Fly Fishing Rio Chama

Fly fishing Rio Chama – Below El Vado Dam is widely regarded as the premier tailwater fishery in New Mexico, offering 31 miles of red-rock canyon from El Vado Dam downstream to Big Eddy, with roughly the first 24.6 miles federally designated Wild and Scenic. This stretch of the Rio Chama flows through a spectacular red-rock canyon in the Carson National Forest, where sandstone cliffs, ponderosa pine, and cottonwood groves frame a river that produces some of the largest trout in the state. Flows are dam-controlled and typically range from 100 to 500 CFS, with the Bureau of Reclamation managing releases for irrigation and downstream obligations. The river is floatable by raft at flows between 300 and 800 CFS, opening up miles of otherwise inaccessible canyon water, though wade fishing is equally productive at the put-in below the dam and at several established access points along the corridor. Brown trout and rainbow trout are the primary species in this tailwater, with browns dominating the deeper pools, logjams, and undercut banks while rainbows hold in the riffles, runs, and gravel-bottomed flats. The cold, nutrient-rich releases from El Vado Reservoir fuel exceptional aquatic insect production and support impressive growth rates. Browns commonly reach 16 to 20 inches, with fish over 20 inches caught regularly by anglers who know the water. Rainbows average 12 to 16 inches, with occasional fish pushing past 18 inches in the most productive sections. The combination of consistent cold water, abundant food, and limited access pressure in the canyon sections produces a quality fishery that rivals any tailwater in the Rocky Mountain West. The hatch calendar on the Chama below El Vado is outstanding. Midges provide year-round subsurface and surface opportunities, with Griffith's Gnats, Zebra Midges, and RS2s in sizes 20 to 24 forming the backbone of winter and early spring fishing. Blue-Winged Olives hatch prolifically from March through May and again from September through November, and sizes 18 to 22 Sparkle Duns, Comparaduns, and Parachute BWOs are essential patterns. Pale morning duns emerge from June through August, and the PMD hatch on the Chama can be exceptional, with blanket hatches drawing selective risers to the surface. Caddis are present from May through September, and golden stoneflies provide exciting dry fly fishing in June along the faster boulder runs in the upper canyon sections. Terrestrial fishing with hoppers, ants, and beetles is productive from July through September, particularly along the grassy banks below the dam. Subsurface fishing is the most consistent producer on this tailwater throughout the year. A standard two-nymph rig with a Pheasant Tail, Hare's Ear, or Flashback Emerger in sizes 16 to 20 trailed beneath a larger San Juan Worm, Pat's Rubber Legs, or stonefly nymph covers the water effectively. Euro-nymphing has become increasingly popular on the Chama and is devastatingly effective in the pocket water and faster runs of the upper canyon. Streamer fishing with Woolly Buggers, Sculpzillas, Circus Peanuts, and articulated streamers in sizes 4 to 8 targets the trophy browns that lurk in the deepest pools and logjam structures, with fall offering the best streamer fishing as browns stage for the spawn. The fishing season follows the tailwater pattern common to dam-controlled rivers. Winter from December through March offers uncrowded fishing with midge hatches during the warmest part of the day, and flows are typically at their lowest and most stable. Spring brings increasing flows and outstanding BWO hatches as the days lengthen. Summer provides the most diverse fishing with multiple hatches overlapping, though flows can spike unpredictably during irrigation releases. Fall from September through November is the prime season, combining reliable BWO and midge hatches with aggressive pre-spawn brown trout behavior and spectacular fall foliage in the canyon. Anglers should monitor Bureau of Reclamation flow data before planning float trips, as rapid flow changes can affect both safety and fishing quality. Access and logistics require attention for this remote fishery. Wade fishing access is available directly below El Vado Dam off NM-112. Float trips typically launch below the dam and take out at various points downstream, with Big Eddy being the full 31-mile terminus. A BLM permit is required for boating the designated Wild and Scenic section from April 15 through September 15, and permits can be obtained through the BLM Taos Field Office. Multi-day float camping trips are the best way to experience the full canyon, and several outfitters in the Chama and Taos areas offer guided float trips. The drive from Albuquerque is approximately two and a half hours northwest via US-84. A New Mexico fishing license is required, and anglers should review current special trout water regulations for this section. The Below El Vado stretch of the Rio Chama stands as one of the Southwest's truly world-class trout fisheries.