Chama River

Village of Chama

• Hatches: none

• Patterns: Stonefly Nymphs, baetis nymphs 

Below El Vado

• Hatches:  midges, blue-winged olives

• Patterns:  cranefly larvae, stonefly nymphs, zebra midges, rainbow warriors 

Below Heron

• Hatches:  midges, blue-winged olives

• Patterns:  zebra midges, micromays, stoenfly nymphs, Barr's emergers 

No Gage Available

Below Abiquiu

• Hatches:​  Midges, blue-winged olives

• Patterns:  cranefly larvae, stonefly nymphs, zebra midges, rainbow warriors

Village of Chama: The upper Chama in the Sargent WMA is ice bound and will be a while and a few more warm days until the fishing is fair here. 

Below Heron: The river flowing into El Vado is increasing in flow with some of last week's warmer weather. That could've waked the fish up and got them to eat. I haven't had any reports but the pre-runoff window should be openeing about now. Throwing streamers and deep nymphing should produce.

​

Below El Vado:  The release has been steady and the water is as clear as it'll ever get. Fishing has been good for those willing to make the longer drive. It's all big nymphs and streamers. 

Below Abiquiu:  Work in the river below Abiquiu is complete. I believe you can now acccess the river but I haven't had a first hand report. Let me know if you do go. The release staying stable so the water should be fairly clear. If access below the dam is still an issue, you can still access the river off of Highway 84 or up the road on the west side of the river at Abiquiu. 

The Chama River above El Vado Reservoir, downstream of the stream gauge at Cooper's Ranch,  and below Abiquiu Dam are Special Trout Waters with reduced bag limits or catch and release only rules. Please report anyone to New Mexico Game and Fish at 1-800-432-4263.  The Chama River below Abiquiu Dam has a daily bag limit of 3 fish.

Rio Grande

• Hatches:​  Sporadic Insignificant Midge and Baetis    

• Patterns:  Crane Bombs, Warden's Worries, Searchers, Gongas, Butt Monkeys 

The Rio did come up in flow with last week's warmer weather but has been trending downward since last Thursday. Clarity is still good and the fishing is good. Like most area waters experiencing pre-runoff conditions, a big stonefly nymph with a trialing baetis nymph has bee the most productive setup.

Jemez Mountain Streams

• Hatches:​ Midges, blue-winged olives   

• Patterns: Zebra midges, Barr's emergers, prince nymphs  

Upper stretches of the East Fork, San Antonio, and Cebolla are still a bit cold and tough to get to with some of the lingering snow. The San Antonio along Highway 4 and the Eat Fork at Battleship Rock have been the better spots. The lower Guadalupe near Gilman Tunnels would be another good place to go now that we've seen a bit of a warming trend. 

The Valles Caldera is still closed  for the winter. Please see their website for details at  http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx

The Fishing Program on the Valles Caldera National Preserve is now under National Park Service rules. There is no longer a reservation system. It's all fisrt come first served until all of the backcountry access permits are issued for the day.  Please see the Preserve's website for more details. 

San Juan River

Navajo Lake State Park and the San Juan River Quality waters are closed by order of the governor due to the ongoing COVID-19 threat.

Currently it's a midges, baetis, and annelids game. Some dry fly fishing on midge clusters. Baetis still work in the afternoons with a foam wing being the top roducer. 

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!

Conejos River

Mogote

• Hatches: Stoneflies, midges, blue-winged olives  

• Patterns: Twenty Bombs, Golden Tungstones, Pat's Rubberlegs, Micromays, baetis bombs

Platoro

• Hatches:    Midges 

• Patterns: Zebra midges Twenty Bombs, Golden Tungstones, Pat's Rubberlegs, 

The Conejos is slowly starting to warm up but there is still some ice above Horca. It shouldn't last long is the warmer weather resumes here. I do not think the road to Platoro is open. That makes the fishing the meadows kind impossible.  It's pre-runoff conditions on the lower river along Highway 17. Big stonefly nymphs with a trailing baetis nymph or a worm pattern is the recommended set up.