BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
NAVAJO RESERVOIR RELEASES
July 6, 2009
SENT VIA FAX AND E-MAIL
As a result of declining river flows in
the San Juan Basin, the Bureau of
Reclamation will be increasing the
release from Navajo Reservoir to 800
cubic feet per second (cfs) on
Wednesday, July 8, 2009, at 4:00 a.m.
Releases are made for the authorized
purposes of the Navajo Unit, and to
attempt to maintain a target base flow
through the endangered fish critical
habitat reach of the San Juan River
(Farmington to Lake Powell).
The San Juan River Basin Recovery
Implementation Program recommends a
target base flow of between 500 cfs and
1,000 cfs through the critical habitat
area.
This scheduled release change is subject
to changes in river flows and weather
conditions. If you have any questions,
please contact Pat Page at (970)
385-6560 or e-mail
Hot fishing, Hot weather
Capt. Mark Nesbit
July 5, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello everyone, The river is flowing
around 500cfs , the water clarity is 2-3
feet. The upper areas have been fishing
fair to good for me using black or gray
midge pupa's in the early am and
switching over to emerging and adult
midge patterns in black, gray, or black
and gray. All sizes #24-26. The main
channel is fishing good. Above patterns
am and beatis starting mid am. The
T-Hole is fishing fair with #26 midge
emergers early am. The beatis kick in
around mid morning. The fishing has been
good to great in the river from T-hole
on down. I have doing best with brown
beatis patterns #20-22.
The dry fly action is good with fish
slurping BWO's #20-22 and some midge
clustering going on.
The weather is hot and so has the
fishing been.
The mosquito's are thick so wear your
bug spray.
Tight Line's
Mark Nesbit
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
The river is still looking good and
healthy from last months high water
flows. The fishing should remain good to
great.
Target Species:
Trophy Rainbow and Brown Trout
Catch & Release
CATCH & RELEASE
fishing is good. The upper areas hold some of the river's larger fish.
-
Big Macs#18 Olive
and red ribbed
-
Princess flies #16
-
Larva, red, cream, gray, olive, brown #18-24
-
Chocolate Foam wings
-
UFO's #24-26 brown, cream, gray
-
Leeches Gray, black, or olive
-
Zebra midge pupas, and emergers black &
gray with silver wire.#24-26.
Upper flats
UPPER FLATS TO TEXAS HOLE:
Fishing has been good in the upper flats water. The main channel fished OK
from the Southside, not as good on the North side. Bead head Wooly buggers, leeches, and
red larva are working good early am. Gray and choc. foam wings have been
working good.
-
Pheasant tail flash backs
or natural #20-22,
-
RS’2 chocolate, gray
#22-20
-
Black and chocolate midge pupas #24-26
-
Foam wings chocolate, gray #20-22
-
Larva cream, olive, gray, and red #18-24
-
UFO's gray, cream, brown #22-26
-
Bead head pheasant tail #24
Texas Hole & Downstream
TEXAS HOLE to end of the quality waters This area of the river is
fishing good. The mornings are still a little slow . Red larva, eggs and gray or natural bunny leeches has been working.
There is a black midge hatch mid pm.
-
Pheasant tail or wd 40
flashbacks or natural #20-22,
-
RS’2 Brown, or gray #20-22
-
UFO's gray , cream, brown #22-26
-
Foam wings brown, gray#20-22
-
Black and brown midge pupas #24-26
-
Gray, black, or natural bunny
leeches
-
Zebra midge #24-26
-
Red, olive, and gray larva #18-22
Capt. Mark Nesbit
June 15, 2009
San Juan River -
Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello
everyone,
The river is back to
500cfs and water
clarity is around 3
feet. The river is
clean and looks like
the high water did a
great job of
scouring the old
moss out. The ant
fall was last
Thursday. it is
early this year so
we might luck out
and get a second.
Fishing was hot on
ants for the next
three days. The
upper areas Catch
and release to Texas
hole has been good
to great fishing
using #24 black or
gray Krystal flash
midge patterns, ants
and black midge
cluster patterns.
The T-hole on down
has been hot using
dark brown or gray
beatis nymph and
emergers. Rs2's and
foam wings #22. The
fish are looking up
in a lot of the
river so dry fly
action is happening.
Parachute Adams #
20-22 for beatis and
#26 for midge's.
Remember to De-barb
your hook's. The
game wardens pop-out
out of know where,
and will check you.
The river is fishing
good to great, we
had a dozen doubles
today. Get to the
San Juan and get
some.
