reports I've been getting lately on the Juan have all been very good. The clarity of the river below the dam is getting better every day and is around 30 inches. As a result, the fish are turning their attention to midges and baetis and are more reluctant to eat eggs and worms. A little flash in your flies is still a good thing. Dry fly fishing is coming back with some afternoon baetis hatches below Texas Hole, especially on the overcast days. Balck and olive midge larvae and pupa are the top producers near the dam especially in the mornings. Move down river after lunch to get the baetis hatch. Chocolate and olive have been the best baetis colors. Johnny flas and foam wing emergers are among the favorites. 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 33 cfs near Pecos; Slow to Fair: at Villanueva State Park; Slow to Fair
Villanueva State Park hasn't been stocked since the 6th. Egg patterns, copper johns in bright colors and buggers tend to work on the stockers. Fishing in the park is on it's way out as there won't be any more plantings of fish and there is better fishing to be had elsewhere. The fishing is getting better up above the village of Pecos. Although the public accesses are open below Terrero, it still pays to go above Terrero as the lower river hasn't been stocked after last summers fish kills. Alot of the bugs are back and the fishing should be good once the stae stocks the lower river. The river looks great after the ton of rain we had in September flushed a lot of the ash and sediment from the streambed. The outlook for the Pecos for this spring is looking more promising everyday. Keep your fingers crossed that we don't get a lot of flooding with this summer's rains. Currently the fishing program is still suspended at Pecos National Historical Park until further notice. To check for dates and availability for the 2014 spring fishing season see the Park's website at http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm for more info.
Rio Grande 489 cfs at Cerro; Fair to Good: 648 cfs at Pilar; Slow for pike, Slow for trout, Slow to Poor for smallmouth bass
Some of the recent snows we had is melting at lower elevations and is affecting the river. It's a little colder, higher and murky than earlier in the month.. Fishing may improve as flows stabilize and clarity gets better or runoff may happen early if we get back into that unseasonably warm weather that we have been experiencing. Keep checking back to see what will befall the Rio.Caddis might come off if the conditions are right near the end of the month. Fishing with big crane flies or stoneflies and caddis pupa and larvae should be among the fly choices. Pike fishing is slow. Gauge your success by how many you see, if you got a follow or not and of course an eat. Some days you get'em and some days a follow is as good as it gets. 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 34 cfs above Jemez Pueblo; Slow to Fair
The lower Jemez, the lower Guadalupe, and even the East Fork up from Battleship Rock are starting to fish well during the warmer part of the day. The fish will eat nymphs 99 percent of the time, but try a dry dropper rig just as an easy presentation in the low and clear water you'll see in the winter. The upper streams are colder and fishing is much slower and harder to get to. The Fishing Program on the Valles Caldera National Preserve will resume this starting May 16th. Please see their website for details or to make a reservation for the 2014 season at http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx
Chama River 94 cfs above El Vado Reservoir; Slow: 50 cfs below El Vado Dam; Slow to Fair: and 82 cfs below Abiquiu Dam; Fair to Good
The river below Abiquiu continues to fish well. The upper portion towards the dam is receiving the most pressure. The lower portions are fishing better with warmer weather and have less pressure. The release has been steady and the clarity is good. Lots of midges and baetis right now. The release below El Vado has been reduced to an all time low. I haven't seen it this low for a long time. It might make it easier for people to find fish in the reduced habitat, but the real downer is that it takes some patience to watch your slow drift. Also. the lack of velocity means that the tailwater effect, warmer water coming out of the lake bottom, does not last long downstream. I like a little more water here. Best fishing from Coopers towards the dam. Same flies and tactics as below Abiquiu. The Chama River above El Vado and below Abiquiu are Special Trout Waters with reduced bag limits. Please report anyone over harvesting there to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.
In Southern Colorado:
Animas River 265 cfs at Durango; Slow to Fair
The Animas was fishing fair but things may have changed with a little local runoff entering the river. The best fishing is near Durango and down into the Southern Ute waters. The water is colder and fishing is slower the farther you go upstream.. Fishing the deeper runs and pools with big stonefly nymphs and a trailing baetis nymph and streamers are getting some fish or cover the deeper runs with streamers..
Arkansas River 354 cfs at Granite; Slow to Fair: 496 cfs at Salida; Slow to Fair
The fishing is slow from Salida upstream. The frigid temps in the valley have had their impact on water temps. Consider fishing way downstream of Salida down to the Royal Gorge or give the tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir a try. The extra water is coming out of Twin Lakes. Usually this slows the fishing down from Granite to Salida with the influx of cold water but currently it has a stabilizing effect on water temps and the increased velocity is making more food available to trout. The best fishing will be in the warmest part of the day, generally from 11-3. Fish in the deeper runs mid-channel in the and cover the shallow riffles from mid-day on if you see active surface feeding. .
It's spring in New Mexico and water and fishing conditions and water flows 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 and closures.
posted by High Desert Angler at Tuesday, March 18, 2014
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