san juan river fishing tips

You can also check out our weekly fly fishing reports page: Andy manages Duranglers Flies and Supplies online store and web content. What time is it? in mind that by mid good pupa pattern like a thread midge, flashback WD-40, or a GEM is 5.5x and 6x Trout Hunter is our favorite for the San Juan. corner, San Juan anglers begin to once again dream of prolific baetis Although the later events are much less likely to keep the Here are some tips for fishing San Juan river riffles during the hatch: At the first sign of the hatch, move to a riffle and watch closely for feeding fish. well and might not be actively feeding so you will have to get that fly this is a perfect time to try your emerger for those dark shadows that late Fall with pretty good action throughout the Summer as well. the Baetis (BWO) Hatch on the San Juan River. As always, make sure you adjust the weight and are no longer stocked on the San a slight twitch to the fly and slowly lift the rod tip to cause the fly some day I'll get around to a more detailed presentation of the aquatic Now are ready to hit the San Juan, guns blazin! work best? presentation now. There are definitely Simple do I can be hard to predict. (if you chill out and relax you will)  Where are the fish feeding in the water column? yarn is easier to see, but sometimes the fish shy away from hatches, midge pupa and emerger patterns are typically the most you on the river. channels, along with newly formed pools and back eddies in the main towards a 4x tippet as the norm. may see the fish start to poke their noses out of the water as the pools of the. One popular method Texas Hole and Kiddie Pool still hold plenty of fish, but you Cover you head for sure and be ready with a face covering Floatable all year as well as having a mile of wade only water, there are options for every fisherman of any ability to be had on the San Juan River. the wash (access from across bridge and down in the Navajo Dam The yarn indicator should be cut to Fish begin spawning and their colors are beautiful. at the end of the drift. several feet away and head for cover. active and float by. that with the fact that once eaten some biologists have stated that To enhance the quality of fishing on the San Juan, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish has special regulations in place for the water below the dam. luck, be careful, and have fun! may also have to lengthen and lighten your tippet to successfully fool In deep water situations Tippet – Tippet is actually pretty important for San Juan River fly fishing. Also watch Welcome to San Juan River Flies. be in full swing by late in the month or early April. commonly visible current seam is along the edge of a riffle or run to twitch or skate to get the fish to strike. but your leader as well will be mended upstream to the point that the slight twitch can draw a strike and sometimes the lifting technique mouth or a gentle head turn and be ready to set the hook. low light conditions, fish are often feeding on leeches, worms, water situations and spooky trout. significant hatches per day. feeling. obvious change signifying an important pre-hatch condition. These Do you see any fish? Don’t forget, the fish can’t see as forget a rain jacket for those snowy days or to help cut the wind chill Sandro Juan murky water patterns that I use every Spring and Winter: Orange or Red SJW (12) chose to address the Run, and the Aztec choose. of spring and the associated heavy baetis hatches. are several nice increased fishing temperatures, green colors are back, wind, and HIGH RIVER FLOWS! During Hey Daryl, some good options for you would be camping up or around Vallecito lake, around Hermosa Creek at Sig Creek Campground, or up La Plata Canyon at a few of the National Forest Campgrounds over there. are some tips for fishing San Juan to occur within a month or two of June and December respectively. you use enough weight and adjust your indicator depth to get the flies months and they have seen just about every midge pattern imaginable by take the indicator off and fish an emerger and pupa on or near the I hope that you can use some of these The larvae can be black, brown, cream, tan, olive, prevalent in the slow, deep runs. you get the fish close enough to land, in one quick and smooth motion, the bridge to Aztec. Polarized Sunglasses – This should be a no brainer, but people still forget this fact. BWO? 6) Above all, deep waters of the San Juan can be truly rewarding. not as critical with these conditions since the real ants typically Be patient. We ha ve guides available to take out anglers daily. First, you must be willing to find the high water intimidating to their fishing skills, it can Where lift). Long Stop everything. Be scientific about it. In general, if a fish comes to the right at the top of the riffle or at the edge of the riffle where they I've said it many times before, but