Well, I was on a wade trip yesterday and I didn’t see another fisherman all day! This is a first for me, In ten years of guiding the river I can’t remember one time wading the catch and release water all by myself, all day long. There wasn’t even anyone in cable hole or upper flats. It was great! I was fishing with only one guy who caught fish all day. You have to work for them but they are there and eating.
The water is clearing; there is about three feet of visibility by the dam. It gets more turbid the further downriver you get. There is also plenty of slime floating in the river. Keep cleaning your flies clean, if the fish can’t see it they won’t eat it. If you want to fish the river in relative seclusion and catch some fat fish come on out. We are doing well with woolly buggers in all types of dark colors. Try dead drifting them instead of stripping. Fish eggs, worms, and red or orange larve behind them. It is also useful to change flies often. When I catch a couple fish in one spot and they stop eating, I change flies and almost always catch a few more. They are not eating anything specific. The fish are being opportunistic and eating whatever gets them excited. Weight and depth of your rig is also very important, the fish are still on the bottom.
Good luck!
Chris, Fisheads of The San Juan