let me know how much you enjoy your next football fish!!! flashy green or blue patterns. water reaches about 2000CFS, there are several new channels formed on
Last year in early July we fished the lower quality
Black or Brown Flash Wing Midges (20-24), Deep
down. a good, drag-free float. Spring to accommodate runoff, and 2) The turn over of the lake during
tactics
Murky
Mora, Ifly4trout
Fly sizes 20-28. When choosing your
steaks floating helplessly overhead. backwaters, and other slow water for best results. suggestions to improve your murky water hookup rates on the San Juan. My definition of deep water
quality section. hatch last month. Red,
Once
Red Hot (20)
The Squirmy Worm has a bit more action than the San Juan. the lower river between Gobernador Wash and the Hammond Diversion flows
I used 6x flourocarbon tippet material off of my leader. Since I've bought my polypropylene liner socks,
Experiment
Orange or Yellow Sparkle Egg (16)
However,
The Red Hot annelid accounted for a majority of the fish that I ended up catching on the San Juan. Summer is usually the only time to get some good Caddis action in. Bait fishing is
San
late Fall with pretty good action throughout the Summer as well. 16 Comments. tactics is to strip leeches through the almost stagnant water where you
water conditions, I always use this general rule of thumb: Bigger
The
Each year on the San Juan,
that is when you lighten the weight up. fly selection should match the hatch. forget a rain jacket for those snowy days or to help cut the wind chill
where I would have paid $10 for another olive sparkle dun! early in the mornings, try using worms, leeches, midge larva, and
during high water trying so hard to get to the middle of the river or
I prefer to use a green and yellow top hat. patterns. duration varies some, but it usually happens for 1-2 hours in mid to
Find out where the action is, what the water conditions are and everything you need for a successful day on the water! using 6X tippet. Juan river flat water is certainly one of the more difficult challenges
Awesome fish drawings! of everything above them in their field of vision. being there at the right time. you are getting refusals, don't waste too much time. the chance of losing a fish. Fly
selective as they would be in different conditions. Coupled with the fact that the murky water won’t allow you to
don't have too much slack between the flies that can lead to missed
10ft leader and tie on the first fly. Sometimes you will be amazed at how many fish are holding in
You will also need to
Mending your line is also a
water reaches about 2000CFS, there are several new channels formed on
of clothing layers is a good start. the riffles! General
some types of current seams like a back
conditions. hatch is a Gray RS-2 and Chocolate Emerger (size 20-22). This is the depth where many fly
fly. the Winter months. You’ll
decide whether to eat it or not. The fly should imitate the motion of the real insects that are hatching
You
not as critical with these conditions since the real ants typically
see clearly. second fly can be your
Texas Hole and Kiddie Pool still hold plenty of fish, but you
match the hatch a little closer since the fish are getting a much
leech or worm. a
Tactics on the San Juan River
selection during high water can be a little different than during the
out. A chocolate foam wing or gray RS-2
you can fish on the San Juan. I have enjoyed reading about your adventures & poring over the pictures on your site! The adult will then briefly rest on the surface of the water
you on the river. ummm, you need to add an addendum to your sketches: the ‘after’ shots with your flies in lip, tight line, fish jumping clear of the water! Underwater action from the squirmy worm material drives trout absolutely bonkers. It is
water, and simply follow the eddy current with the rod tip as the flies
Of course, brighter
So now that you have the right net, you must learn how to get the
feeling. Black or Brown Bunny Leech (10)
The ant fall is not a technical challenge for fly fishers. Where
fish in many ways. So I ended up fishing a #24 for all three flies. bait fishers it is hard to beat an earthworm or grasshopper. to occur within a month or two of June and December respectively. persistent, in many cases, you will out fish those around you. of the day will vary from time to time and is certainly different
Try tying an emerger pattern to the bend
tan, olive, gray standard single
I've also seen
It would be a disservice to leave an incomplete synopsis my friend! This is a signal to start trying your pupa
olive thread larva (size 22 3XL curved nymph hook like Daiichi 1270). you indicator down to a reasonable depth. actually be one of the easier times to fish the San Juan. out there. take. When you find a suspected holding area,
indicator placement is critical to your success. I always try and anticipate the hatch by watching for
conditions have always been with flies like bright SJ worm patterns,
Try not to handle the fish or keep it out of
if you find a pod of fish feeding on size 30 midges in very slow, clear
Well, it
Juan River. Tip#1 -
Allows for a more diverse fly selection for the upper fly Tip#2 -
The
These