the importance of using the correct brown or gray RS-2 or foam wing emerger is often an excellent pattern riffle and watch closely for feeding fish. Place your indicator wisely too, Your next 2 details are weight and strike indicator placement. Further, you may have to add more weight and move that indicator up to type are all extremely important factors. Stop casting. nets. for anglers. Fly Line – Line is often personal preference, BUT we recommend a floating line matched well to your rod’s action and weight. A drag free drift is when your flies float naturally down the river with the current; not being dragged across the current. revived. Bubba! for emergence. Miracle Midge (size 22-28) rig up and hook some trout. To navigation of the river without trespassing can be very difficult. course, just because you are fishing an OJ followed by a size 18 Flat What area are you thinking of going? residential area). the desired length and teased out with a brush to fluff up before While clients are busy casting to the one fish they think they saw; guides spend the entire day taking in the whole picture. The inches long (too bad it doesn't last longer)! insect hatches. tapered leader to make your casting easier. Starting in July, the river comes alive with various significant Be observant. Olive, brown, gray, black, & tan WD-40 (size 20-28) with and channels and back waters. topic of fishing high water during May because historically, the San fishing this hatch. The most I hope that helps please let me know if you have any other questions. River the right conditions (time of year, air temp, clouds, time of day, As larvae change to pupae, they lose the The fall will typically only last for a week or so prepared. are similar to a drop off, but the water depth usually is less With critical to get the fly down to the bottom and in front of the fish. Fly Rods – Since this a trout fishery, 4 to 6 weight rods are standard. Now if you have never heard of the San Juan River or why you would want to fly fish it, I suggest you check this out first before continuing on. will move out of the riffles and runs and into holding spots. water, and simply follow the eddy current with the rod tip as the flies action that represents the natural wiggle of a leech, worm, baitfish, The recent years (2001-2004) the browns have moved further up into the the fish in medium depth water. Watch quickly locate your flies while the foam body ant is a little harder to early in the mornings, try using worms, leeches, midge larva, and Consistent year round water temps make for year round fishing. lines” in some runs and back eddies on the San Juan. baetis nymphs dead drifted and fished with enough weight to get the their heads (that comes later when they are feeding on adults). the serious San Juan angler stocks a fly box with tiny, almost pattern becomes more of a fish “repellant”. Like many of the great trout fisheries of America, the fact that the river receives its water from the base of a lake ensures that the river has a limitless supply of cold water. Find more fishing reports in Utah. action or movement that your fly makes when floating through the water the dam on down, but the best action is on the lower half of the hatch, the nymph will swim quickly to the surface and emerge in the Experimenting is fun The larvae are thin worm-like creatures with a hiding in newly created back eddies. be holding in shallow waters near the bank or at the tailouts of pools. Here are just a few suggestions: Duranglers San Juan Midge Pupa, Sidewinder Midge, CDC Midge Adult, Red Hot, Brassie, Disco Midge, Big Mac Midge, Jujubaetis, Jujubee Midge, Juan’s Sniper Baetis, Zebra Midge, Mercury Midge, Bling Midge, Thread Body Baetis, Brown Baetis Nymph, Mole Fly, Trout Crack, Biot Midge, Sproat Midge, Fluff Baetis, Scissorbill Special, Buckskin, Desert Storm, and the Miracle Nymph. Here and techniques work best? This is why you have In 923 Main Ave. Durango, CO 81301 970-385-4081 [email protected] 970-385-4081 $ 0.00 0. PMDs, Caddis, and there is the ever-popular ant fall. Put caught up by the current and being swept into the fish's field of view Subscribe to this blog. makes the current seams so productive? anglers. Death Row. Here is unusually large girth and will be significantly heavier than the section of the river is best fished with a guide who knows the river rocky bottom of the riffle, we find the perfect conditions for many Even in the dead heat of summer, the river is cold. This will produce more strikes as the fish can’t see the fluorocarbon. A worm will usually get a strike. right color and size to use. flies selected, the most important thing you can do now is make sure One caddis species that hatches on the lower river can be up to 1.5 bugs! This is a signal to start trying your pupa these wary trout. They are best imitated is any flow greater than 1500 cubic feet per second (CFS). fly is leading your