I plan to visit my son and family this September and plan to bring my Fly Rod and Waders. He is in Cerrilos about 20 miles from Sante Fe. Any suggestions for a day trip?

The obvious choice is the world class San Juan River. Lots of very hard fighting Rainbows. The river is very cold year around if you decide to wade.

Yep. The San Juan River below Navajo Damn has some of the best Rainbow Trout fishing in the USA. And some damn good Brownies, too. This time of the year, most is nymp fishing with size 22 and smaller flys on a 6X leader. Dry Flies can also be great in the late evening. The closer you are to the dam, the better the fishing. Abe's Fly Shop and Motel on the River is about 3 miles from the dam, and there is another great little Fly Shop just across the rode frame Abe's but I can't think of the name of it.

The closest town to the San Juan Dam is Aztec, NM, which is about 15 miles or so from the dam. I think that is about a 2 or 3 hour drive from Santa Fe, if I'm not mistaken, but it's well worth the trip.
It's my favorite place to Fly Fish in all of the USA.

I used to live in Albuquerque and often fished in the Jemez mountains. The San Juan is world class but a ways from Cerrillos. Something closer would be the east fork of the Jemez river or Rio de las Vacas. Either one would be an easy day trip. If you do go to the San Juan remember to pack good neoprene waders and insulated underwear. The outside temp may be 104 but the water temp will be in the 40's. Good luck.

The San Juan does have good numbers of big fish, but they are outnumbered by the fishermen. Guide boats rotate around and around the Texas hole, people homestead wherever there is a place to stand. Inconsiderate people will walk through the water you are fishing.

Other than that, it is a neat experience. I certainly would make it a destination if I was in the neighborhood, but I doubt I would ever travel that far to fish it again...

I grew up fishing the San Juan River. Have fished many other trout streams all over the county, it's just hard to compare. I recommend getting a map and going upstream from the Texas Hole or walking 1/2 mile downstream. It's likely that if you going during the week you will see very few fisherman. Weekends are a bit crowded, but the fishing is great anywhere you go. I have a friend who guides on the river, he just went out with my dad two weeks ago and they caught 40 fish each in 1 day. That's an average day!

What opportunitiess exist to buy a reaonably placed small place close to the San Juan? Psoriatic Arthritis compliocating my life in Minnesota - Dr suggested moving somewhere warm and dry. I am retired.

Thanks to all that responded. My son also suggested the Chama and Pecos which are much closer. Prwlr thanks for suggesting the east fork of the Jemez river or Rio de las Vacas. I live in Michigan and have done a lot of fishing Tail Waters below big dams on the Manistee and Muskegon which get great Salmon and Steelhead runs. I think this might be more of a father and son outing, my son has done much Michigan fishing and I think we might look for a day trip that is close to Cerrillos New Mexico where he lives. We have been to the Jemez on an outing. I would like to send a personal message when I get closer to the trip. Thanks all and Prwlr!

I will also say the San Juan too, caught three of the biggest rainbow trout on #22 dries in my life! All three were better than 10 lbs! I fished there quite a few times over the years but after Labor day! Mid- Late Sept! Thinking about retiring to Aztec or Navajo Dam!

Planning on fishing near Mayhill, NM next week but heard the weather has been snowy and wet. I'm in Austin, Tx. Anyone have any ideas or reports from that area. -Elijah

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

Rio Los Pinos NM or CO may interest you if you want small water.

Put family on the Cumbres and Toltec train for the day and go fishing on Chama, Conejos(CO), or the Los Pinos.

LouisB

The RLP is a beautiful stream as is the Chama and Conejos. but are really a very long day trip out of Cerrillos. If going that way I would add the Rio Costilla and Shuree lakes in NM.

McAlister lake east of I25 south of Las Vegas used to have some nice fish too but haven't fished there in a while.

Prwlr

Go to Google Earth (Google Maps, or satellite version of Mapquest if you do not have Google Earth)and look at latest views of McCallister. It . . . Never mind

Apparently after the big flood in Vegas from the Gallinas, they never replaced the diversion, so no water to Storrie so no water to McCallister.

I just saw it in the current condition the other day when telling my brother how to find it.

Day trip from Cerrillos does NOT leave many viable locations.
San Juan even with the new 550 is a haul for a day trip, though fly fishing the trophy fishing section would be better sized fish.

Rio Costillo used to have as many cutthroats as rainbows, but bet they are a rarity or non existent now.

Thanks LouisB. Haven't been that way in years but do have some pleasant memories float tubing there. Do you know if Shuree Ponds is still a good fishery?

We were up at Shuree over the 4th. A bunch of families fishing and a few nice fish came out. Most all were using spinning gear and casting bubbles with a wet fly behind. It was way too windy for any fly casting so I did not fish. It is a beautiful area, we love camping up there, but IMO not worth the drive to fish a few ponds.

Thanks Razz. I like the area too. Another area I used to fish was Canjilon lakes. Just a few ponds but the drive in was gorgeous and I liked to tent camp up there and fly fish the early morning rise.

Glad Razz answered, I do not even know anything about Shuree. You can bet that I will be looking for them on Google Earth as son as I log off

I think Canjilons are closed because of falling trees. Must be yet another area hit by fire.

There used to be a pretty little stream that came down to Santa Clara. One fire and I understand it is a "silt" filled ditch and will continue be longer than I will live since all duff was burned off and it is volcanic material exposed now.

Yep fires can create a mess. To bad about Canjilon lakes sure was pretty up there.