Week 8: February 24 – March 3, 2017
Another group of returning guests visited us at Villa Maria Lodge this last past week. Having logged more than 10 trips to the Rio Grande, they were seasoned and equipped to deal with the current fishing conditions.
River and weather conditions remained unstable, with booming tributaries altering water levels and clarity in the main-stem Rio Grande. And similar to last week, we prospected deeper, slower moving runs. Tailouts have been especially productive. Gear for this kind of fishing includes Skagit heads paired with long sink-tips (12 to 15ft) and rods from 13 to 14 ft for extra power in the wind.
Winning flies included both large articulated leeches and intruder-style patterns. Color, on the other hand, was less important. We’ve had equal success with chartreuse, black, purple… even orange. Go figure.
Dave pocketed the Rookie of the Week title. Maybe an obvious choice, considering he was our only first timer! But he also worked for it, landing two fish that topped the 20-pound mark, including a 24-pound hen that took the fly in a swift and shallow pool.
The river is currently dropping and clearing, so next week will be a new challenge. We’ll be ready for it.
Largest fish of the week: 24 pounds.
Fish over 20 pounds: 8
Fish over 15 pounds: 26
—Alejandro Martello
Villa Maria Lodge Fishing Manager