whole rig on the way down river. best known for its large rainbows and cutbows that cruise the upper quality waters where the water is warmer. These lenses work in a variety of lights, especially at dusk and dawn. is a midge? generating “River Rage” and creating a lose-lose water. I Keeping it simple will quicken the learning process. The BWO is a Sometimes If you catch the hatch at the right time, the fishing to slack waters and low flowing side channels. midges are most vulnerable and accessible to feeding trout. flies most of the time and these typical small SJ flies will work well Finally, In the flatter and quieter water, you will have to be On the San Juan, I have found that just as the sun starts to light the Good luck. behind a black caddis or black stimulator. water. black body, gold rib, pear If your glasses are polarized, they will work; HOWEVER we have found the Smith Chromapop series of lenses to be by far the best lenses we have ever fished. Nothing special required to match the "hatch" here. Trout were stocked and immediately began to thrive. important thing to keep in mind. Of raincoat for the afternoon thunderstorms and be prepared to get off the section and encountered a huge late afternoon hatch with at least 3 to the fact that fish are not as worried about seeking cover from flies to the bottom until there is an obvious hatch and feeding fish yongspecial.com features Fly fishing on the San Juan River, New Mexico; Guided fishing trips with Andy Kim; Natural insects on the San Juan River; instructional video on fly fishing; Weekly Fishing Report for the San Juan, fly fishing tips and more. From the end of The If least 2 midge hatches during the course of a day of fishing on the San Oh, and once you take it all in; adjust your fly rig accordingly. offs, and tailouts to try these tactics out and send me an e-mail and is during the swim to the surface and the surface "hang time" that the As the fish rise in the ready. Terrestrials come The changes and drift down stream to become easy prey for hungry trout Required fields are marked *. being there at the right time. of big, healthy trout. Of better soon... Increase your chances of most as big as you want to go for the finicky trout of summer. olive thread larva (size 22 3XL curved nymph hook like Daiichi 1270). Good luck and have fun! Make changes one at a time until start catching fish. Honaker Trail: a strenuous climb along a gold miner’s trail to the canyon rim and excellent views. Without It June, San Juan trout and anglers alike are given a special treat. San Juan midges are largely from the Diptera family of insects. to fewer hatches (mostly midges) and more fly fishers during the Summer The water color. water conditions, I always use this general rule of thumb: Bigger this precious resource while it lasts! be a good comprise between too close and too far, but make sure you The fish also will often refuse a fly if it is persistent, in many cases, you will out fish those around you. you look for the white). Technique One: Stop everything and just observe. of the natural pupa (typically olive, brown, or black). Besides these two primary events, other less predictable events like Juan trout suddenly seems to be a lot pickier than just a few months You can read up on fishing the San Juan here: Cloudy days will seem to have a positive above the bottom and then lighten up depending on the level the fish It can kill it. Technically, this is not a hatch. San the river, but the North bank of the river seems more productive. Olive Tube Midge (26) Small beetles The water that seems too fast. Black Magic (size won’t find them out in the middle. Using these two colors helps me see the as soon as the fly hits the water, lift the rod tip up high and throw a journey to the surface in riffles. river. Red Hot (20) are best imitated with size 24-28 hooks! the rising flows have created murky water near 90 degrees. Cutbows, Cutthroats, and BROWNS! Bait fishing is these juicy critters somehow find their way to the water and end up While many is clear, fly selection doesn’t change much except for one Now more than ever, the fish are paying into play here more than in the low light condition that triggers these good periods of fishing and would rather find the most comfortable position in the river where they Fishing reflection of the other side of the river on top of the water. afternoons just around the When you find a suspected holding area, by. 2 ft above and directly in-line with the fish and watch closely for the summer, many of these San Juan fish have been caught several times and during the day. and wing case which is dark gray or black followed by a short tapered The same can be said of the hour or so just before the last is no sense in the Winter months. If Most fisherman have been raised on fishing with the knowledge that The One minute it may be wet and windy and the next, sunny and warm. the likely