New Mexico Fly Fishing Report

Welcome Fly Dawgs!!!

Wild Rivers On The Fly

Taos, Santa Fe, Chama, Navajo Dam, Taos Ski Valley, Eagles Nest, Angel Fire

Fly Fishing Report Late April 2010

It is still early in the season so generally speaking fly fishing is slow except on the San Juan and the Cimarron.

Please report over harvesting of our trout waters to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263. And PLEASE!! Help us with our conservation efforts. If you pack it in please pack it out. Trash does not enhance our beautiful rivers.

Special Trout Waters: When fishing our rivers look for the brown and white park signs with a trout on them. The signs identify New Mexico Special Trout Waters. Special Trout Waters mean just that. They are special because they are Catch and Release, have reduced bag limits and are part of the effort to conserve, restore, and protect trout and habitat in designated sections of a particular river. You can use barbless flies in these protected areas. You are usually permitted to take one fish of the size designated on the Special Trout Water sign or refer to your New Mexico fishing proclamation. When you see these signs it means No Bait, Salmon Eggs, Power Bait, and No Three Pronged Lures. Please respect our Special Trout Waters.
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San Juan River: The flow is still around the 500 cfs range. Remember the Special Trout Waters is catch and release and two flies only. Make sure the flies are barbless to protect the fish and you can be fined. The visibilty on the river is still reduced to a couple of feet.

What their eating: Fishing on all parts are reported good with most anglers are reporting Fish On with the usual midge patterns and emergers, johnny flashes, flashback pheasant tails, brown and orange San Juan worms, and scuds...
Try a dry fly. Tie on a blue winged olive on top. Also try some of the San Juan standards like red, cream, orange, gray and olive larva size 18-24, midge pupa in olive and gray size 22-24. If that doesn't get the Fish On, try switching later in the day to gray, olive or chocolate RS2's, and foam wing emergers size 18-24.
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Chama River: High brown water right now. Fishing is still poor above the village of Chama and poor to slow at Tierra Amarilla. Everywhere else below the village is reported slow to fair. The tailwater sections usually fish best. When fishing the Chama look for the tailouts of pools and throw a fly to the obvious seams and undercuts. Special Trout Waters: The Chama River above El Vado and below Abiquiu are Special Trout Waters.

What their eating: Anglers report Fish On using Baetis nymphs, crane fly larva, and midges.
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Rio Grande: Slow to fair for trout. High runoff and on again/off again for clarity. Rafters are now on the river from the Taos Box and the take out/put in area below Pilar and the Taos/Rio Arriba county line. So when planning a fly trip consider other local rivers.

What their eating: Throw them a crane fly larvae, stonelfy nymphs, or streamers.
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Pecos River: Poor to slow. The upper Pecos has some open water, but water temps are still very cold in the low to mid thirties and fishing is not so good this time of year. Come late April that will change so stay tuned. If you need to get out right now try the section at Villanueva State Park as it was recently stocked by our friends at New Mexico Game and Fish.
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Cimarron River: The Cimarron has thawed and is fishing well right now. Visibility is about a foot. We need more water release from the Eagle Nest Dam. The Cimarron could be and should be a year round fishery so please help all guides, outfitters, and anglers in getting this message across to our State Engineer and other officials in that food chain. Fish On!!

What their eating: Try a #16 golden stone fly, prince nymph, or copper john.
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Red River: High and muddy.
Shurree Ponds: Closed until July 1, 2010.
Rio Costilla (Valle Vidal): Closed until July 1, 2010.
Jemez Mountain Streams (Caldera) - Stay Tuned.