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Fisheads of the San Juan |
Water flow: 350
Visibility: 12 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 44 Degrees F
Water condition: Stained
Best time of day to fish: All day long.
Best stretch:
Best access point: Texas Hole parking lot
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
Midge strongest from 11:00 am on Blue wing olives from 12:00 to 5:00 Some Dry action on cloudy days.
Fish species: Rainbow and Brown trout
Fishing season: Year Round
Nearest airport: Albuquerque, NM (2.5 hr) or Durango, La Plata Airport, CO (40 min) or Farmington, NM (40 min)
Recommended fly fishing leader: 9 Foot Leader
Recommended fly fishing tippet: 5X Tippet
Best fly fishing rod: 10' 5 Weight Fly Rod
Best floating fly line: PowerTaper WF Fly Line
Best sinking fly line: Bank Shot Sink Tip Fly Line
Located in the northwest corner of New Mexico, 40 miles South of Durango Colorado and 30 miles Northeast of Farmington New Mexico. The San Juan River is world renowned for providing some of the most rewarding trout fishing you will ever experience. The San Juan is a consistent producer of both rainbows and browns averaging 16 to 18 inches, with many reaching much larger proportions. Recent studies have suggested ...
Fish fluorocarbon tippets at the end of your mono-filament leader when nymph fishing. 5X to the first fly and 6X to the dropper. This will produce more strikes as the fish can't see the fluorocarbon. Fishing 22 to 24 midges in the slower waters has been great. The river is high, fish short light rigs. 8-10 size weights with a strike indicator set at 2-3 ft. We are finding lots of baetis, especially on cloudy afternoons. Baetis live in fast water so look for them in the riffles at the top of holes and at the bottom of holes in the tail out. Fish are eating gray, olive and brown mayfly nymphs in these places, it just depends on the day so have them all. You may have the chance to see fish on top during this time. A parachute Adams or comparadun should do the job. The may flies are blue-gray and are about size 22. Use dark colored wings as the fish are turning away from white wings. If you can't see this try a marker fly about 12 inches above the baetis. You should fish mono-filament tippets when fishing on the surface as fluorocarbon sinks. Change back to midges when the fish stop eating your may flies. Try some bunny leaches if all else fails. Dead drift them like the rest of your nymphs. Fish are eating them for moss! They will shake the drifting moss to get the bugs out. All this goes out the door when fishing streamers. Get them on the bottom and fish 1X fluorocarbon.
Temperatures are cooling for the next few days. This winters fishing has proven to be extermly productive. The fish are fat and fresh, come see for yourself.