Stream Report
Updated April 14, 2024
Our fishing is changing daily with the warmer days of spring! Snowmelt has begun on a few streams already. Check flows before you head out and don't wait too long to go! The Rio Grande at Pilar, the Cimarron below Eagle's Nest, and the Red River are your best bets.
Pecos River
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Hatches: none
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Patterns: small dries,(as an indicator), midge larvae, perdigons, zebra midges, miracle nymphs, jujube's
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Villanueva State Park last stocked on February 5th. Fishing is fair.
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Pecos Historical Park opens to fishing on March 2nd.
The upper river is higher and murky since last report. We could see a return of a fishable clarity and flow by Tuesday when we will get cooler weather. Otherwise, runoff looks like it is starting. You could be rewarded if you have a high water game or want to try and get better at high water fishing. These are the condition when Euro fishing shines because you can control the drag on your drifting flies. Try Euro rigs or a heavy set up under an indicator with stoneflies and a trailing baetis or egg pattern. The Mora confluence is also high and murky.
The Pecos National Historical Park's spring fishing season is over. The summer season will start in late June. See the Park's website at http://www.nps.gov/peco/planyourvisit/fishing.htm for more info on the fishing seasons.
Chama River
Village of Chama
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Hatches: none
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Patterns:
Above Heron
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Hatches: not much except sporadic midge and blue-winged olives
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Patterns: Crane Bombs, Mop Flies, Sculpzillas, Zebra Midges, perdigons, Ice Queens
Below El Vado
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Hatches: none
- Patterns: Crane Bombs, Mop Flies, Sculpzillas, Thin Mints, Drunk and Disorderlies
Below Abiquiu
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Hatches: not much except sporadic midge and blue-winged olives
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Patterns: Crane Bombs, Mop Flies, Zebra Midges, perdigons, bwo emergers
Village of Chama: The upper Chama in the Sargent Wild Life Area is very cold and getting high with snowmelt. Consider elsewhere.
Near Heron: The river here is becoming bigger by the day and is rivaling the Rio Grande in flows. Think Euro rigs or heavy double nymph rigs if you dare to go. more open with the longer days and recent warm weather. The "stairs" at Heron Lake State Park off of NM Highway 95 is still closed.
Below El Vado: The release has increased to 34556 cfs. This section of the Chama is never clear and will fish okay by mid week once the flows have stabilized and the fish get comfortable. Streamers and big nymphs are the medicine here.
Below Abiquiu: Increase in flows and a low lake level are contributing to the murky water here. There are e few fish being caught, but fishing is better elsewhere. Work is ongoing the with dam. Fishing here is slow. The release out of the dam is matching the release out of El Vado around 350.
The Chama River above El Vado Reservoir in the Rio Chama Wildlife Area, 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, Taos Area Waters
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Hatches: midges
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Patterns for the Rio: Crane Bombs, Warden's Worries, HDA Fave Variants, Blow Torchs, Pink Tags, Pike flies, Meat Whistles, Dunk and Disorderlies.
The Rio Grande is fishing fair despite some changes in flows. Euro rigs or nymph rigs with cranefly larvae and baetis or midge larvae has been one of the best combos. Streamers like sculpzillas are also producing early and late in the day. The pike bite is slowing a bit. Big streamers with a wire or a shock tippet will keep you attached to the toothy critters, The surrounding mountain streams are also fishing fair. The Santa Barbara, the Cimarron are low water and fishable. The Rio del Pueblo is getting higher with signs of snowmelt.
Jemez Mountain Streams
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Hatches: none
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Patterns: small dries,(as an indicator), micomays, perdigons, zebra midges, egg patterns, miracle nymphs, jujube's,
The Jemez Mountain streams are all showing signs of spring snowmelt. Water is high and murky. The upper tribs like the East Fork out of the Caldera, The San Antonio along Highway 126, and the Cebolla are the better locales to fish. The lower Jemez and Guadalupe are high and muddy..
The Valles Caldera is closed to fishing until May. For more information on fishing Valles Caldera, please see their website for info at http://www.vallescaldera.gov/comevisit/fish/index.aspx. Reservations are made through Recreaton.Gov.
The Fishing Program on the Valles Caldera National Preserve is now under National Park Service rules. Please see the Preserve's website for more details.
San Juan River
The San Juan is at 509 cfs.
Hatches: blue-winged olives, midges
Patterns: red annelids, San Juan worms, zebra midges, egg patterns
The San Juan will always be the best place to go in the winter. Some really nice fish have been posted on social media about recent catches. It's a midge game in the mornings and baetis in the afternoons, but don't neglect throwing some steamess for the meat-eaters. .
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
Platoro
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Hatches: none
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Patterns: Pat's rubberlegs, Frenchies, micromays, HDA Fave Variants, Zebra midges
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Hatches: None
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Patterns: midge larvae, red annelids,
The release out of Platoro is way down to a winter flow of 17 cfs. The pre-runoff fishing is starting with warmer weather. The main stem near Mogote is showing 200 cfs which is typical for this time of year. Much of the river is fishable and has decent clarity. Best mid-day with a double nymph rig as the fish are in their deeper lies.
