Week 10: March 14-19, 2015
Another wet week has come and gone on the Rio Grande! We started with standard conditions, but by the middle of the week it poured hard in the Andes. River levels climbed by about 6 inches and it was unfishable for a day due to poor water clarity and 100km/h winds.
The good news is the murky water didn’t linger long. And higher water prompted fish to move upstream—fast—while some new, ocean-fresh sea-runs entered our constantly changing pools.
Similar to last week, we fished short and heavy sinking-tips with small flies. After the river spiked, we adjusted by using long, heavy tips and bigger and brighter flies. Intruders and leeches were the top producers.
Of course, fishing those heavy tips and flies in combination required a powerful line—so Skagits remained the best option.
Largest fish of the week: 22 pounds.
Fish over 20 lbs: 5
Fish over 15 lbs: 14
Alejandro Martello
Villa Maria Lodge Fishing Manager