For the Waters

[Bruce Day]

Trying to put an end to this miserable winter, Dick Dow and I are traveling to the San Juan in New Mexico sometime during the first half of March. Its a first class tailwater fishery, generally a technical stream with midges but some do well with dries and streamers. I thrash the water with a wood stick, Dick with some plastic rod. I'll bring a 1934 Parker-Hawes rod.

If PGCA'ers want to meet us there, we'll provide a little guide service and have salsa and chips and blue corn enchiladas in the evening.

[Dean Romig]

Do you ever use the "San Juan Worm" or was that just a passing fad?
I tied up a bunch of them in various sizes and colors and tried them for Maine trout. The trout chose the light green ones far more often than the other colors I tried. A worm about an inch long was the preferred size.

Looks like a bit of rim ice on some of the rocks there Bruce.

[Bruce Day]

The San Juan worm, a small, orange worm, doesn't produce the way it did 20-30 years ago. The temps can drop to the 20's and 30's at night, then be 60's or 70's the next day.

Small black midges in size 22-24 are favored. Use an attractor on top like the red one and a black midge on bottom one and one half times the depth of the water. May need a split shot.

[Dean Romig]

Do you fish the midge as a dropper? If so, what do you use as the floater or 'indicator'?

[Bruce Day]

The preferred way on the San Juan is to:

1. Secure a foam strike indicator or bobber to the line, generally a 6x.
2. about 1.5 times the water depth, place an attractor fly, such as the red nymph you see, maybe a size 16-18.
3. a small split shot between the strike indicator and the attractor
4. add the small midge, size 22-24 as a trailer to the attractor. That can be tied as preferred either to the eye of the attractor or to the hook.

Dick and I were taught last year by the well known Rick Takahashi, a Colorado State U. professor and author of midge fishing books that we met on the river. What a great guy who gave unsparingly of his time and we were most grateful.

Must crimp barbs on the San Juan.
Use a high stick drift. Don't really need to have a long cast except if you are throwing streamers. However a fellow there last March got into about a 6 lb brown on a streamer on 6x on a 5 wt.

I have a couple rods from Gary Howells in 4 and 5 wts and will bring this time a 6 made by Jerry Kustich (Sweetgrass) and a 7wt Granger, plus the 6wt Parker Hawes. The Parker Hawes will be lightly used only. Big fish need to be played off the reel and those Bogdans are more than sufficient.

Dick, Charlie and I were salmon fishing at Vancouver Island a few years ago, we would like to get into coastal British Columbia and we are planning an expedition into the southern reaches of Yellowstone , the lake arms and the Thorofare next year. Large cutthroat trout.

PGCA member Jim Bielke is building me a custom 17ft Rangley design boat adapted for motor use that will be used. He does absolutely beautiful work and has a website, www.jimsboatworks.com for those interested. I have been pushing my luck too many times in a canoe on big water in waves.

[Dean Romig]

That nymph fishing is almost identical to a method used/developed by a friend, Joe Pescatore (translation - fisherman) that he uses on the upper Connecticut where it flows between the Connecticut Lakes in most-Northern New Hampshire for land-locked salmon and three trout species -brooks, bows and browns. The fish he is after are the bigger ones in the three pound and heavier range... some reaching above the 6 pounds or better mark.

Most of the guys I know and fish with always pinch the barbs down. On some sections of our rivers and streams it is the law but we always do it because it is easier on the fish - and if you have ever hooked yourself on an especially windy day - easier on the fisherman too.

[Dennis]

Bruce,

When I primarily lived in Colorado I used to fish the San Juan our of Aztec, NM and stayed at the Centennial campground right on the river. I fished the trophy catch and release area just down from the dam and did pretty well. The San Juan worm did pretty well at the time which was probably 10 years ago. Unfortunately I can't go this time due to other commitments but it sure sounds like I will be missing a great time. Good luck.

Dennis

[Bruce Day]

We will stay at Centennial Campground State Park again. You would be welcome, Dennis.
There are motels a couple miles away and a great restaurant.

These are some of the boats PGCA member Jim Bielke makes in his time away from his grain farm duties.

[Dean Romig]

Very pretty boats!

Are they glass covered or simply sealed and painted over the cedar strips?

[Bruce Day]

Glass covered and sealed. Mine will be a 17ft Rangeley with motor transom, removable slat level floors and spoon oars, which Jim hand carves. About a 6-8hp Honda should power it nicely and be quiet.