San Juan River, New Mexico 07/25/2013 Fishing Report
Capt. Mark Nesbit
July 25, 2013
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing Report
Hello Everyone,
For those that are interested and still use this site for information the San Juan is fishing good to great.
The river is flowing around 560cfs, is very clear with some moss.
The upper areas are fishing good. What I have been using has been small #22-26 gray bodied, black headed midge pupas and emerger's. The fish are full of small #22-24 gray,olive, or cream larva's early am. Some days their is some small red larva's #22-24, and red hot's. Their is a black midge hatch #24-26 that starts about 9-9:30am. The other day there was mainly sipping going on with a few gulps here and there. I started out with 6x leader to a parachute ant pattern, no love. I dropped down to a black #18 beetle midge pattern and had a few inhale it. I then dropped down to a #24 Black parachute midge with a whit calf hair post and proceeded to receive some steady attention. The hatch was strong for a couple of hours then fell off for awhile then picked up early afternoon. When dry fly fishing try to pay attention to the nature of the rise form. Was it a gulp, Did the mouth come out of the water? Dorsal fin, or just tail fin. Last but not least the dimple with a slight ring.
If you pay attention and watch a moment or two the fish will show you how they would like to play. Gulp or head up hard, large midge cluster pattern or Black ant. The less aggressive the take usually smaller the pattern on the surface. When sight fishing with nymphs watch the fish.
Are they being active, flashing, turning and chasing food ? If so they are great candidates to sight fish too. If they are not moving much and watching the world go bye, you will have your work cut out. The tougher the fishing, the more meticulous the presentation has to be to get the bite. When fishing the upper areas, I suggest using 6x leaders and tippet and get your flies ahead of your leader and indicator. This was critical the last few weeks when the flow was 800-1100cfs. I hope this helps you get a tight line.
The upper areas to cable hole have been good fishing. Big fish, very educated but can be caught when done right.
The Texas Hole down to bottom of Death row has been good to great. I've been using red larva and a #22-24 gray and black midge early am switching over to Mark's magic midge and a chocolate foam wing mid am, it has been good to my clients throughout the afternoon. Small gray or olive larva's and red of different sizes and flavors. mid am #22 root beers, and fluff beatis to your favorite chocolate beatis emerger should get the line tight. I've also have done well a #24 black scintilla bubble or zebra midge in the early am.
Death Row down to Crusher Hole,end of Quality Waters has been good at this flow. I've had good luck on small #24 gray bodied and black headed midge pupas and emerger patterns. #18-20 mark's Magic midge, or black, or gray and black big Macs. I have also been successful with some #16-18 hares ears and other pmd emergers. Beatis nymphs #20-22 pheasant tails, and emergers have been working best in late am into early eve.
The bait waters has been good using # 20-22 flasb back pheasant tails and foam wings.
The new habitat improvement area has been basically finished. No more big mosquito breeding pit. The new area is a flowing iving marsh with fish and aquatic life, water snakes, frogs, ducks ,geese and the great blue herons, swallows all enjoying the new area already. This area will be awesome in a few years when the vegetation has established itself. It will be incredibly beautiful in fall when all the cottonwoods will be in their colors. Your children and grand children will enjoy. If you want to view the area up close and in person please stay on the trails, so not to disturb the vegetation. They planted a lot of natural marsh fauna that ducks love to eat. Water fowlers this area is a major plus for those that hunt the lower marsh.
The lower back channels will all hold more fish at low flows 250-500cfs than it did at high flows 500-1000cfs, according to our biologist. One thing for sure their is more living healthy living marsh than there was stagnant mosquito breeding grounds. If you would like to see a photo or two of the new area go to my web site, www.sanjuanflyfishing.net click on the face book link and pull up the photo's.
Tight Line's to All,
Mark
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
Fishing will be good all the way into fall. There will be river flow changes according to endangered species water demands down stream. The days this happens can put the fish off the bite.
Target Species:
Trophy rainbow and Brown trout, Bass, Pike, Carp
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