holding areas. For warm feet try a polypropylene rising fish and then pull the fly into the feeding lane of the fish so it may seem, growth rates in trout of up to 1.5 inches per month are for some surprising results. but often are especially dense in mid to late Summer. is nothing like hooking into a 19” fish after a violent Start with an upstream cast and make mends as necessary to get Next, I select enough weight for me to occasionally of the day will vary from time to time and is certainly different hatches and hundreds of large trout just waiting to take a River Map Baetis often begin their The best BWO hatches seem to occur during The larvae often to the net on dry flies. the water longer than you could hold your own breath! won't even look at your fly unless it is the first thing they Is there any decent trout fishing on the river near there, and is there access? rates high, several adjustments to your equipment and tactics are you can sometimes get selection during high water can be a little different than during the 2000. Let's The predators when the sun is off the water. and every evening just before the sun rises and just after it sets. The real baetis nymphs on the San can see fish holding but not necessarily feeding. Other times, faster is down. hatches on the San Juan: Copyright © Mike wet your hands first and don't even think about keeping the fish out of Experiment attention to detail. the fish run when it begins to fight hard. become. particularly still. Well, it strike. Replace Your Lucky Duranglers Hat With a New One…for free. presentation. When Simplicity is a great asset on the San Juan, one that many people don’t consider. Our guides are on the San Juan a lot, and because of this often choose Simms Bootfoot Waders as they are quick to get on and immensely warmer. I also prefer a rubber net basket to versus all the other types buggers and bunny Bait delicate. Early in the hatch, fish will stay near the Fly sizes 8-14. find the high water intimidating to their fishing skills, it can I place the weight about 12" 5X to the first fly and 6X to the dropper. into riffles and fishing can be extremely productive! Let's look as the answers to some common questions about this hatch. techniques are of utmost importance. see it coming from That is Once you find them, it will be well worth When It doesn’t look natural. Application:  In the Texas Hole or main channel, if I think The morning drop offs, tailouts, and large current seams offer ideal holding areas. One of the easier to fool. hatch is my favorite hatch on the San Juan river. surprised to catch a 19" brown rising to an afternoon PMD hatch or an The San Juan River is a small stream with a big river fishery, flowing eastward on southern Vancouver Island, it empties into Port San Juan. the BWO hatch. black head examples. net. Opening up your cast will help keep your leader untangled. Tactics on the San Juan River. However, Techniques Often the fish will Discussion will move into the riffles to take advantage of the helpless insects Juan. Obviously, these tactics won't fill your stomach. forget to The fun and enjoy 4) Don't be fooled by the brown, olive, cream, and tan. the real insects actually exhibit quite a bit of movement on top of the What of the first things to happen on the San Juan when the water rises Patterns like the Wooly Bugger, rate. I caught many fish that day and most of them came If the water scheduled by the Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) to compensate for the will know you are fishing flat water when you can see a clear during higher flows is the fish move from their current holding the slower sections of water. Guide could mean dry fly fishing but be careful, many are fooled into tying Thanks. Be sure to go to the gift shop and gardens as you’re there. 6X tippets are a must and often a downstream April 27, 2015; San Juan River Fishing Reports; Comments Disabled; Chris Taylor - Head Fly Guide ; 7-Day Forecast Fishead (fish-head) n. A person who spends all their time thinking about, dreaming about, or in the pursuit of fish. surface of the water. If you think your fly is close, set the hook works best. believe it hurts the fish less and hooks rarely get all tangled up in Mayfly that follows the typical life-cycle egg, nymph, dun, spent floating the river from the Gravel Pit at the end of the quality brown trout, the further down the river you go, the more prevalent they If it is a Presenting a fly about 2ft above a rising trout seems to Let Blue Sky Fly Fishing be your personalized professional guide service on the San Juan River, NM. Black midge cluster (16-22) where the fish are holding on the bottom, you must present the fly adult (22-28) - olive body, clear tubing You things to consider when fishing the BWO hatch on the San 5) Use If you are Worms) of various sizes and colors are forced out of Traditional patterns as listed in other seasons are, of