Tight Lines to all,
Capt. Mark Nesbit
San Juan River
Fishing Forecast:
The
river is looking
great and should be
a great summer. The
lake is fishing fair
to good for small
mouth bass, and carp
on the fly.
Target Species:
Rainbow
trout ,Brown trout,
Smallmouth Bass,
Hello everyone,
The water flow is 500cfs today but will
start going up Tuesday, May 26. The
water will increase by 1000cfs a day
until Friday. The flow will be at
5000cfs. The river gets un-safe for
wading at around 3500-4000cfs. Please do
not take a chance and wade unfamiliar
waters at the higher flows. The fishing
from the boats will be good to great.
Worm and gray # 22 scud patterns should
be the ticket. Red larva's-J's,
Princesses #16-22 will be working. Ant's
red or black patterns #16-20 along the
slow flooded areas where fish will be
looking for terrestrials on the surface.
The first week of high water the fish
will be munching brown earthworm or San
Juan worms #14-18. Egg patterns will be
getting bit. The back channels will be
fishing good . The first week after high
water has dropped to wade able flows is
the best the river has to offer, June
15-23. Don't miss out if you can do it.
Now comes the fishing tales I promised
about our Honeymoon to Cancun, MX. Peggy
and I Were wedded May 5th,2009. Everyone
has a good excuse for a cervezas now on
the 5th. Our wedding took place at pump
house run on the San Juan River, NM in
the day use area. Peggy arrived in the
drift boat with the best man Peggy's
oldest grandson, Juanito, at the oars
and the brides maid, and flower girl in
stow, granddaughters Karma, and Jasmine.
We had the ceremony and reception there,
then Peggy and I Drifted down river at
sun down.
We arrived Sunday the 10th about mid-day
and went and got wet at the pool and had
a pina-colda. The trip to Cancun was
awesome except for the guide from H*#*&*
that I picked thinking he was going to
be good. I had switched from one guide
service to another thinking I was
getting a more professional guide. We
were suppose to go out Monday late
afternoon and early eve trip, but our
guide said that Tuesday and Wednesday
would be much better weather and bite.
Ok, I rolled with that. We had agreed to
meet at 6:00am Tues. at the front of our
hotel. Rodman Hunter our guide and owner
of CancunFlyfishing.com,
Islablancaflyfishing.com or
Cancunsportfishing.com did not show
until 6:20 am. When we got in his boat
the first thing he did was throw a
tantrum about our shoes making scuff
marks in his boat. Should of told us to
take our shoes off before we got in his
boat. We where fishing at around 7:00am
We motored out to the first flat from
his dock area, in Cancun lagoon. Peggy,
on her second practice cast as she was
retrieving it she got bit, the battle
was on. We didn't have a clue what it
was, but after a 10-15 minute battle the
fish surrender to her will and up
appeared a nice two lb bonefish. The one
and only hook-up of the day. Now we
where informed that our lunches and
drinks where back at he dock so we had
to motor back to the dock and pick them
up. Lost a half hour of fishing time. We
went back into a cove of mangroves where
some tarpon where rolling. He used my
flies and leaders and anchored up just
out of our casting range to the fish.
After we killed a fair amount of time
there we motored to the next flat
looking for snook. He would barley get
the boat on plane when we would go from
area to area. At first I thought it was
may be to protect the bottom from prop
chop, but it was to burn up as much of
our fishing time time as possible. A
boat ride. I did have a shot or two at
some nice snook but couldn't make it
happen. When we did see fish the boat
was out of position to make a good
presentation. Rodman, did as little work
as possible to make our trip a success.
He cut the trip short by a hour. The
wind was up all day and we had a rough
one so we where ready to call it a day.
The plan was to meet at the front of our
hotel at 6:00am to go to Isla Blanca
island area for second day. At 8:00 am I
am having the Hotel congeries trying to
locate Rodman. His wife said that he was
a sleep, Rodman said he had been sacked
by the police and that is why he did not
show. I spent that day recovering my rod
and reel, and dealing with the local
police making Rodman Hunter return my
fly fishing gear worth over $1200.00.
Now i am trying to recover the trip
payment of $450.00. Thursday we went out
with Manuel who guide's for Elite guide
service out of Isla Blanca, Mx. What a
difference. Manuel was all about
customer service. He was rigging our
rods as we motoring from dock to area.
As soon as we got to our first spot
Manny handed me my rod and said go
fishing. I did, second cast I had a nice
snook on. I jumped about 4 young poon's
and landed one. Peggy snapped a 8wt.rod
on a larger poon as she was setting and
broke it like a twig. Manny let us play
with the poon's for awhile when he
suggested it was time to go for permit.
