San Juan River- Feb. 2013

Headed down to New Mexico with a group of fraternity brothers for 4 days of fly fishing on the San Juan to celebrate the 30th birthday of our buddy JP this last week.  Had the opportunity to catch up with buddies I hadn't seen in a while, and meet some new friends along the way.  Lots of beer was drank, poker chips exchanged, green chili was eaten, stories embelished, flies were tied, beautiful trout were caught, and most importantly, a damn good time was had.  The fishing wasn't quite as good as other times of the year due to the lake turnover and stained water, but that did not stop everyone from catching a boat load of fish.  Everyone from the experienced fly fisherman to the newbie hooked up their fair share, and enjoyed feeling the tug on the end of their line.

We fished all up and down the river this trip, from Cable Hole at the top of the quality water to Crusher Hole at the very bottom, hooking trout at every stop.  Everyone got their fill of stockers at Texas Hole and in the braids, with some larger fish being landed in some of the deeper holes and at the Sand Hole.  The fishing was slower up near the dam, but the fish that were landed were very healthy fish.  The lower water yielded larger (and more) fish to the entire group, including one of the prettiest fish I've ever seen on the Juan, which unfortunately, was caught by the birthday boy himself.  The normal assortment of midge patterns were working well, especially the tried and true red annelid (larvae).  The best fly of the trip for the majority of the guys was a small, white bunny leach, fished on the dead drift, swing or strip.  All techniques brought fish to the net.  I had never fished bunny leaches on the Juan prior to this trip, but it is definitely a fly that is going to be well stocked in the fly arsenal.  It seemed that the bunny leach fly would entice some of the larger fish to feed.

All in all, it was a great trip with great people.  Happy Birthday JP, you're now one old SOB!

Snowy San Juan

The boys in front of Fishheads of the San Juan

Clutch TTx 905 (review on the rod to come later)

Sunset over Texas Hole

Haws fishing Texas Hole

Birthday boy hooked up

Brett and the birthday boy

JP's nice rainbow to end the trip

Mr Beaver in Kiddie Hole

Pete with a nice fish at Simon Canyon

Pi Kappa Alpha- Epsilon Theta
 

Pizzle the night after his b-day