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Fishing Reports
San Juan River from customflys.com
February 18, 2005
Posted by Jude Duran
NM
Email: customflies@msn.com
Current Report
Water Flow------250 cfs
The river is in its
winter cycle now. The
fishing is tougher, but
still very fishable.
Remember, my reports are
based on how other anglers
around me are doing. As a
guide, I can always do
something to make the
fishing better, but I
realize people who take
sporadic trips up there may
struggle in tough
conditions, and giving them
a glorified report of how
many fish my clients land
will do nothing for them
when the arrive at the river
and find tougher conditions
than they're used to.
Most people fishing
the quality waters are
frustrated a bit by the
slower fishing. The fish are
still there and they are
feeding, but using the same
flies, the same weight, and
the same tactics as you used
in the summer when the fish
were actively feeding on
mayflies, black flies,
midges, and worms, won't be
successful. In order to
catch fish in the slower
winter months, you need to
change flies often until you
find the right style or
color the trout are eating.
I'm changing flies at least
15 times throughout the day,
and often change flies after
we've caught a couple of
trout and the fishing slows.
The standard worm, red hot,
cream UFO rigs aren't
working now. The only
consistent flies have been
red M&M's, Johnny flash
emergers, Natural bunny
leeches, and Brown Envy
flies.
Also, try to use the
least amount of weight
possible to get the flies
down to the fish. In the
slower, clearer water in the
middle flats above the Texas
Hole, this means using a
size 9 or 8. Those sizes of
shot are about the size of
the tip on a ball point pen.
I'd say 80% of the anglers I
see fishing are using too
much weight in shallow,
slower water. I'm also
adjusting the weight
whenever I move to a current
that is faster or slower.
This all takes more work,
and I realize it's harder to
do if you don't do it a
thousand times a season like
I do, but try it and see
what happens. If you're
landing 6-8 fish per day,
you're doing just fine, and
you should feel happy with
your results.
The river is very clear
for this time of year, and
it's possible to sight fish
in any water under 2 feet
deep. Overall, we are
through the toughest month
of the year, and the fishing
will just continue to get
better and better this year.
Look for warmer weather and
the start of better baetis
hatches in only a month. I'm
still not fishing dry flies
that often, but there are a
few fish rising to midge
clusters. The small Brown
Trout in the Texas Hole and
Main Channel are
aggressively feeding on top,
and trying for them can be
fun.
If you've been wanting
to take a trip with a guide
on the San Juan River, now
is a good time to get away
from the fire, and into
fish. My spring months will
fill up quick now that my
name is getting out there,
so e-mail me at
customflies@msn.com or
customflys@msn.com to book
a trip.
Top Producing Flies (in
order of importance):
#22 Red M&M larva
#22 Brown Envy Midge
#22 Johnny Flash
#20 Duran's Wd-40
#12 Natural-colored Bunny
Leech
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