Fishing Outlook & Conditions
Water Temp:
42
Chris Taylor, Fisheads of the San Juan's Tip of the Week
The river is running at 329cfs.The cubic feet per second has been changing slightly to maintain flows down river for endangered species habitat, it should remain about this flow until the spring sometime. The changing flows keep the trout moving around and eating well. The water is slightly turbid. The stained water allows us to fish larger flies and tippets. The turbid water in the winter is when most of the biggest fish in the river get fooled! Dry Fly fishing has been good with midges starting around 10am and blue winged olives starting around noon. It is a great time to do some dry fly fishing. We are still catching fish using attractor patterns, bright colored larvae, bunny leaches and egg patterns. There are lots of bugs hatching! So, midge patterns and baetis patterns with flash on them are working well fishing sub surface.
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Water Flow Data
Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby
Fisheads of the San Juan5-Day Outlook as of 12/16/24
The weather this week is sunny to partly cloudy, with highs in the 40's and 50's. Make sure you bring layers of warm clothing as it is cold in the mornings. This weather is producing some great blue winged olive hatches in the afternoons. Streamer fishing has been good in the quality water.
Techniques & Tips as of 12/16/24
Fish fluorocarbon tippets at the end of your mono-filament leader when nymph fishing. 4X to the first fly and 5X to the dropper. This will produce more strikes as the fish can't see the fluorocarbon. Fish an attractor fly like a bunny leach or an egg pattern to a colored larvae or a fly with flash on it. We are finding lots of baetis, especially on cloudy afternoons. Baetis live in fast water so look for them in the riffles at the top of holes and at the bottom of holes in the tail out. Fish are eating gray, olive and brown mayfly nymphs in these places, it just depends on the day so have them all. You may have the chance to see fish on top during this time. A parachute Adams or comparadun should do the job. The may flies are blue-gray and are about size 22. Use dark colored wings as the fish are turning away from white wings. If you can't see this try a marker fly about 12 inches above the baetis. You should fish mono-filament tippets when fishing on the surface as fluorocarbon sinks. Change back to midges when the fish stop eating your may flies. Try some bunny leaches if all else fails. Dead drift them like the rest of your nymphs. Fish are eating them for moss! They will shake the drifting moss to get the bugs out. All this goes out the door when fishing streamers. Get them on the bottom and fish 1X fluorocarbon.
Local Species Available Year Round
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Rainbow and Brown trout
Chris Taylor, Fisheads of the San Juan's Recommended Fly Patterns
"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
Name: | Colors: | Size(s): |
---|---|---|
Vernille San Juan Worm | Brown, Black, Natura | 8, 14 |
Lynch's Double Dot Egg | Orange Blood Dot | 18 |
Griffith's Gnat | Black, Olive | 18 |
Rojo Midge | Gray, Olive, Brown, | 20 to 22 |
Midge Larvae | Gray, Red, Olive, Br | 18 to 24 |
Foam Wing RS2 | Brown, Black, Gray, | 18 to 24 |
Rosenbauer Parachute Beetle | Black | 10 to 24 |
Cartoon Hopper | Gray, Olive, Brown flash! | 4 to 8 |
Bunny Leaches | Black, Olive, Gray, Natural, White | 6 and 8 |
Ants | Black | 12 to 16 |
Chris Taylor, Fisheads of the San Juan's Recommended Gear
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Best Leader:
Super Strong Plus Leaders
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Best Tippet:
SuperStrong Plus Tippet in 30- and 100-meter spools
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Best Fly Fishing Rod:
5-Weight 10' Fly Rod
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Best Floating Fly Line:
PowerTaper WF Fly Line
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Best Sinking Fly Line:
Bank Shot Sink Tip Fly Line