Peggy was first up. There was permit
everywhere on this flat. A group of
flats ghost where coming at her. She
makes a nice cast out in front of the
fish and slowly retrieves the crab
pattern. All of sudden you see the fish
race one another for Peggy's
presentation, one grabs it , Peggy gives
it a good strip set and way she goes.
10-15 minutes later she has a really
nice permit to net. E.S.P.N. perfect. I
had a shot or two but I couldn't get it
right. It took two of us, two days but
we did get a super slam. We finished our
day catching cuda's and Peggy caught a
nice snapper that we ended up eating for
dinner that night. The fishing was
incredible and Manuel was really good
and worked for you. We are already
planning on going back. If any-one would
like to join us on our next trip let us
know.
Tight Lines to all,
Capt. Mark and Peggy Nesbit.
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
The river will be fishing
good from the boats the next few weeks
during high water. The first week after
high water will be some of the best
fishing of the year.
The lake smallmouth top water bite is
on. The lake is fishing good.
Target Species:
San Juan River trophy
rainbow or brown trout. Navajo lake
bass, Pike, carp
May 09/09 Fishing Report
Capt. Mark Nesbit
May 9, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello Everyone,
The river flow is 500cfs and water
clarity is 2-3'.
The upper flats and cable hole areas are
fishing good to fair. The flies that
were working for me was a red larva
early am. Then black or gray crystal
flash midge #24-26. and black or gray
scintilla bubble midge patterns #24-26.
The T-hole on down is fishing good to
great from the boat's. I am using #20
chocolate foam wings and dark beatis
nymphs. Black midges late afternoon. The
water flows will increase starting
May,15th. The water flow rate increase
chart is on our web site.
www.blueskyflyfishing.com Peggy and
I are married and heading on our
honey-moon for Tarpon fishing and
margarita's. Check our fishing report
after we return, hope fully it will be
full of fish tales
Tight Lines to all,
Capt. Mark Nesbit
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
The river will be coming up and
San Juan worm's gray scuds, red larva's
and white myissis shrimp #20-22 will be
working.
The lake bite will be hot for Small
mouth bass in the next week or two.
Target Species:
Rainbow and Brown trout, Small
mouth bass
Late April Fishing Report
04/24/09
Capt. Mark Nesbit
April 23, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello Everyone,
The river flow is around 520 cfs. The
water clarity is less that 2' up in
upper area below the dam. The visibility
is close to 5' in the lower river below
death row. The river is fishing good to
great. The upper area been fishing good
with black dark brown or gray midge
pupa, and emerging patterns 22-26. Gray
or black, or dark brown crystal flash
midge patterns #22-26. T-hole down to
death row has been good using the above
patterns early am and beatis around noon
into the mid afternoon. Root beers {trico's},
Fluff Beatis' and pheasant tails#20-22's
mid to late am. Brown or gray RS'2 and
foam wings #20-22's as the emergence
kick's in. There is heads rising for the
beatis now. Olive or gray sparkle dun's
and gray BWO'S #20-22. Some fish rising
to midge clusters, black midge or
griffin's gnatt 318-22 mid am if the
wind is not blowing them off the water.
Below death row has been fishing decent
with the above pattern mid am to late
afternoon.
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
Fishing is just getting
better as the weather improves.
Target Species:
Rainbow and Brown trophy
trout
Easter Sunday Fishing report
04/12/09
Capt. Mark Nesbit
April 12, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Happy Easter to all, The river
flow is around 500cfs. The water clarity
is around 3 feet. The river is fishing
good to great. The upper section has
been good . In the am light colored egg
patterns and cream or red midge larva's
have been good. Mid to late am gray and
black midge pupa's, and emerging midge
patterns #22-24 have been good. Hooked
over a dozen in the mid am a few days
ago on a #24 black juju bee winged
midge. Mid am to mid afternoon small
gray foam wings and black/gray scintilla
midge patterns working well. the T-hole
has been great in the am on the #24
black juju bee. Mid am till late pm has
been hot on #20-22 beatis patterns,
Fluff beatis, root beer's small bead
head trico pattern, flash back pheasant
tails,Chocolate foam wings as the beatis
emerge. Still not many heads rising yet
but that will change over the next week
or two as the water clears and the fish
start looking up. My client the other
day hooked up with 30-40 fish. The
largest being well over 20" and around
4-5 lbs. From the T-Hole on down is
getting better every day fishing the
same pattern as above and leeches in the
slow water. The lower river from lower
flats on down has fished good again with
the above patterns. Navajo lake bite for
big Pike is hot right now. I would like
you all to take a look at my new web
site that my wife to be, San Juan
River's own Peggy Harrell built.
www.blueskyflyfishing.com Let me
know what you think, and what would help
improve it.
