It’s cold here in Colorado. My local rivers are slushy, and I can’t imagine the fishing would be good enough to warrant braving the negative degree windchill that’s ripping through the valley. It’s a good time to get out of town and head south. That’s exactly what I did; although, I didn’t go as far South as you may have guessed. My latest adventure was down to the San Juan River in NW New Mexico.
In accordance with some of my New Year’s Goals, I took a quick trip down south to New Mexico and met up with James Garrettson from About Trout. I’ve talked with James a bunch on the phone and through social media, but this would be our first time fishing together.
The San Juan River certainly has a reputation, most of which could be considered negative. It’s crowded, you’re just bobber fishing small bugs, New Mexico isn’t the classiest state, in the country… yada, yada, yada.
I’ve heard it all. I often get clients who have fished the San Juan and that’s the story they tell me. However, it’s easy to see why people continue to visit the Land of Enchantment year after year. This river holds some of the biggest fish, in the west, and there’s plenty of them.
Not only does this river hold large trout, but those trout also get caught on a fairly regular basis. We’re not talking 16-18 inches. We’re talking 16-18 pounds. That’s pretty difficult to wrap your head around. I had to get down to the San Juan and see this fishery for myself.
Day 0
Travel Day
I left Grand Junction early afternoon. I wasn’t in a big hurry, as it’s just a 4 1/2-hour drive. James was guiding so I tried to plan my arrival for when he was off the water. On my way, I stopped by the Scott Fly Rod warehouse to pick up a brand-new Radian. Expect a review on that rod soon.
I thought my timing was pretty solid, as I arrived at the Texas Hole a little after 5. James was still on the water. This surprised me a bit because it’s mid-winter and the days are short. Come to find out, he floated down river and doubled back up to hit the Texas Hole to close out the day. If I had any doubts that James was a good guide, they were laid to rest then.
Before this trip, I only knew James from a dozen or so phone calls spread out over the last 6 months and his YouTube videos, which are well thought out and authentic. However, I just felt that James and I would get along and have a good time. We seemed to be kindred spirits.
After all, you don’t drive 4 1/2 hours to fish for two days with someone unless you think highly of them. I’m glad James thought the same of me and allowed me to come down and showed me the ultimate hospitality.
As I was parked at the Texas Hole parking lot, I saw James walking to get his truck and met him there for a quick dap up and get a plan for where we would grab some food and get a gameplan together for the next two days. After all, this wasn’t just a fishing trip; it was a business trip.
We decided to head over to Farmington and eat at Texas Roadhouse. It had been a while since I had been to one, but I was all for it and quite hungry. We just chatted for a while, sharing stories from days of guiding, guiding philosophies, and a little trash talk about what we’ve seen on the rivers. Fly fishing guides are no strangers to drama.
We finished dinner, we started putting pen to paper and outlining what content we wanted to film over the next couple of days. After we arrived back to James’ place, I started to get settled in. I had originally planned on camping in my truck, but the bitter-cold overnight temps would have James suggest that I just crash on his couch.
Day 1
"San Juan Slam"
Our alarms went off at 7:00 in the morning and we slowly rolled out of our beds. It was cold. Temperature was below 10 degrees and there was no doubt that this would be winter fishing. We bundled up our layers and prepared ourselves for a day of winter fishing. However, our technique would not be exactly what you would think.
I’m not at liberty to say what that technique is, as it’s something new that James has been working on. I was happy to be his Guinea pig. It was effective and the first half dozen fish were around the 20″ mark. I was quickly reminded why people fish the San Juan: every time a fish pulls on your line, it could be a fish of a lifetime.
There were even 3 guide boats out. This further impressed me because I’d be willing to be that there weren’t 3 guide boats out in the whole state of Colorado. Despite all the negative reviews, I knew then and there that this river has something special.
