Taking one by the tail: San Juan River, NM

There's no fish pic for this post, because... well, you'll see why.

It's true I get a lot of curbside consults for some reason. Not just about fishing, but shooting matters as well. Maybe it's the white hair. But just after New Year's this year I was the one needing a curbside consult, but I couldn't get it. It was too dangerous to reach the guy.

San Juan River, Navajo Dam, New Mexico. I'd taken a job in Albuquerque, three hours away, and I'd been resisting the call of this river since October, but by January it was the only game in town. I'd read up on it, all right: tailwater, huge biomass, big fish and plenty of them, microscopic flies... and 2.5 million fisherman visits a year. Don't expect to catch fish here your first time without a guide, they said. I figured I could frustrate myself closer to home without the crowds. But who was I kidding? So I'd driven the three hours, layered up to near immobility, squeezed into my old neoprenes, and waded through the snow to the water. Broke through ice at the edge, shuffled over slippery rocks leaning on my staff. It took me 20 minutes to get in position to cover the nearest current tongue at the edge of the slow water. No fish showing, 32 degree air, 40 degree water. Later it would warm up to 42 degrees outside, and I'd think it was lovely.

Now what? I didn't have any tiny flies; I'd tied up some annelid imitations with red wire bodies, and I did have nymphs as small as 18. I had various indicators and weight, and a freshly-tied leader. But I'm not as steady on my feet these days as I once was, and I was already stiff with cold and layers. I figured I'd have to fish it out from where I stood, luck or no. I could see a guy catching fish about 50 yards off, but we couldn't hear each other over the water, and I didn't dare wade down there to talk to him. One fall in this water and my day would be over. Later a young fellow would slip in below me within speaking range, but by then it wouldn't matter.

It began to snow a flake as I tied on a number 12 annelid, and hung a size 16 annelid off that on 6X. After a few test casts to adjust indicator and weight, I made my first business cast. Something was wrong with my indicator, though... it didn't seem to keep up with the current the way it should and SET YOU FOOL said the voice in my head. I may even have said it aloud, for all I know. I lifted, and we were off to the races. Afraid for my 6X point, I didn't dare really lean on the fish, and I didn't dare chase him over those slick rocks, so I let him run. He was way below me, and about to eat up the last two turns before the backing by the time I could turn him. But I started to gain on him. Then I felt what I can only call a 'thud' in the line and knew he was off. Only he wasn't. He was still there, but the fight was very different. I decided to risk all and began hauling him in, and as I drew him past the new guy I heard him yell "HOLY SHIT!" and dig in his vest for a camera.

Well I did land him. Once he was in the net I saw over 20 inches of brown trout, with my top fly hooked about 5 inches forward of his tail. I waved off the young man with is camera, and released the fish. Then I looked at my leader: my point fly was gone. I had fooled him. He did eat one of my own flies. When he broke me off my top fly was against his flank, and dug in. That's why the fight had changed.

By then my young neighbor had waded up to me. "Jeez, man," he said. "Can I ask what fly you were using?"

#flyfishing #flyfishing #trout #sanjuanriver #newmexico #NavajoDam #Albuquerque