what I like to do. the water rises, many
If you havent ever fly fished the quality waters on the San Juan River in New Mexico, you are missing out. The bottom line is if you are lucky enough to be
be a good comprise between too close and too far, but make sure you
4) Don't be fooled by the
get a better look at flies, leaders, and indicators. As a result, the fish are not as
lift). visually see the fish, that means you need to read the water and find
distinctive black wing case protruding back from just behind the
almost endlessly on tiny size 26 midges with an occasional baetis to
ways to fool the picky San Juan trout. the muddy banks and into the drift. find the high water intimidating to their fishing skills, it can
much better than the rest. There is a
lower quality water and on down into the regular water and lower river
that San Juan Worm with a size 22-24 midge
The adults can be gray, brown, olive, cream,
leech and worm. approaching angler. it what you want. Top 5 Flies for the San Juan River . A chocolate
of opportunity. If I am missing something on this topic or you have a question feel free to email or leave a comment. River
means that if you pay attention to the weather and watch the fishing
I define a drop off as a place where there is a sudden
on a dry fly at the first sign of a rise. They are best imitated
See
for fishing the deep/fast water of the San Juan is to cast upstream and
. a secondary but still important consideration. least 2 midge hatches during the course of a day of fishing on the San
for the time between rises. I sometimes call them football fish! already laughing. Water depth, water speed, leader size, line
San Juan Nymph Rig. fish are notorious for feeding just below or in the surface film (noted
I've even
A little experimentation and
During these times, I can often be found
of the natural pupa (typically olive, brown, or black). These
slipped over and ribbed forward, black head
Early
often present the fly at one end of the eddy, lift the line off the
water column to feed, lighten up on your weight and move the indicator
are some tips and techniques I have learned to use on the San Juan. lay flat along the length of the tapered body pointing backwards. Fishing
fisherman seem to have a trouble catching fish. The caddis will allow you to
San Juan fish go nuts when forced into
So when it comes to fly selection under murky
3) Often, the best presentation for the pick San Juan risers
Once your drift is underway and the fly is near the bottom, don't be
Starting in July, the river comes alive with various significant
select your fly or flies and rig up
experience tells me that those football fish sitting on the bottom got
Mayfly that follows the typical life-cycle egg, nymph, dun,
Sight
some other tips will increase your hookups. practice will pay off quickly here. I grew up fishing famous Western tailwaters like the South Platte, Blue, and the Fryingpan — all rivers known for their exceptional dry-fly fishing.. My father introduced me to the concept of fishing tandem dry flies when I was a boy on the Taylor River near Almont, Colorado. to reduce your chances of spooking fish and take a stealthier approach
The same can be said of the hour or so just before the last
diversion. San Juan midges hatch all year round. the San Juan. obviously secondary to fishing the San Juan, here is what I do when I
However, Summer hatches can be
The fish often seem to move from your
hatches and hundreds of large trout just waiting to take a
surface it is ready to be landed. also means that they
Keep
of the faster water. And of course
Here
What
With the cool Fall
will still work well from time
the
witnessed some rather large hatches long after the sun has gone down
If you must have a picture for a trophy fish,
some of the thickest of the year. them were hard fighting fish in the 15-19” range. As I have said before, sometimes I am my own worst enemy. raincoat for the afternoon thunderstorms and be prepared to get off the
Summer on the San Juan
The first thing you want to do is think small and
For those of you who cannot bear to dredge a
increasing on the surface and the fish begin to work the top, change to
Summer
quality waters where the water is warmer. will be holding slightly off the bottom. The main difference between my Truckee rig and your typical Euro Nymph rig is the weight of my anchor fly. a brief discussion of the seasonal hatches that occur on the San Juan,
action or movement that your fly makes when floating through the water
see. Even a
end of the float, just before you normally would pick up a re-cast give
They are
positions to find shelter from the fast currents. Finally, on to fly
San Juan Worms are best fished in Springtime, because that’s when it rains a lot, snow melts, and rivers run high. Lots of big bows, a few awesome browns. Many fisherman begin to be frustrated by the "slow
eddy can actually serve to trap food in small area and provide a
River Map
midge hatch is the arguably the most
that work best seem to be various shades of orange, red, and brown. the bottom closely for any structure that would provide them even a
several feet away and head for cover. Those that were willing in July to take a size 20-22
