Freestone · Mixed · New Mexico, US

Rio de los Pinos (NM/CO border)

Cattle drive (Rio de los Pinos, Conejos County, CO)
Today · A proper day on the water
Sculpin Streamer
Forecast · Today
A proper day on the water
A proper day for it. Work the seams with an upstream nymph, switch to the dry when they show.
75% projected
Today's fly
Sculpin Streamer
Sculpin Streamer
Conditions on the water · Today
Estimate
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp8.0°C
ClarityClearing
Weather6°C
WindN 3 km/h
Pressure1033 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead0.0 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Water temperature for Cutthroat Trout
Cool — slow
8°C est.ideal 9–15°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Cutthroat 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
Good — water clarity is working for you, but time of day is the limiting factor today.
Likely species
Mayflies
Chironomids
Gammarids
Hatch timeline · todayPeak at 10h

12h(now) — Black Midge

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 30%
Also:Western Blue-Winged Olive23%
Peak emergence window5 food groups active

Peak activity at 10h — Black Midge (Black Midge, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Supporters see the full sub-surface read.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October 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
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2

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

Ranked for today
Fly box · Cutthroat Trout
SD
Sex Dungeon
2-6 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • The river crosses the NM/CO state line repeatedly — applicable regulations and the required licence change with the bank, so verify reaches and rules against NMDGF (and Colorado where relevant) before fishing
  • A Habitat Stamp is required on USFS/BLM land in New Mexico
  • Access is mixed public/private; confirm legal access first.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 2
Conejos River (Antonito / Platoro)
12 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Rio Brazos (Tierra Amarilla)
31 km
Brown trout · Rainbow trout
Gallery · 2
  1. Cattle drive (Rio de los Pinos, Conejos County, CO)
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Impaired
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Rio de los Pinos (New Mexico reaches)' (NM-2120.A_900), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Temperature, Metals Other Than Mercury. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · NM-2120.A_900

The full read · show the working · for Cutthroat Trout · confidence 75%
How the 68 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature80 × 28%22.4
Flow60 × 22%13.2
Clarity85 × 18%15.3
Feeding Time40 × 13%5.2
Pressure75 × 7%5.3
Insect activity56 × 12%6.7
Conditions total= 68
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 1 January → 31 December
Related guides
Euro Nymphingsubsurface methods
Booking & contacts