Fly Fishing Rio Chama

Overview

Below El Vado Dam, the Rio Chama winds through sandstone canyon country toward Big Eddy, with ponderosa pine and cottonwood groves framing pools, riffles and boulder runs. Dam releases shape the current, so the same bank or seam can present a different drift as the water changes. Brown and rainbow trout give anglers reasons to work both the deeper cover and the shallower runs.

Nymphs are a useful starting point in the faster water, while small dries and emergers suit trout feeding in softer lanes. Deeper pools, log structure and undercut edges invite a streamer presentation. The canyon setting is distinctive, but the fishing comes down to reading the current and matching the fly's depth and drift to the holding water.

Pools, riffles and cover

Give the structure time before moving on. Deeper pools, log cover and undercut banks offer places to work a streamer; riffles, runs and gravel-bottomed flats call for a different presentation. Start with the nearer seam and adjust the depth as you move through the run. A controlled drift through one feeding lane is often more useful than a broad cast across several currents.

Small flies and surface feeding

Midges are an option during quieter feeding periods. Griffith's Gnats, Zebra Midges and RS2s in sizes 20 to 24 cover surface and subsurface approaches. Watch the rise form and feeding depth before choosing between them.

When blue-winged olives are active, Sparkle Duns, Comparaduns and Parachute BWOs in sizes 18 to 22 offer useful imitations. Pale morning dun patterns are another choice when pale mayflies bring trout to the surface in warmer weather. Caddis and stonefly patterns suit the riffles and boulder runs when those insects are present.

Hoppers, ants and beetles add a bank-oriented approach during terrestrial activity, particularly around grassy edges. Give the fly a natural drift beside the bank rather than assuming every warm afternoon will produce surface feeding.

Nymphing and streamers

A two-nymph rig with a Pheasant Tail, Hare's Ear or Flashback Emerger in sizes 16 to 20 beneath a larger San Juan Worm, Pat's Rubber Legs or stonefly nymph offers several ways to cover the water. Adjust the weight and separation to the run. Tight-line nymphing can keep the drift controlled in pocket water and faster current, while an indicator can help cover a longer seam.

Woolly Buggers, Sculpzillas, Circus Peanuts and articulated streamers in sizes 4 to 8 give another way to explore pools and log cover. Vary the retrieve and angle around the structure rather than treating a streamer as a guarantee of a large fish. Autumn is a useful time to try that approach alongside the smaller nymphs and dries.

Seasonal changes

In cold weather, look for feeding activity in the warmer part of the day and try smaller midge patterns or a slower nymph drift. Spring and summer bring changing releases and a broader range of insects; autumn offers smaller mayfly and midge presentations as well as streamer fishing. Water availability, irrigation demand and precipitation affect releases, so adjust to the current and clarity at the fishing position.