Freestone · Volcanic · New Mexico

San Antonio River / Jemez

The little waters of the Jemez Mountains — the San Antonio and the upper Jemez above the springs — are about as far from the San Juan's crowds as New Mexico trout fishing gets.

Species

About as good as it gets

Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Ideal
15°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Insect activity6512% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
14.5°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
27°C
Wind
SW 15 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1012 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Rain · ahead
1.8 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Open all year; verify Special Trout Water reaches and native-cutthroat rules against NMDGF
  • A Habitat Stamp is required to fish USFS/BLM land in New Mexico
  • Some reaches cross pueblo and private land — confirm access
  • THERMAL / MONSOON caution: a small stream that runs thin and warm in high summer and colours quickly in the monsoon.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

The little waters of the Jemez Mountains — the San Antonio and the upper Jemez above the springs — are about as far from the San Juan's crowds as New Mexico trout fishing gets. This is volcanic country, the streams running cold and clear through meadow and canyon out of the Valles Caldera, holding wild browns and stocked rainbows in water you can read at a glance. Some reaches carry special trout regulations and there's restored native-cutthroat work in the headwater tributaries that deserves a gentle hand. It's classic small-stream fishing: a short dry-dropper, a careful approach, attractors and a small nymph dropped behind. It runs thin and warm by high summer and the monsoon can colour it fast, so early summer once the snowmelt clears and again in autumn are the times to go. A quiet, pretty river that rewards stealth over reach.

  • Volcanic
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 1