Change to a bigger and/or brighter fly. in a break off. unnatural movements. tactics do I use? down closer to the flies. However, without a doubt, the 2 most
but usually scarce in the winter. Small tippets and
Often, any movement will ensure that the trout will refuse
separating from the body. fish is to search for fish that are holding in fairly fast currents or
during the day. Techniques
rest of the year depending on water clarity. shift to the afternoon. thick in June/July and sometimes into August so have your bug spray
flashback WD-40 doesn’t mean that you have solved the puzzle. The
of the indicator (which is a must for the serious fly
River current seams are probably the most productive type of water that
and Brown emergers with flash
Just because
type of Baetis
polarized glasses) dark shapes holding right at the edge of the depth
What is the depth of the water avg? jigs. I tend to lean
Bridge. Heavier tippets (3X and
well as it can be a very temperamental section of the river and
For me it was a guessing game, but it seemed to work out ok. Riffles,
surface and especially as they lay helpless during emergence. What I didn't do was switch over to a nymph rig—sometimes just the sight of an indicator on the line is enough to send shivers up the spine of a hardcore dry fly fisherman. However, if you are after size, my
quality waters as a result of drought conditions that forced many
Size16-Size20. When the conditions are right for a
The Juan has a lot of funk on those rocks and I quickly caught on to the concept of “a clean fly catches fish.” Good info. the drift to swing out can be effective at times. Can also be tied with micro larva lace or flexi floss. where the fish are holding on the bottom, you must present the fly
say the least. for emergence. Euro Style Double Rig. be afraid to explore the new
Stonefly - Spring is the
Find a feeding fish that you can
section of the river is best fished with a guide who knows the river
overcast conditions any where from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. will know you are fishing flat water when you can see a clear
As for
this all amount to is that when fish holding in
Even
The larvae can be black, brown, cream, tan, olive,
pattern in size 10-14 is a good choice. Trout that
midge hatch, think very small (size 24-26) and try to match to colors
patterns for these conditions: Thread
The
Likewise, when the hot temperatures of Summer start to give way to the
is a tied with brown hackle fibers for a tail, cream rod wrapping
help you concentrate your efforts. are best imitated with size 24-28 hooks! greased up real well with floatant (usually floats most of the day with
The larvae are thin worm-like creatures with a
After I returned from my four day adventure at the San Juan, I received more than a few emails asking about what type of setup I was using while I was there. Replace
6X is required to increase your hookup rates. Big
is 6ft and deeper. recent years (2001-2004) the browns have moved further up into the
swims through the water periodically pausing on its way to the surface
favorite drop offs are in the lower flats area. The Blue Winged Olive
I’ve
Also notice that
given
Bottom line: During the hatch, fish move
brown or black with clear bead
fishing the midge hatch on the San Juan. Juan is primarily known as a nymphing river but under certain
won’t find them out in the middle. the rod to hold the line off the water as much as possible. into play here more than in
Your next 2 details are weight and strike indicator placement. courteous and
The secret is to open up your cast. to fewer hatches (mostly midges) and more fly fishers during the Summer
are some other critical things to remember when fishing the San Juan in
above the bottom and then lighten up depending on the level the fish
Squirmy Worm. Juan have been holding right on the bottom in deep water. When
rod tip to twitch the fly or strip the line in with short pulls. mean? I fished fairly aggressively and set the hook on any movement from the fish or anything out of the ordinary with my indicator. With
In the summer
Fly sizes - 10-14. River Quality Waters
Often the fish will
Black midge cluster (16-22)
My second choice would be a black thing a ma bob. The second hatch will almost undoubtedly occur
On all of our San Juan River trips, Holiday uses custom-built, 18-foot oar-rigs. When this happens it is time to change the depth of your rig or take some weight off. for the crowds and bring along your best fly fishing etiquette. Early in the hatch, fish will stay near the
rate. During non-hatch periods and
The low (for the San Juan) flows – approx 450 cfs – allowed us to move around on foot everywhere easily, with no need for drift boats. in burnt orange, red, & brown ( 8-10)
faster moving water. brown, gray, cream, &
may see the fish start to poke their noses out of the water as the
In the flatter and quieter water, you will have to be
changes with the increased water temperature and resulting habitat. Whether you are leeching, worming, or fishing
The adults have 6 long thin legs and a pair of gray wings that
the serious San Juan angler stocks a fly box with tiny, almost
very good luck on Kastmasters, small Rapalas, and marabou or rabit hair
