New Mexico Fishing Report for The San Juan River

Capt. Mark Nesbit
May 13, 2003
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing Report

River flow is going to 450 cfs from 350 on 5-13-03, maybe, they have changed their minds a couple of times and didn’t change it as stated. They did change the release gate to the spill way. This will change the way the very top of the catch & release area fishes. The north bank area should improve. The south side will be good wooly bugger water. The rest of the river should fish about the same. The river is blowing chunks right now from the dam to the bottom of Texas hole. With the constant temperature changes which keeps the lake turning over, and the old moss dying & breaking loose this will keep you cleaning your flies. This is very important. Fish pick up on the profile of the fly, so just the smallest amount of moss is going to ruin the silhouette of our tiny flies we use here. The river gets cleaner and clearer as you get below Texas hole. The river has been fishing really well this last week. Some nice browns being caught. When the wind lays down in the early evening the midges & beatis have been coming off, with fish rising to the hatch. There is nothing better than the take on dries. If you like the heart stopping strike on streamers, try stripping a white bunny leech on the surface where you see stacked up fish. Some times they want it stripped as fast as you can, other times try popping it like top water fishing for bass. This is it until next time,

Tight Lines to all,

Mark

CATCH & RELEASE

This area has been fishing good .

• UFO’s (cream or brown size #22-24

• Larva, red, cream, gray, brown #18-24

• Scuds (gray)

• Olive, black, brown, gray leeches & wooly buggers

• Desert storms #24

• Gray,& chocolate RS-2's and Johnny Flashes

• Black bead head Midge emergers#24

• Worms, orange & brown

UPPER FLATS TO TEXAS HOLE

Fishing has been good in the braids and the upper flats water.

• Same flies as above for the AM

• Black midge emergers

• San Juan worms (AM)

• Chocolate beatis patterns like RS-2, Johnny Flashes

• Flashback Pheasant tails

• Gray & Chocolate foam wings

TEXAS HOLE TO LOWER FLATS

Fishing has been good.

• San Juan worms ( brown or orange)

• Gray or chocolate RS-2

• Midge emergers black or cream

• Red, cream, gray larva #24

• Gray & Chocolate foam wings

LOWER FLATS TO BAIT WATER

• San Juan worms (brown is best)

• Gray & choc UV wing #22-24

• cream & brown UFO’s #24

• Midge emergers

• Flashback Pheasant tails

• Chocolate beatis patterns

• Brassie’s #22

• Red larvae

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