Just a note to all anglers coming up to the Juan this winter and need a “Boat Shuttle”. Kelly and John are running shuttles all winter but need you to call for a reservation. The best bet is to call the evening before or prior to 7:30 AM before Kelly leaves for her job at the Post Office. Current Shuttle Cost are Texas Hole to Gravel Pit; $7.00 for Carded Guides and $12.00 for Private Anglers.
Contact Information: Kelly & John’s Shuttle, San Juan River 505-787-5361
SEL San Juan River Fishing Report:
Winter weather has the San Juan seeing less anglers over the past few weeks. Morning lows have been below average, plenty of sunshine and much of the snow remains along the river making for postcard pictures. Luckily, most roads leading to the San Juan are in good shape to completely dry. Dress in layers and put on the sun blocking lotions because you’ll have large sections of the river to yourself on these winter days.
It seems that the lake has turned and thus the off color dictates a change in fly choices. Anglers are having success with winter nymph rigs including brighter colored egg patterns. Streamer fishing should be considered as well.
Anglers fishing above Texas Hole to the dam have been doing well with midge patterns – both pupa and larva. Size 20-26 in red, cream are great choices and don’t forget to switch out as the morning ends to a chocolate or grey emerger. Midge cluster patterns should be at the ready – just in case.
Texas Hole to Gravel Pit has seen some great float and wade days of late with Midge hatches kicking off from just before lunch and lasting for a few hours. Plan on having that PowerBar lunch packed in your vest! You don’t want to be in your truck eating a cold sandwich while the rest of us are still on the water having great dry fly action.
Boat anglers are also doing very well casting those streamers. Guides can fish where they want this time of year and many are working the drifts from the center of the river. As we keep saying… don’t overlook the new structure put in by NM Game & Fish from Simon Canyon down…. very big browns are being pulled out from behind a lot of those rocks now on both drys and streamers!
Got out last Saturday with my buddies Tom Cole and Moffatt Man and we had a great day. It warmed up to a whopping 48 degrees and everyone caught fish! Started on streamers and move a few fish but none of us could hang on to them for long but some very nice acrobatics! There was no hatch to speak of except the ever present tiny midges. We all switched over to nymphs, (cream egg on top and a Bear’s emerger on bottom) then plenty of fish to the net. We pulled the boat out in the dark so a great day for all.
As always, should you have any questions or want more detailed information call or e-mail us and we will do our best to get you the answers. Like we say, do not just read the SEL Fishing Report… Get your Fly Rod in hand and fish the San Juan. Soaring Eagle Lodge would be pleased to host you and our Winter Special is now in full swing.
Tight Lines, Larry Johnson
Adrian Perez 12/04/10
As we move closer to the winter Holidays the river is seeing less and less pressure. Fortunately for us our trout do not take the Holidays off and the fishing has been stellar these last few weeks.
Anglers fishing above Texas Hole to the dam have been doing well on a variety of midge patterns both wet and dry. Working early mornings until noon is Midge Larva, size 18 in Red and Cream on top with a point fly, midge pupa, size 24 and 26 in Grey, Black and Chocolate. As soon as you see some tailing fish on the surface take off the midge larva and substitute a foam wing emerger size 22 in Grey or Chocolate, (Tav and Bear’s patterns are working very well). On cloudy days the Blue Wings will be prolific so have some very small Adams or BWO Parachute Extenda Body, size 24 or 26. If you cannot see the very small point fly, we have been recommending a double rig with two dry’s, one about an 18 or larger on top and the tiny dude on the point or end fly.
Texas Hole to the Take Out, fishing both with boats and wading have been doing very well with both Midge and Baetis patterns. Nymph fishing has been very good in the morning with the soft light but reports say the fish are getting picky in the afternoon when the sun is high, for the water is still pretty much gin clear. A spool of 6x Fluorocarbon is still a must for fishing right now. Boat anglers are also doing very well with Streamer Fishing to the banks. Being the slow time of year there is very little boat traffic. Guides can fish where they want and many are holding slow drifts from the center of the river so both anglers may slam every nook and cranny on the banks. As we said in our last report, don’t overlook the new structure put in by NM Game & Fish from Simon Canyon down…. we are seeing some very big very big browns being pulled out from behind a lot of those rocks now. This is being achieved with both dry’s and streamers!
I was able to sneak out this Sunday with my buddy Jeff and it was dry fly all day. We fished from the Texas Hole to the Take Out and fish were rising in almost every run down the river. It was unseasonably warm that day with temperatures in the low 60’s with a faint cloud cover for most of the day. I fished mostly BWO patterns, doing the most damage was a size 22 grey extenda body parachute. I caught 2 Rainbows and the rest were Browns. Jeff seemed to have all his luck with a small Griffith’s Nat that was clipped flat on the bottom to the bend of the hook. This was emulating the midge clusters and most of his fish were Rainbows but he did hook one very large Brown in the 20” range just before we pulled off in the new structure. I am pleased to report when we hit the turn on Baetis Bend there must have been 500 plus little dudes raising to the midge… we left these little guys alone but it was a sweet site to see so many fish in our river.
