Releases remained low and water temps high. Early and late when water was cooler seemed to be the ticket. Water from the tributaries got low too and didn’t help the downstream flow.
Pat
Conejos River Fly Fishing Report 08/25/1999
By early August flows from Platoro had dropped to 40-60cfs and the Pinnacles were wadeable for the first time this season. Fishing was good with Caddis or Hoppers on top with a Beadhead dropper {Prince-Copper John #14}. Lots of Browns 13-17″ with an occasional Cutbo to 20″. On 8/4 and 8/16 we fished the Hamilton lease and on the 14th it was slow and we didn’t get a lot of fish but some nice ones. On 8/16 we got over 75 fish thru the lease, mostly Browns and none over 17″. Patterns used were Hoppers. Moths and Caddis with the usual droppers { Caddis emerger-Prince or Copper Johns #14}. Fishing was great in the Pinnacles and above thru the month.
Rio Costilla Fly Fishing Report 07/25/1999
The first half of July was excellent with Stonefly patterns {Stimulator #12}and on low flow days {Fri-Sun.} a dry only worked well and on high flow days {Mon.-Thurs.} we added a dropper {Caddis Larva or Pheasant Tail #16}. Later in July Caddis became the dominant bug especially later in the day. Flows were around 80cfs on high days and 40cfs on low weekends.
Cimarron River Fly Fishing Report 07/25/1999
Flows were around 10cfs for most of the month and water temps got up to 70* on sunny days which made for tough fishing. In July the fish switch their attention to Caddis and fishing a dry Caddis early and late when temps were better produced the best results.. Fishing was poor in July with low flows, high temps and lots of pressure.
Conejos River Fly Fishing Report 07/25/1999
Flows got into a more manageable range {200-400cfs the first reading is from Platoro and the second the flow in Mogote by Broyles Bridge}. The lower river along Hiway #17 was still the place to be with Stimulator # 10 and Green Drake #10 dry flies and Caddis beadhead dropper. By the middle of July flows from Platoro were aroun 180cfs and I fished the Hamilton lease { Private water just below the Pinnacles}and we got some nice fish to 18″ on D&D combos { Stimulator #10 with a #14 Prince dropper}. Wading was tough and the top end of the lease was unwadeable as most of the upper river is at this flow. On 7/27 we fished the lease again at 220cfs and took a bunch of Browns 13-17″ and one 18″ and another 20″er. It slowed down in the mid afternoon and we got the better fish later in the day. The upper section was still not wadeable.
Cimarron River Fly Fishing Report 06/25/1999
On the 1st we spotted the first adult Stoneflies in the lower reaches of the Public water. The Stonefly hatch begins in early June and Stimulator #12-14 are the only flies we needed all month. On the 1st the flow was 1cfs from Eagle Nest but with the addition of the water from tributaries in the canyon the lower end of the Public Water and the Philmont, had a flow of 30cfs and fishing was great. Lots of top water action all month. We fished the Philmont on 6/18 & 6/19 and clients each had 75 fish each on both those days.
Conejos River Fly Fishing Report 06/25/1999
Runoff continued thru the month and best fishing was in the Fly Water along Hiway #17. Nymphing early in the month and later with large {#10} Stimulator patterns with a dropper {Beadhead Prince # 14}.
Red River Fly Fishing Report 05/15/1999
Big snowstorm on 5/3 with lots of wet snow which we desperately need but fishing is over on the Red for a while.
Rio Grande Fly Fishing Report 04/25/1999
On 4/7 the first bugs were spotted in the Pilar area. On 4/9 I fished in Pilar and got a few fish to 15″ but the fish weren’t really on the Caddis yet. I fished alone on 4/12 at John Dunn Bridge in Arroyo Hondo and the fish were a bit more responsive. I fished with a dropper until the sun got off the water and with a dry only after that. I’ve been fishing a TRUDE pattern to help me tell my fly from the zillion others on the water..The last 2 weeks of April were very good in the Box and I was there almost every day either guiding or fishing solo. We didn’t need droppers on most days and fishing was excellent. On 5/3 a late spring storm came thru and killed most of the bugs and muddied up the water.. Over til Fall.
Red River Fly Fishing Report 04/15/1999
As expected the runoff didn’t happen and fishing remains excellent with dries [Caddis/Para-Adams ]and droppers [Caddis and mayfly emergers]. April usually brings high, murky water and fishing is over until the water subsides in June but with our drought conditions it continued unabated thru the month.
Red River Fly Fishing Report 03/15/1999
Weather continued mild and dry.Lots of bugs: Caddis, Stones and Mayflies with the top water action getting better with rising water temps getting into the mid 50*s. Fishing was excellent most days for resident browns [12-14″]. March is one of the best months on the Red especially during this drought cycle we have been in for the past few years and will continue until runoff which I don’t think we will see this year. Patterns are the same as February with more emphasis on the Caddis. On 3/20 I was with a client and we had 2 kayakers come downstream on us and after they passed the action ceased..I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.
Red River Fly Fishing Report 02/15/1999
Continued warm, dry weather and the January pattern continued for the first half of the month. In mid February we saw the first caddis flies and dry fly action picked up on Elk Hair Caddis and Lil Brown Stone. We had good action fishing a dropper about 14″ behind a dry…Best droppers were Caddis larva [green]#14 and Peaking Caddis #12 or a grey Mayfly emerger [Pheasant Tail #14].