Gila in late April - blown out?

[mountainlaurel3]

Live in SW CO, and I've always wanted to head down to the Gila to search for Gila trout.

My wife is taking a 5 or 6 day trip out of Albuquerque in late April - I'm contemplating driving her to the airport then heading west to the Gila. Around here, depending on the year, late April can still be good fishing before the runoff.

I figure in the Gila, runoff might be peaking then? Or already past peak?

Anyone got any more-educated-than-I guesses?

Not necessarily fishing the Gila River itself, at this point more trying to figure out if this plan is even possible, haven't been diving into where I'd actually fish yet...

 

[mrcowboy]

Not certain there will be a run off. Not much snow.

New Mexico SNOTEL Snow/Precipitation Update Report

wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov

 

[mountainlaurel3]

Oy, hadn't looked at the snotels, I figured there wouldn't be much runoff, but two of three stakes at .1"? Ouch. Sounds like April might be the only time there's enough water to fish...

 

[2rocky]

https://snoflo.org/report/flow/new-mexico/gila-river-near-gila/


I feel like you would be driving past a lot of good fishing going all the way to the Gila. Particularly the Pecos, Rio Grande, and Costilla Creek. Of course if you have already hit those then I stand corrected.

 

[Kaitum]

While there's still time for snow, based on current snow levels there won't be much of a spring runoff at all. Even in 'normal' years, late April is past the spring peak.

 

[hank4elk]

Even at peak, it is not much of a trout stream any more. Sorry to say. A few spots in the headwaters are actual trout waters. The rest is warm. Or bare of trout.
Try the Rio Grande, Pecos, Red, or Cimirron .
April in the gorge would be good.

 

[mrcowboy]

https://snoflo.org/report/flow/new-mexico/gila-river-near-gila/


I feel like you would be driving past a lot of good fishing going all the way to the Gila. Particularly the Pecos, Rio Grande, and Costilla Creek. Of course if you have already hit those then I stand corrected.

The Rio Grande can be epic. Mother's Day Caddis hatch.

 

[mountainlaurel3]

I've fished the gorge a bit, but if I go to taos I'll probably end up skiing more than fishing. Plus it seems to me the gorge could be awfully high late April, even in a shitty snow year.

If I went towards the Gila, I'd be planning to backpack in somewhere remote, more interested in small fish in beautiful tiny plunge pools than some of the more well known spots.

Or of course I could let the wife drive herself to the airport and just stay and ski backcountry in the San Juans...

 

[Beignet]

While we’re talking NM fishing…

…anything streams working good now? I’m in Santa Fe until March and wouldn’t mind scratching the old fish itch. I’ve never fished in NM before and know little about where to go, especially this time of year. (Ie, I doubt the Gila headwaters are fishing well in Feb, though I’d love to catch one of those native fish.)

PM is fine if you prefer.

 

[2rocky]

While we’re talking NM fishing…

…anything streams working good now? I’m in Santa Fe until March and wouldn’t mind scratching the old fish itch. I’ve never fished in NM before and know little about where to go, especially this time of year. (Ie, I doubt the Gila headwaters are fishing well in Feb, though I’d love to catch one of those native fish.)

PM is fine if you prefer.

So about 5 years ago I was at Lagunitas Brewing, talking to this singer opening for James McMurtry, by the name of Max Gomez. He told me the Taos Fly shop had all the Northern NM rivers dialed.

Not sure if they know Max, but he seemed to indicate they knew who he was. Maybe that will help.

 

[Beignet]

So about 5 years ago I was at Lagunitas Brewing, talking to this singer opening for James McMurtry, by the name of Max Gomez. He told me the Taos Fly shop had all the Northern NM rivers dialed.

Not sure if they know Max, but he seemed to indicate they knew who he was. Maybe that will help.

Thanks, sir! I’ll go give ‘em a look see.

 

[cedahm]

If you're specifically targeting Gila Trout - late April is probably decent (especially in a year with less snow) in the headwaters. To Hank's point - the mainstem isn't really a trout stream.

Historical flow data for the West Fork - probably a better barometer than the main stem, though I have no idea if it holds trout or not - is here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=09430020

Below is from April 2018-May 2021 - late April looks pretty decent - except 2020 when it was ripping:

 

[mountainlaurel3]

If you're specifically targeting Gila Trout - late April is probably decent (especially in a year with less snow) in the headwaters. To Hank's point - the mainstem isn't really a trout stream.

Historical flow data for the West Fork - probably a better barometer than the main stem, though I have no idea if it holds trout or not - is here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?site_no=09430020

Below is from April 2018-May 2021 - late April looks pretty decent - except 2020 when it was ripping:

View attachment 212657

Thanks! Started doing some research last night and it's hard not to want to prioritize backcountry hot springs, maybe I'll get another chance to catch a fish from a hot spring pool, which I succeeded at only once.

I'm not typically into long trips just to target an unusual fish, this just seems like a good excuse to see some cool country.

And should have added, I'd be planning to get into headwaters - I love desert rivers, but rather have cold water and trout than low flows and smallmouth.