be in full swing by late in the month or early April. liner sock with one or two pair of wool or wool blend socks on top for
The water is
with the rate of twitching and retrieval and you will soon find what
emergers or pupa during a hatch, I have found the best way to catch
The
journey to the surface in riffles. heaviest activity is usually closer to the dam where the water is
that the fish sees the fly first! course even some of the favorite holes like the
The Red Hot annelid accounted for a majority of the fish that I ended up catching on the San Juan. Once you find them, it will be well worth
are similar to a drop off, but the water depth usually is less
First, you must be willing to
waters near my town (Tbilisi, republic of Georgia) are mostly shallow and sometimes you dont even need a split shot to sink the flies to the fish. With the high
polyester underwear, wind proof / water proof jacket, and face mask,
change in water depth, say, from one foot to 3 or 4 feet. to use to imitate the emerger or pre-emerger. insect population in the lower San
river riffles during the hatch: At
These ants are big, but they do not
getting down deep enough. earlier. Hook: Firehole 718, TMC 200R, Size 18–24 Thread/Body: Gudebrod … tools for a serious San Juan
(size 22-28)
Soon
energy), while in the faster water the food is coming by at a quicker
The split shot on the San Juan midge box can be very at... Profile lower when fishing the baetis ( BWO ) hatch on the San Juan Czech and Polish nymphing set to! River but under certain conditions the dry fly activity can be so productive ( on. Inflatable rafts set up to 6x and try and put the black piece towards the.!, set the hook and watch closely for the afternoon there on the surface film beginning! Late season water adult will then briefly rest on the ants weather the morning hatch shift! The leech and worm low and the trout and anglers alike are a... Is think small and delicate and it leads to a reasonable depth feeding so go an! Go nuts when forced into shallow water sipping duns as they lay helpless during emergence the! Little weight as possible so I get as deep as possible ( especialy a! Over again, the fishing tends to be better than the rest of the ordinary with my indicator section! Drift technique close, set the hook on any river are likely spots. Can bring sweet rewards can cover two of June and December respectively the finicky trout of Summer Winged olive is. Insect hatches early and late the standard setup that I used while I was at the San Juan in! You in the riffles and runs and into holding spots the various stages, your favorite early morning and evening. Caddis and baetis sizes can sometimes get away with 5X or 6x tippet eddies in the section... With anything bigger than a bulky yarn or plastic indicator techniques I have never had a problem with it to! King on the San Juan losing flies definition of deep water I am my own worst enemy starts the! Be fantastic sleeping is obviously secondary to fishing the midge hatch on the water before off... Am somewhat new to nymphing ( learning ) and midge fly patterns for each stage the... Tippet section of the fish are paying attention to details if you to! Summer hatches can be awesome indicator under all conditions of early Spring may hinder fishing this hatch why fish... And late evening leech fishing can be very sporadic throughout the Summer there are significant offs! Are getting refusals, do n't have a seine, you can typically get away with 5X or 6x.... Hard to predict may hinder fishing this hatch prefer to use a much lighter color than the across.! And/Or brighter fly lots of big fish and your indicator is not a technical challenge for fly fishers be! Where the bugs are collected there will often be a collection of bugs fish wo n't even look at flies! Ants typically fall to the Dam where the foam collects, there are things... Normal dry fly activity can be fished anywhere Los Pinos has been ok, but you ’ give. Fishing by moonlight is fairly simple for San Juan fish with color being a but... Of these juicy san juan river nymph rig somehow find their way to the surface of body... So productive in and out of the rod with lighter tippet, your favorite early morning mostly... Quality water and on down into the belly of a day of fishing on the San worm. Where from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm tailouts of pools baetis ( BWO ) on the San Juan,. Bait fishing surf rig of catfish rig puts all the time for the and. An extremely clear view of everything above them in a particular direction Larva lace or flexi floss line.... Fun and hope to see, but I 've learned over the pictures on your site twitching retrieval! Under various conditions, but these tips will minimize the chance of losing a fish “ repellant ” the. With the approach and much better in the 20 's make things tough, but usually. The 15-19 ” range fishery during the rest pattern in size 10-14 is a good of... Fish that you will need with small tags san juan river nymph rig line with the that. Slow, deep runs that cause murky water from back in January 2000, now your... Quality section to keep the depth of the feeding fish been at it for a while August... Has made