Tight line's to all,
Mark
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
The weather will be improving and
the dry fly action will be getting
better. The bass bite will be getting
hot when the water temps rise to the mid
50's
Target Species:
On the river trophy rainbow and
brown trout. On the lake Pike,
Smallmouth bass.
Spring fishing
Capt. Mark Nesbit
March 26, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello everyone,
River flow is 500cfs, water clarity is
2-3 feet depending where your at.
Fishing has been fair to good depending
on location and day, and what flies your
using. White bunny leeches or streamers
#6-10, and black midge emergers patterns
#24-26. Red or orange larva's #18-22,
Black midge pupa's or Disco's #20-24.
UFO's dark brown or cream #24-26.
I've been doing pretty good with beatis
nymph's, and emergers from T-hole on
down to the end of the quality waters in
the early pm. Gray or brown CDC RS2's,
and foam wings, flash back pheasant
tails, WD40's #20-24. Egg patterns still
working some days.
Some flash has been working, Desert
storms, Princess, Green machine #18-24
Tight Lines to all,
Mark,
Blue Sky Flyfishing
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
Weather changed this week for the
worse. Hopefully the conditions will be
better next week. The swallows have
started to show up, which usually means
that the beatis, {Blue Wing Olives]
should start coming off regularly. If
the water clears up and the BW"s get
going, heads should start rising.
Target Species:
Trophy Rainbow and Brown Trout.
Early Spring Fishing Report
Capt. Mark Nesbit
March 11, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello Everyone,
The river flow is around 500cfs, Water
clarity is 2'. The river has fished
better the last few days.
Today, hooked up 8 in about 3 hours.
There is a good black midge #24 hatch
happening mid to late am. From catch and
release area down to three Island run.
Fish are still eating a fair amount of
junk. Seen some fish {grubbing} grabbing
wads of moss and shaking it apart then
eating the larva's and pupa today.
Leeches #6-8 of different colors, olive,
black, natural, and ginger variant are
working. Early to mid pm I have been
hooking up using beatis patterns, gray
RS2, and foam wings #22. Egg patterns of
various colors are still working. Black
or Gray scintilla's bubble midges #24
are working. Black or gray pupa's are
getting bit. From Death row on down has
a good small beatis hatch happening in
the afternoon. #22-24 gray foam wings,
Gray Johnny flashers #22.
Tight Line's to all,
Mark / Blue Sky Flyfishing
March 5, 2009
Hello
Every-one,
The river flow is at 504 cfs. Water
clarity is 2-3 feet depending on how
cold the night time temps are. The
warmer the night the clearer the water,
due to the therm-o-cline rolling on the
lake. Cold water sinks and warmer water
rises. Any ways the river is fishing
fair to good depending on the day. I'll
be honest the days I've been out has
been fairly tough. When everybody has a
strait rod it is more than likely the
fishes attitude. The barometer is the
most dominating factor in how the fish
are on the bite, that you can't control
in fishing. When every-one else around
you is hooking and your not, then that
has something to do with your
presentation, flies, rig length, weight,
location or some thing that you can
change, and make it happen. Anyways, now
that I have this excuse out now, the
truth is one day your working hard for
your hook-ups lately, and the next day
the bite is on, and you can't do no
wrong. I've heard of some real good
days, and some tough days lately. That's
fishing.
What has been working for me is a #24-26
black midge pupa's, emergers, pearl
glass bead heads #24-26 Black Krystal
flash wing midge if you find fish
sipping. Gray midge pupa's, scintilla
bubble midge, Krystal flash wing midge
#24-26, egg patterns of varying colors
and size.
A few on black, or white bunny leeches
#6-10, red larva's #20-24, red hots
#22-24, black or gray zebra midge's. On
some days you will find a few large gray
beatis #20 on the water from the upper
flats to death row. From Simon Canyon
down to the take out has a good small
gray beatis #22-24 in the afternoon.
Gray foam wings and RS2's #20-24, Below
death row #24 gray Johnny flasher's,
eggs and Tav's big mac's #20-22,s
Tight lines to all,
U.S.C.G.Licensed
Capt. Mark Nesbit
Blue Sky Flyfishing
Spring Fishing on the way
Capt. Mark Nesbit
February 23, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello Every-one,
The river flow is 500cfs. The water
clarity is around 3'. The main stay rig
is egg pattern #16-20 to red or orange
larva's #18-24's. There is a good hatch
of small black or gray midges #24-26's
coming off early to mid am. You will
find a few fish rising to midge clusters
#14-22's, very close to the bank's in
2'of water or less. There is a lite
large gray beatis {BWO's} #20's hatch
late am to early pm. You will find a few
fish rising to them T-hole on down.