As always, should you have any questions or want more detailed information call or e-mail us and we will do our best to get you the answers. Like we say, do not just read the SEL Fishing Report… Get your Fly Rod in hand and fish the San Juan. Soaring Eagle Lodge would be pleased to host you and our Winter Special is now in full swing.
Tight Lines, Larry Johnson
Well it looks like winter is now upon us. Day time temps are in the low to mid 40’s and the high teen’s low 20’s in the evenings. The river has quieted down and for all you anglers that love the Juan but also like your solitude now and over the next few months is the time to fish. At this time of year you are almost guaranteed to get your favorite hole all to yourself.
Anglers fishing above Texas Hole to the dam have been doing well on a verity of midge patterns both wet and dry. The mornings have been productive with a nymph rig using Midge Larva size 18 in Red, Beige, and Olive with a midge pupa, size 24 and 26 in Grey, Black and Chocolate tied on as the point fly. As you see fish eating on the surface, change out the midge larva for an emerger size 22 in Grey or Chocolate. On cloudy days the Blue Wings will be prolific so have some very small Adams, size 24 or 26 and if you cannot see a fly that tiny, them then try a tandem rig with a big Ant on top with about 8 to 10 inches of 6x with the small Adams as the trailer. Use the Ant as an “Indicator” if you see it move you know they ate the Adams!
We had a client out this weekend with this rig and reported he was getting as many fish eating the Ant as the Adams?
Texas Hole to Crusher Rock, anglers floating and wading have been doing very well with both Midge and Baetis patterns. Nymph fishing has be very good in the mornings with the soft light of this time of year but reports say the fish are getting picky in the afternoons when the sun is high for the water is still pretty much gin clear. A spool of 6x Fluorocarbon is almost a must for fishing right now. Boat anglers are also doing very well with streamer fishing to the banks. Steve Stone one of our Chefs landed a 27 “ Rainbow last week while yours truly was on the oars! On cloudy days we are seeing a dry fly fest from Lunker Alley, Baetis Bend, almost all the way down to the Crusher Rock. Don’t overlook the new structure placed by NM Game & Fish from Simon Canyon down….for we are seeing some very big snouts popping out behind a lot of those rocks now.
Should you have any questions or want more detailed information give us a call or send an e-mail and we will do our best to get you the answers. As we always finish.. do not just read the Soaring Eagle Lodge Fishing Report… we are open all year and our Winter Special starts next week so book a few days with us and get your Fly Fishing solitude fix.
Tight Lines, Larry Johnson
Fishing Report 11/04/10
The weather has finally changed and brought us more traditional Northwest New Mexico Autumn temperatures. We have been fishing in shorts right up to the last week in October but now back to normal. We are seeing crisp mornings with sunny days with temps in the low to mid 60’s. The river is still very clear with most anglers fishing 5x and 6x fluorocarbon tippet to fool those wily San Juan River trout. Anglers wading up by the dam are doing well with Red, cream Midge Larva, size 18 & 20 on the top fly and Black, Grey and Chocolate Midge Pupa, size 24 & 26 on the point in the mornings. As soon as you see tailing fish during the mid day hours to late afternoon, it is best to switch off the larva to an emerger pattern, size 22, Bear and Tav’s foam wings have been giving some very good results. Dry fly action has been good in this section from mid afternoon until the end of the hatch. Again, productive patterns are any midge, Baetis flies, small midges and parachute Adam have been working well, size 22 – 26. These also work well on cloudy days.
Anglers down river from the Texas Hole have been doing well from the boats and wading using the same patterns, except a little larger in size 22 -18 and do not over look the Streamer Fishing. The Browns are just about ready to spawn and some nice browns have been landed on Black and Olive Wooly Buggers. Afternoon dry fly action has been strong at Baetis Bend and the new structure from Simon Canyon to Last Chance Riffle. Midge and Baetis patterns are doing best and most action is from about 1 to 5 pm time frame.
River flows have been constant at about 485 to 500 cfs and the BOR expects these flows to continue until the spring runoff next May 2011. As always instead of just reading a fishing report… come out to the San Juan River and see for yourself, it would be our pleasure to host you and your group here at Soaring Eagle Lodge.
Tight Lines, Larry Johnson
Owner: Soaring Eagle Lodge
Soaring Eagle Lodge is now “Taged” on Google Maps. Just go to Google and click Maps. Type in Soaring Eagle Lodge, New Mexico and click enter and it will take you right to our location on the satelite image. Get great driving directions and a link to our web site. We would be most appreciative if you have visited us lately to click review and write a little something.
Tight Lines, Larry Johnson
The BOR announced in October that they will drop flows from the mid 600 CFS to a constant flow of 500 CFS, below Navajo Dam. This flow of 500 CFS should remain in tact until the Spring Release some time early May 2011.
Tight Lines, Larry Johnson
