After an amazing winter (you California guys know better than most) it’s run off time. Here in New Mexico, it usually starts early May and last 10-14 days. But this year…..
Here we are in June and it’s full tilt. Most of the waters are blown. Even the tail waters are flowing big- the San Juan has been 4500+ for about 2 weeks. However, there’s opportunities if you get up high enough and find water in sections with little gradient.
Most folks think New Mexico is a big desert (it is). But with altitude come water, and with water comes trout.
I’d love to show off some of our beautiful Rio Grande Cutts, but having had a health scare recently, I was only able to score a hall pass if I took it easy, and if someone who had CPR/first aid skills came along. So, rather than going solo as I prefer, my son (combat medic training) and a buddy (a nurse) came along on different days to ease my wife’s worries.
While the water was up and off color, it still fished well using euro style. There were small, yellow hoppers everywhere, and I tried a dry/dropper combo, but the fish weren’t looking up. Fair enough. They were crazy active below, though.
Stream lunch didn’t suck either. Night before, I had grilled up some bluefin from my last trip out of H&M. I always grill extra just so I can make tuna salad sandwiches with the leftovers. Something right and proper enjoying it with a beer on a river a thousand miles away. Though someone, somewhere, ate better than us.
The rest of the day was filled with smelling the scent of high altitude spring, catching fish, and enjoying a little peace. It’s why we fly fish.
Here we are in June and it’s full tilt. Most of the waters are blown. Even the tail waters are flowing big- the San Juan has been 4500+ for about 2 weeks. However, there’s opportunities if you get up high enough and find water in sections with little gradient.
Most folks think New Mexico is a big desert (it is). But with altitude come water, and with water comes trout.
I’d love to show off some of our beautiful Rio Grande Cutts, but having had a health scare recently, I was only able to score a hall pass if I took it easy, and if someone who had CPR/first aid skills came along. So, rather than going solo as I prefer, my son (combat medic training) and a buddy (a nurse) came along on different days to ease my wife’s worries.
While the water was up and off color, it still fished well using euro style. There were small, yellow hoppers everywhere, and I tried a dry/dropper combo, but the fish weren’t looking up. Fair enough. They were crazy active below, though.
Stream lunch didn’t suck either. Night before, I had grilled up some bluefin from my last trip out of H&M. I always grill extra just so I can make tuna salad sandwiches with the leftovers. Something right and proper enjoying it with a beer on a river a thousand miles away. Though someone, somewhere, ate better than us.
The rest of the day was filled with smelling the scent of high altitude spring, catching fish, and enjoying a little peace. It’s why we fly fish.