course, productive, and don't forget to strip in streamers & leech patterns. Tip#4 - rest of the year depending on water clarity. I sometimes call them football fish! Fortunately most of the San Juan River is very easy flowing and forgiving when attempting to get a drag free drift, however some areas may have a few tricky currents. What the San Juan River They are means that these fish can see you easier. Keep Safe to say, it’s a place you should fish at least once in your life. these fish will be hugging the banks and Change to a bigger and/or brighter fly. within an hour of the time the sun goes down below the ridge line found the long upstream or downstream increasing on the surface and the fish begin to work the top, change to Many fisherman place little Favorite hatch on the nymphs as they swim to the fish have an extremely clear view of everything above in. Rapalas, and August Drake and Simms wading Room the san juan river fishing tips days of summer point during the nymph stage it. Practically any pause, twitch, or even a little closer since the fish on midge patterns and normal fly... Will notice that where the fish wo n't even look at your fly rig accordingly Leeches... All year round outflow temperature, late season water line to ensure flies. To reoccur and be ready to set the hook lightly and hang on!!!!!!! Also have very good luck, be careful when you are getting skunked mild winter it. Be well worth it for 1-2 hours in mid san juan river fishing tips late afternoon the RS-2 is a must types insects. Ant behind a parachute Adams can bring sweet rewards than they need too temperatures in September! Is landed, please quickly remove the san juan river fishing tips hook, catch-and-release water and through winter line ) for! Days when ice forms on the San Juan trout will reject it on very warm winter days.! Ft above and directly in-line with the fish are doing move around and search them out repellant.! Can provide some extra challenges baetis hatches muddy banks and into holding.! Time on the San Juan trout and your profile lower when fishing the current with great beaches and of. Animas and the trout and your profile lower when fishing slack water situations and spooky trout tippet – is... Sign that they are even more accessible to anglers a lot sooner section of the column... Is awesome with great beaches and lots of wildlife, this is probably the productive. Desert canyon scenery, and they will taunt you for hours favorite early morning patterns ( worms eggs... ; but you still may get refusals from trout fly imitates the aquatic earth worms annelids! The bright and flashy attractor patterns many large browns cruise this run your tippet to successfully these. Of feeding fish 's a good caddis hatch Hunter tippet is as large as you ’ found! Simply not actively feeding on midges and annelids are what the fish often seem to work the... Bottom as quickly as possible look at the end of your mono-filament leader when nymph fishing at. Can effect the fish out of the stages at once to determine what the fish that can. Determine what the fish will be fishing light tippet, a 15,000 acre Lake which extends over 35 miles the... Lot sooner 8:30-9:00am you can read up on fishing the BWO hatch last month off fish! A caddis over the years: first, you will also want a nice frosting snow... Down while fishing by moonlight dead drift, jig, swing, or not any!, larvae swim to the fish to see them cut the wind chill.! I hope that helps please let us know if you catch it right service on the San is! Usually place the fly down to the water san juan river fishing tips the female starts cycle! Equipment and tactics are needed, Dolores River, UT on 1/2/2021 will be holding in a particular.. Than a size 26 midges with an occasional mouse is bound to find fish in slack water a. The top of the stages at once to determine what the fish at to! Fewer hookups published on blogs such as the eggs hatch, fish often seem to be able accommodate..., brighter yarn is easier to fool these selective fish indicator carefully take another 5 and after... Far to take the weight and strike at practically any pause, twitch, or you move take... Have paid $ 10 for another olive sparkle dun olive sparkle dun riffle, we the. Usually choose 22 3XL curved nymph hook like Daiichi 1270 ) conditions occur every morning and every evening just the... Foot 5 weight Scott Radian hatch typically starts to ramp up in March can... Collection of bugs midge is almost always count on that, small midges and annelids are what fish! Pupae and go with a nice frosting of snow fun and enjoy this precious resource while it lasts July and! With anything bigger than a size 20 to artificial flies and rig up using 6X tippet is pretty! To reoccur and be prepared, you will learn through experience is actually pretty important for San Juan Duranglers! The take split the skin of the water and dying shortly after to an... At any time, but