Over-all as of today most of the fish
are still down deep and looking for junk
on the bottom. Hopefully with the recent
cloud cover and warming' hopefully the
fish will start looking up. Make sure
your hitting bottom fairly often right
now. Gray and black midge pupa's and
emergers #22-24 have been working. Gray
or Chocolate beatis nymph's and
emerger's. CDC rs2, foam wings.
Tight lines to all.
U.S.C.G. Licensed
Capt.Mark Nesbit
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
Spring is coming and so is the
beatis bite. The fishing will just get
better as the weather does.
Tight Lines to all.
Every-one,
The river flow is 500cfs. The water
clarity is around 3'. The main stay
rig is egg pattern #16-20 to red or
orange larva's #18-24's. There is a
good hatch of small black or gray
midges #24-26's coming off early to
mid am. You will find a few fish
rising to midge clusters #14-22's,
very close to the bank's in 2'of
water or less. There is a lite large
gray beatis {BWO's}#20's hatch late
am to early pm. You will find a few
fish rising to them T-hole on down.
Over-all as of today most of the
fish are still down deep and looking
for junk on the bottom. Hopefully
with the recent cloud cover and
warming' hopefully the fish will
start looking up. Make sure your
hitting bottom fairly often right
now. Gray and black midge pupa's and
emergers #22-24 have been working.
Gray or Chocolate beatis nymph's and
emerger's. CDC rs2,foam wings.
Tight lines to all.
U.S.C.G. Licensed
Capt.Mark Nesbit
Capt. Mark Nesbit
February 8, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello Every-one,
The river flow is still at 500 cfs.
The water clarity is 2-3 feet. The
upper areas are fishing good to fair
most days. Eggs #16-20 and red hots#24
in the am with a small black midge
#24-26 coming off mid am. The main
channel is fishing ok with some
spawner's pre- staging before moving
into the upper flats. There has been
a lite beatis hatch early to mid pm
from the upper flats on down to the
take out. A 28" inch rainbow was
caught and released this week in the
lower flats area. The fish ate a
brown shammy worm #18. The warm
weather has picked-up the bite this
last week in the lower waters. Black
Midge emergers or pupa's #24-26,
eggs assorted colors, red larva's
and princesses have been the main
bugs of late.
Tip: If your in the right spot on
the right day you may find the fish
rising. Look to see if you can spot
what bugs are on the water. If you
can't spot any bugs, watch the rise
form. Slow sip emergers or single
adults, big fish. Heads up out of
water and gulping: Fish on midge
cluster's or adult beatis mayflies.
Happy Love day to all. Three weeks
left to receive the off-season
rates.
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Mid to Late winter fishing report
Capt. Mark Nesbit
January 26, 2009
San Juan River - Freshwater Fishing
Report
Hello everyone,
The river is flowing around 500 cfs
and the water clarity is around 2-3
feet. The rainbows are in their
spawn attitude. Sight fishing using
egg patterns in the shallow riffles
is the ticket right know. They are
pairing-up and starting to set on
their reds. You can catch some nice
spawning big fish if you like.
Personally, I leave the paired up
fish alone and go for the fish below
the pair's waiting to eat eggs. So
of coarse egg patterns of different
colors and sizes is the hot fly now,
size #16-20. I like Golden nugget,
light salmon row, apricot supreme or
egg, is some of my favorite colors.
You just have to try and see how the
fish react to it. Remember that egg
size and color can change from
location or date.
There is a small black midge hatch
upper areas in the mid am. Some days
stronger than others. #24-26 black
krystal flash or emerging midge
patterns. Red larva is the main
stand bye thru-out the quality
waters. #16-24's. There is some
beatis(blue wing olives) coming off
early pm, from t-hole on down to
take -out. Bunny leeches and wooly
buggers still working. White,black,
olive, and variant colors have been
working. In the upper areas and
where you are having a decent midge
hatch, midge cluster patterns are
working.
TAKE ADVANTAGE of OFF-SEASON RATES!
BOOK NOW and SAVE. Any Trips or
packages reserved before March 1,
2009 will receive the off-season
rate. Call for info.
Tight Lines to All,
Capt. Mark Nesbit
San Juan River Fishing Forecast:
The weather should start
improving, and the fish should just
get more active. The blue wing
olives should start coming off soon.
Target Species:
Trophy Rainbow and Brown Trout
More Fishing Reports:
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493 cfs
