Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums  

Go Back   Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums Parker Forums Foto Fridays

Notices

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
San Juan or More Trout Lives Matter
Unread 06-09-2020, 09:34 PM   #1
Member
Bruce Day
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Bruce Day's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,993
Thanks: 552
Thanked 15,605 Times in 2,666 Posts

Default San Juan or More Trout Lives Matter

After the Green River in Wyoming and Utah we traveled south to northern New Mexico and the San Juan River, another blue ribbon trout stream that is notoriously hard to fish. The water is clear coming out of the Navajo Dam and rich in nutrients and insect life .

We did well, many rainbows each day from 12 to 18 inches and some in the 20-22 inch range.

We use a 5 wt rod ( I use a bamboo rod) with a 6x Tippett. The fish are cautious and we use midges of 24,26 and 28 size. Thus a heavy trout can easily break the line or straighten the hook. They are hard to tempt and hard to land. One of our crew brought into the net a 31 inch Brown. That is the fish of a lifetime.

Every time I go there I learn more. These trout can be difficult and subtle.





B
Bruce Day is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-09-2020, 11:09 PM   #2
Member
Shane Jennings
Forum Associate
 
Shane Jennings's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 126
Thanks: 255
Thanked 218 Times in 61 Posts

Default

Nice! Those San Juan fish definitely have a PhD in recognizing drag.

That brown is a toad.
Shane Jennings is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-09-2020, 11:36 PM   #3
Member
Dean Romig
PGCA Invincible
Life Member
 
Dean Romig's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 31,562
Thanks: 35,442
Thanked 33,042 Times in 12,322 Posts

Default

It’s loads of fun but such light tackle can stress a hooked fish to the point of no return. A 6x tippet is fine but I would choose a heavier rod. Darn nice fish though and that big one pictured would be a trout of a lifetime for all but the hardest of the hardcore trophy anglers.





.
__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."

George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
Dean Romig is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-10-2020, 08:05 AM   #4
Member
mobirdhunter
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Garry L Gordon's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,650
Thanks: 13,085
Thanked 9,471 Times in 3,042 Posts

Default

Great photos! Great fish! I remember fishing the San Juan years ago. We had a guide, or I'm sure we would not have caught any fish. My best memory was that the air temperature was in the 90s and the water temperature was in the upper 30s. A surreal experience.
__________________
“Every day I wonder how many things I am dead wrong about.”
― Jim Harrison
"'I promise you,' he said, 'on my word of honor, I won't die on the opening of the bird season.'" -- Robert Ruark (from The Old Man and the Boy)
Garry L Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Garry L Gordon For Your Post:
Unread 06-10-2020, 10:11 AM   #5
Member
Bruce Day
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Bruce Day's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,993
Thanks: 552
Thanked 15,605 Times in 2,666 Posts

Default

The photo looking straight down into the water , it is hard to see, but shows several large trout feeding at my feet. They come to your feet and wait for you to move and dislodge aquatic worms .

I am on my way back to Missouri. I will be giving my 12 year old grandson his first flying lessons then our Boy Scout Camp will be opening at the end of June . I will teach shooting with social distancing but as for me I have to be able to grab the gun quickly and keep it pointed in a safe direction .

We live in troubling times with many lost people. Stay wary, stay safe.
Bruce Day is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-10-2020, 10:14 AM   #6
Member
Joe from MO
PGCA Member
 
Joseph Sheerin's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 760
Thanks: 699
Thanked 1,071 Times in 418 Posts

Default

Wow, what a beautiful place to fish, and that Brownie is a tank.

We are headed to CO end of June, can't wait to wet a fly!

Just started fly fishing a few years back, and now wonder why I waited so long.
__________________
The only reason I ever played golf in the first place was so I could afford to hunt and fish. - Sam Snead
Joseph Sheerin is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-10-2020, 10:16 AM   #7
Member
Dean Romig
PGCA Invincible
Life Member
 
Dean Romig's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 31,562
Thanks: 35,442
Thanked 33,042 Times in 12,322 Posts

Default

I’ve heard the “San Juan Worm” is an effective pattern there, have you used it?





.
__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."

George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
Dean Romig is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-10-2020, 10:30 AM   #8
Member
Bruce Day
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Bruce Day's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,993
Thanks: 552
Thanked 15,605 Times in 2,666 Posts

Default

A San Juan worm is a small red wrapped anelid in size 22 to 26 . The worms live under the rocks and are dislodged when water flows are increased to flush the river moss . Until water flowage is increased the San Juan worm is not appropriate. We did not use them.
Bruce Day is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06-10-2020, 02:17 PM   #9
Member
Dean Romig
PGCA Invincible
Life Member
 
Dean Romig's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 31,562
Thanks: 35,442
Thanked 33,042 Times in 12,322 Posts

Default

They weren’t dislodged by your feet?





.
__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."

George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
Dean Romig is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Dean Romig For Your Post:
Unread 06-10-2020, 03:20 PM   #10
Member
mobirdhunter
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Garry L Gordon's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,650
Thanks: 13,085
Thanked 9,471 Times in 3,042 Posts

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean Romig View Post
They weren’t dislodged by your feet?

.
Known as "The San Juan Shuffle" and frowned upon by the purist. (It was odd that every time you moved, large(!) trout would sidle up beside you.)
__________________
“Every day I wonder how many things I am dead wrong about.”
― Jim Harrison
"'I promise you,' he said, 'on my word of honor, I won't die on the opening of the bird season.'" -- Robert Ruark (from The Old Man and the Boy)
Garry L Gordon is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:13 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2023, Parkerguns.org
Copyright © 2004 Design par Megatekno
- 2008 style update 3.7 avec l'autorisation de son auteur par Stradfred.