If you're planning a day trip to the Juan, you'll be spending over 7 hours of your day in the car. Its a world class fishing experience, but not something I would want to get into for just a day trip from Cerrillos.

Prwlr gave you some good advice... You could look into the public water in the Jamez mountains but you'll mostly only get into tiny 7-8 inch Native browns/cutty's and 12 Trupoloid Rainbow stockers.

I would also recommend trying to go back into the Valles Caldera and fishing for native Rainbows and Browns in the San Antonio. Since the ownership of the park has been transferred to the national park service they are now authorizing people to access the streams with a national park pass. This is something I've been wanting to try for the past 2 months but I've just not been able to make it happen. A bonus for you with this option is that you'll have bugling elk EVERYWHERE.

Your last option is to go fish the Rio Chama. If I only had 1 day, this would be my choice. You have the chance to get into some HUGE fish in that river. Its almost just as big as the San Juan and is impoundment water too. The water temp will stay cold all summer and you'll have good bug life in the stream.

-Jon


Lifetime member: Backcountry Hunters and Anglers & Wild Sheep Foundation