Including the San Juan and Chama Rivers
All reports are up-dated on Wednesdays each week during the summer season and every other week during the winter season (November - March). Reports will not be up-dated the week following holiday weekends. Good luck and good fishing, The Fish Phone.
Report Date: 09/08/2010
Rivers:
Animas River
A tributary of the San Juan River. The Headwaters originate in the San Juan Mountains at the confluence of the west and north forks at the ghost town of Animas. The river runs through Durango, Colorado. From Durango the river runs south into New Mexico through the town of Aztec to its confluence with the San Juan River in Farmington
Fish species: Wild Rainbow and Brown Trout
Flow: 192 CFS
Clarity: Lower and murky
Fishing conditions: Fair
Trout: NR
Flies: Caddis, golden stoneflies, PMD's
Lures: Spinners
Bait: Night crawlers
Chama River
A tributary to the Rio Grande River. The Headwaters originate just over the border of New Mexico in the high country of the San Juan Mountains. The river enters the state at Cumbres Pass. The Chama flows over 120 miles through El Vado and Abiquiu Lakes. The river joins the Rio Grande near Espanola.
Fish species- Rainbow and Brown Trout
Upper section-
Flow: 31 CFS
Clarity: Clear
Shore fishing conditions: Good above Chama - access through Sargent Wilderness
Trout: Fair to good
Flies: Caddis, PMD's, grasshoppers
Lures: Spinners
Bait: Worms and salmon eggs
Lower section-
Flow: 797 CFS
Clarity: murky,
Shore fishing conditions: Good - The flows are increased on weekends for rafting, but El Vado is full and release is ongoing
Trout: Good for browns to 18 inches-fair for stocker-size rainbows
Flies: woolly buggers
Lures: Panther Martins
Bait: Nightcrawlers
San Juan River
A tributary of the Colorado River. The river is Approximately 400 miles long, Headwaters originate in southern Colorado in the San Juan Mountains. The river flows south through Colorado, then turns west in New Mexico continuing on through Utah and into Lake Powell where it joins the Colorado. The San Juan River below Navajo Dam is rated as one of the best tail waters in the country, providing excellent opportunities for trophy trout!
Fish species- Rainbow, Brown and Cutthroat Trout / Below Blanco- Catfish, Brown and Rainbow Trout
Upper section-
Quality Waters Special Regulations apply to the tail water below Navajo Dam.
Flow: 784 CFS
Clarity: Visibility 3 ft.
Float fishing conditions: Good
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Good
Flies: #22-26 olive, gray, black or brown midge pupa and larva from Cable Hole to Texas Hole. Below Texas Hole, chocolate or gray foam wing emergers, RS2s, WD40s. Dry fly action fair from Simon Canyon downstream with Griffith gnats, comparaduns, Parachute Adams.
Lower section-
Clarity: Visibility 3 ft.
Float fishing conditions: Good
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Good for stocker-size rainbows
Flies: same flies as above
Lures: Silver lures
Bait: Worms, salmon eggs
Lakes:
Abiquiu Lake
A 4,000 acre lake on the Chama River Northwest of Abiquiu.
Fish species- Catfish, Crappie, Small Mouth Bass, Walleye and Trout
Clarity: Green and murky
Lake Level: 13% of capacity, 103% of average, 88% of last year
Boating conditions: Good
Shore fishing conditions: Good - Water is murky
Trout: Slow with light pressure
Lures: spinners
Bait: Worms
Bass: Slow - few caught from shore
Flies: Poppers
Lures: Spinners, top water lures, chartreuse grubs
Bait: worms
Crappie: Slow with light pressure
Lures: Jigs
Bait: worms
Walleye: Slow with light pressure
Lures: Bottom bouncers, jigs
Bait: worms, minnows
Catfish: Slow with light pressure
Bait: Chicken liver, worms
El Vado Lake
A 3,332 acre lake on the Chama River 25 miles Southwest of Tierra Amarilla,
Fish species- Rainbow and Brown Trout, Kokanee Salmon.
Lake Level: 3,332 surface acres down to 1,328 surface acres; 90% of capacity, 121% of average, 95% of last year
Boating conditions: Good; main boat ramp open, North ramp closed
Clarity: Clear
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Slow - few browns taken
Lures: Spinners
Bait: Worms
Kokanee: NR
Lures: Double whammies
Bait: Corn
Heron Lake
A 5,900 acre lake west of Tierra Amarilla New Mexico.
Fish species- Rainbow and Lake Trout, Kokanee Salmon.
Lake Level: 6,148 surface acres down to 5,207 surface acres; 83% of capacity, 104% of average, 98% of last year
Boating conditions: Excellent
Clarity: Clear
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Slow from shore, little pressure
Flies:
Lures:
Bait: Power Bait, salmon eggs
Lake Trout: NR
Lures: Panther Martin's
Bait: Power Bait
Kokanee: Very good
Lures: trolling zig-zag pattern at 32-40 ft. with orange or red spinners, white Z-rays or cripplures
Bait: Corn
Jackson Lake
Clarity:
Boating conditions:
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: Slow - trout are in deep water
Lures: spinners
Bait: Power Bait
Bass: NR
Lures: Rapalas, jerk baits, crank baits
Bait: worms
Crappie: NR
Lures:
Bait:
Walleye: NR
Lures:
Bait:
Catfish: NR
Bait:
Lake Farmington
Clarity:
Boating conditions: Good
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: NR
Flies:
Lures: spinners
Bait: Power Bait, worms
Bass: NR
Lures: Chigger craws
Bait: worms
Crappie: NR
Lures:
Bait:
Walleye: NR
Lures:
Bait:
Catfish: NR
Bait: Stink bait, liver
Morgan Lake
Clarity:
Boating conditions: Good
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: NR
Lures:
Bait: power bait
Bass: NR - should pick up in few weeks as temperatures cool
Lures: Jerk baits, plastics
Bait:
Crappie: NR
Lures:
Bait:
Walleye: NR
Lures:
Bait:
Catfish: Fair at night
Bait: chicken liver, stink bait
Navajo Lake
A 15,590 acre lake on the San Juan River 15 miles Northeast of Blanco New Mexico.
Fish species- Rainbow and Brown Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Large and Small Mouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Blue Gill and Northern Pike
Clarity: Murky
Lake Level: 13,000 surface acres down to 11,000 surface acres; 91% of capacity, 108% of average, 104% of last year
Boating conditions: Good
Shore fishing conditions: Good
Trout: NR
Flies:
Lures: Orange or pink spinners
Bait: Salmon eggs, worms
Bass: NR
Flies:
Lures: drop shot method with Senkos
Bait: Night crawlers
Bluegill / Crappie: NR
Lures: White jigs
Bait: Minnows
Northern Pike: Slow to fair
Flies:
Lures: Big spoons, 10" worms
Bait: worms
Kokanee: Fair
Lures: trolling Arnie's lures or double whammies
Bait: corn
Catfish: NR
Bait: Beef or chicken liver
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