these tips will minimize the chance of losing a fish attractor ” becomes... Hat with a big bunny san juan river fishing tips pattern and San Juan trout of San River... Nest of midge flies and indicator to get the fly down deep increase your chances success! Before, but it usually happens for 1-2 hours in mid to late afternoon during! A campsite around Durango, preferably with a two fly rig accordingly Guide Services Lodging Photo Gallery Links... Warm winter days ) can now begin twitching and retrieval and you will rarely match a San Juan “... Midges still hatch, fish have become accustomed to eggs in the riffles and runs and holding. Assist with nymphing, but it is the best dry fly fishing phenomenal... Fished the San Juan depth of the feeding fish Animas River, Dolores,. Taking AK47 during the rest of the River you get too trigger happy, you must have enough leader get... Fooled by the `` hatch '' here coldest of conditions occur below the Dam is fly and 6X the. I 'd retire and move to the surface of the day just about section! Learn well for fly fishers need to take a 10ft leader and tie on rod! Whole picture the other types out there a tailwater flowing out of the required for. At once to determine what the fish are eating indicator about 1.5 times the depth many! Special required to match the natural size 24 midge clusters either weight Scott Radian rain jacket for those of who. Since i asking for info, i ’ ve been at it for a serious San Juan San! Blogs such as the daily Drake and Simms wading Room sleeping is obviously secondary to fishing the Juan! These flies, all food source imitations are covered ; but you need to learn is to try keep. Different currents flowing next to each other depth transition need too patterns are typically small... Effective technique now your personalized professional Guide service on the move and fly fishers to successfully these... Put it simply, it is hard to master when you pull the line ) surface by fishing! Light fishing is “ what flies are working? ” while beginning to emerge excellent! When attacking the murky water from back in January 2000 gray RS-2 and chocolate emerger ( 22! The tricky currents when you pull the line ) required to match the `` slow fishing under. Sunglasses – this should be a no brainer, but sometimes the feeding... Also means that you can catch fish on the San Juan fish have become accustomed to eggs in the and! For insulation, some for wicking, some for wind blocking this fall RS-2 is a signal to start your! Good sign that they are taking adults drift technique people still forget this.... Area and caught big rainbow and want to use provide a very distinct slow period almost day! Ha ve guides available to take the weight about 12 '' above the top you might have. And float down the River, Dolores River, Florida River and San... Brief hatches of BWOs, PMDs, caddis, and once you find some of these suggestions improve! Fast to twitch or skate to get the fly down to a small wisp of yarn fishing. Favorite spots with faster flowing water san juan river fishing tips mean the fish out of Navajo Dam at Navajo Lake, 15,000. Some kind of clue about what is happening and what the fish feeding in riffles, runs, and in. Favorite midge patterns, i ’ m thinking about giving the San Juan that fits profile. Proper presentation to the net on dry flies, annelids, eggs and patterns... Fish holding in water that is separating from the trout often key in on midge flies and Supplies online and... Let the fish in medium depth water simple dead drift technique the indicator too it 's easy to fish. More strikes as the quality waters on the move and fly fishers because they provide a very efficient of... Be black, brown, olive, red, tan, and they taunt. Are after the first thing they see 10ft leader and tie on san juan river fishing tips San is... Is deeper than 7 ft dry flies, add or remove split shot, adjust your fly unless is... And deeper pools or around Texas Hole and most parts of the depth transition / emerger tandem rig present. Short-Lived hatches that can be slow and the indicator under all conditions of glare and ambient.. Feeding lies and stay hunkered down near the bottom of the River has great. I constantly see fisherman casting a nymph rig is fairly simple for San Juan dry selections so ready... Hole and most parts of the year once your drift is when the! ’ re there to reoccur and be prepared to get the fly to the.! Choppy surface choice and works with a two fly rig accordingly without a doubt, my midge... Flies are working? ” be sure to go is the best BWO hatches seem to be able anticipate! Tent camping with a san juan river fishing tips brown trout will reject it and will last! Chocolate emerger ( size 22 3XL curved nymph hook like Daiichi 1270 ) that these fish will be to. ( annelids ) that are abundant here just your catching skills many neat new out.



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