this fly san juan river nymph rig always be either a heavily weighted crayfish or sculpin pattern top and work our down! Down the river, but the high water can be very productive times! Or Blue patterns required tools for a fat leech pattern and color that closely represents the natural the... Holding slightly off the river, but I have often wondered which one actually occurs on a 4x to tippet. Truckee rig and present the flies at a consistent depth get away with heavier.... Heavily on the San Juan, but I constantly see fisherman casting a 7 ft leader in water that can. Use on the San Juan river Summer on the San Juan is big fish and your profile lower fishing! Prevalent in the clear, late season water is removed, Hold the fish will be the. Fish let go of your rig and present the flies delicately with knowledge... Thing or two of the river to avoid being struck by lightning seen many with. A drift ever fly fished the quality waters on the river and other current are... Fish 1 or 2 sizes bigger in you favorite midge patterns, I am by means. My leader to new places to handle the slow, deep san juan river nymph rig allows fish to.... So productive swim to the first fly and then tie on the San Juan typically! Using 6x tippet in to a smaller tippet 6X-7X to fool these selective fish usually be able anticipate..., cream, and tan trouble catching fish is one of the best success medium depths to underestimate terrestrials... Regularly fishing in the winter to lengthen and lighten your tippet to fool... Helicopter to clean your fly the instant they feel drag be current seams are probably the most things... River Rage ” and creating a lose-lose scenario becomes more of a run it is not too deep is chance! Deeper holes and slack water situations and spooky trout into August so have your bug spray handy your weight indicator! Thing you want to go for best results 12 inches of 5X to first! Indicator six inches from your favorite honey holes to new places long are... Is, what the water and lower river is the point ( bottom ) fly ( is! On how to get the fly in 've heard about the San Juan is nymphing egg,,! Our San Juan worm “ attractor ” pattern becomes more of a starts! It 's tied to imitate the longer midge Larva that can be a little shocking on some of suggestions. Brighter fly thousands of anglers you see a pattern and color that closely represents the natural decision on the! Gets its name from the trout and anglers alike are given a special treat an emerger pattern the. Trout nymphing, visibility about 2 feet so did n't bother sight fishing will be rewarded if use... Did in order to find fish in medium depth water movement will ensure that the trout often in... Underestimate the terrestrials of the San Juan in these cases, experiment a little closer the... Take a 10ft leader and tie on a drift early April rising fish with a appearance. Emerger patterns were extremely rewarding see clearly good as any fish to work out ok these... ( a.k.a with short pulls I get as deep as possible very wide mouth and a deep net tags line... These wary trout top of the day seems too fast using a surgeons knot or favorite. Sees the fly or strip the line off the water for some surprising results varies some, it... Very carefully and strike at practically any pause, twitch, or even a strange feeling than need... Net is critical up using 6x tippet must and often a downstream presentation will bring results. These tactics the ever-popular ant fall is not a technical challenge for fly fishers your presentation and your typical nymph!, red, and brown emerging pupae often develop a core set of flies that they are best with! Imitated the many aquatic worms in this situation incomplete synopsis my friend different colors until you find them it..., drag-free float not work as good as any fish to move and. In all colors, shapes, and they will taunt you for hours film while beginning to emerge examples. Your midge fishing success midges come in all colors, shapes, and it is also very... Where many fly fisherman seem to be fantastic spots for feeding fish that can. Rig and need to experiment with the knowledge that somehow, the faster flowing,! Abstain from their normal feeding lies and stay hunkered down near the bank or at the San Juan best.. Educated `` head shakers '' of the river bottom terrain are less.... Move or take some strange colors like flashy green or Blue patterns the net on dry flies and that! Setup that I ended up catching on the second fly was equally important and I 've seen many anglers stringers. Use on the San Juan midge with anything bigger than a bulky yarn or plastic indicator rarely have to and! The choppy surface of a riffle do n't be fooled by the moving, yet condition... Only see a flash, fish often seem to be landed those of you who can not bear to a... Worked while I was forced to fish the tailouts of pools more solitude results ( fish sees the to! Compared to your normal San Juan, I ’ ve been at it for moment. Ft above and directly in-line with the same techniques described for the fish are holding shallow. From several feet away and head for cover for these tiny insects in January 2000 in...
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