We didn’t catch any monsters on day 1 but we saw some quality fish and most importantly, had a great time. What we did accomplish was the About Trout San Juan Slam. We caught fish on streamers, nymphs, and dry flies. I say we because I couldn’t have done it without James.
If you would’ve told me that I would catch fish on dry flies, in January, I would have had some serious doubts. Furthermore, if you would have told me that I would catch quite a few fish on a streamer, I would have had some serious reservations. Now, tell me that I’d catch fish on streamers, dry flies, and nymphs, in January, I most definitely would’ve been full of disbelief. That’s not exactly what you expect from a winter day of fishing.
After a single day on the water with James, I know what he means when he says, “the San Juan has a PR problem.” There are many different ways to fish this river. It does require some creativity, lots of time on the water, and an open mind.
After day 1, I was amazed at what I saw on the San Juan and how it differed from my preconceived notions based on its reputation. We returned to Texas Roadhouse again that night to grab some food and discuss the plan for the next day.
Day 2
"Double Down on Texas"
Despite staying up late, watching YouTube videos and shooting the shit, we fulfilled our commitment of getting an earlier start for day 2. After what we saw the previous day, we were both excited to get on the water and see what the day held for us.
Our plan for the day was to get on the water just after sunrise, lap the Texas Hole a few times before moving down river. After the float, we’d load up the boat and head back up to the Texas Hole and finish our day there, hoping to come into contact with a large trout.
A guide buddy of James’, Kyle, would join us for the majority of day 2. He’s another great guide on the San Juan and you could tell right away that he’s fishy. I think he out-fished me 3:1 in the Texas Hole. He was fun to have in the boat and you would’ve thought all three of us had known each other a lot longer than we actually have.
Day 2 started similarly to the previous day. We hooked into some nice fish around the 20″ mark, on the special technique that James is experimenting with. Now, it’s nothing crazy revolutionary. These days, coming up with something completely new and different is almost impossible. However, it’s the thought process of this technique and the subtle nuances that make it commendable.
I’ve even done something similar on my local waters but the nuances we utilized seem to be very effective. I’ll certainly be taking this technique with me and doing some of my own experiments on my home waters in Western Colorado.
We committed to this new technique all the way to the ramp. Upon arrival, we had smiles on our faces from having a great time and putting several nice fish in the net. Again, nothing crazy large but multiple fish getting close to that 20″ mark. Any way you looked at it, you would have to put it in the ‘great streamer day’ category, regardless of season. This being winter, I would have to file it away in the ‘phenomenal streamer day’ category.
Kyle wouldn’t join us for the second pass through the Texas Hole, but James was just as eager to get back on the water as I was. The passion James has for fishing is second to none and the proof is in the pudding. He wanted to end the day with giving me a standard San Juan experience. We threw small bugs on light tippet in the center of the gentle moving foam lines.
We didn’t break any state records or even personal ones but that’s not what fishing is about. Fishing is about getting outside, sharing a day with some fun people, and enjoying the moment with the company that we’re in. For two days, that’s exactly what James and I did. Yeah, we got some video stuff in and talked business, but it never felt like work.
As the cliché goes, “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” It’s true. I love being a fly fishing guide; it’s the best job in the world. I know James feels the exact same way. It’s always a pleasure to spend some time with like-minded, hard-working individuals in this industry.
Above you’ll find one of the videos we put together over the two days on the water. It’s always fun fishing with other guides and many people have shown curiosity towards what we talk about when guides fish with each other. This video answers that question. We discuss topics such as:
- What makes a good fishing guide?
- What separates good guides from great guides?
- What’s different from my personal fishing versus my guiding?
- Preventing Burnout
- Bobber or Indicator?
- Hot Takes: Overrated, Underrated, Perfectly Rated
I hope you enjoyed the article and the video. I hope you’re enjoying the winter so far and planning / preparing for fishing trips. Fishing season will be upon us soon. So, get out there and practice your cast, tie some flies, and organize your gear so that you’re ready to go when it’s time.
Check out these videos too!
