The family was headed out west for thanksgiving and we planned a couple scenic stops along the way. Since we were going to be in the area, I made some time to fish the San Jaun River for a few hours. I stopped in at Fisheads Fly Shop to get a license for the day and pick up some flies. They are always open at 6am so that was perfect for me. They were very friendly and helpful in getting me setup to fish.
After getting fixed up I headed for the Texas Hole or T Hole. The morning was cold in the mid 20’s so it was tough getting ready to do battle. It appears most of the access points require a $5 fee. I didn’t know this so I had to scrounge around to get five dollars worth of coins and dollars put together. I started to put money in the slot before I realized the signup sheet had a built in envelope for the money. So I put the rest of the coins in the envelope and wrote a note on the back that I was an idiot.
I tied on a wholly bugger and red midge and went to work. I managed to land a couple stockers in a couple hours. I fought a couple larger ones, but they managed to get loose after playing them for a minute. The fish were plentiful, you could always see 5 or so at your feet. There were quite a few fly fishers there when I left. Can’t imagine how busy it gets when the temperature is more favorable.
The family was stuck back at the hotel so I only fished till 10am. It’s almost an hour drive from Farmington,NM where you can find plenty of hotel rooms to stay. It was a great quick trip and would like to go back to fish a couple of days.
Here’s a view from the top of Navajo Dam.
Happy Fishing and Stay Trout Tough!
Erik
NWATROUT Fly Fishing Guide 