Buttersticking the San Juan

[AzTrouter]

My son is a full time wild land firefighter in our home state of WY and usually finishes up his ‘busy’ season in Sept. so we like to get together for some fishing. Since the wife and I set up housekeeping in AZ, the last couple years has been the Juan.

This year, along with my favorite tailwater 10’ 4wt rod, I brought my 7’6” 4wt Butterstick with the reintroduced Medalist reel. I’ve never had so much fun picking the small pockets though the ‘Braids’ above Texas Hole’ in the morning with a single midge and tiny yarn indicator on a 7 1/2’ leader and 6x tippit. Later In the day I fished straight up dry/dropper during the prolific Beatis hatches below Texas Hole with a Griffith Gnat over a RS2 or Foam Wing emerger.

The Butterstick was easy on the 6x and 7x tippit and working those heavy Juan trout on a retro clicker still has a smile on my face.

 

[jeep.ster]

Sounds like a great time fishing the juan. A butterstick with 7x must be a blast. Last month we rigged our 5wt bamboo rods for an afternoon of drys but the wind picked up so bad we almost didn't go back out. But we did with our plastic and ended up with some big t hole footballs and a great experience not soon forgotten.

 

[el jefe]

A year ago, I would have said you were nuts to fish a 476 glass rod on the San Juan. Now, I can't wait to get my Epic 476 up there, and teach some San Juan Rainbows a lesson or two with Big Salsa!!

 

[AzTrouter]

It was one of our best trips ever

Cold enough you know your trout fishing, but not so much it’s an issue, nice mix of occasional drizzle, sun and clouds that fired off midge and Beatis hatches you could set your watch too. Very little wind.

The River didn’t even seem all the busy for the Juan, pretty much the same ole 70% of the people fishing 30% of the river. We were rigged and on the water at dawn and had at least 3 good hours of fishing before folks started moving into the busy spots. Around 11 or so we pulled out of them and had a tailgate lunch and break. Then we moved and fished the rest of the river with no more company than any other easy accessible trout water.

The afternoons till darkish below Texas Hole was Beatis everyday from about 2 to 5pm. That was the best fishing of the trip.

The water level was really good and fishing the Cable Hole run and flats was excellent, the water was flowing though the back pools creating numerous fish holding runs. Folks could spread out and enjoy classic tailwater.

The Butterstick was definitely a lot of fun, I kept the leader short, single bug and worked it’s short range goodness into bathtub sized holes folks (including me) usually just walk around. Those hogs didn’t sip in those holes, they gulped and ran into the ankle deep riffles heading for deeper water, 18” to 20” trout fin walking though 4” of water is just hilarious ��

 

[AzTrouter]

A year ago, I would have said you were nuts to fish a 476 glass rod on the San Juan. Now, I can't wait to get my Epic 476 up there, and teach some San Juan Rainbows a lesson or two with Big Salsa!!

I never felt under gunned and the soft action was excellent protecting light tippit and keeping size 24 and 26 flies stuck in big trout jaws. IMO light line weights and the rods that throw them aren’t the issue landing big tailwater trout, it’s the tippit.

Had I been locked into the two midge, indicator and split shot routine maybe the Butterstick not so much. I’ve done plenty of that though and caught a lot of big Juan trout, but this is our 4rth trip on the Juan and I’d rather mix things up even if it means less netted fish.

 

[mcnerney]

I never felt under gunned and the soft action was excellent protecting light tippit and keeping size 24 and 26 flies stuck in big trout jaws. IMO light line weights and the rods that throw them aren’t the issue landing big tailwater trout, it’s the tippit.

Had I been locked into the two midge, indicator and split shot routine maybe the Butterstick not so much. I’ve done plenty of that though and caught a lot of big Juan trout, but this is our 4rth trip on the Juan and I’d rather mix things up even if it means less netted fish.

I've fished there numerous times over the years, always with an indicator and split shot, thanks for opening my eyes to how effective a short glass rod can be on that water! I see another trip on the horizon. Yahoo!!!!!

 

[mka]

Sounds like a fun time with that glass butterstick! I learned to fish that river with a 5wt and the typical indicator, split shot, nymph rig and just automatically used that rig for many years. However, the last couple of years I've been fishing mostly dry and dry/dropper using a 4wt rod...makes it fun to change it up a bit on that river. I started fishing on top after a conversation with a couple in the parking lot who said how successful their day was fishing dry flies. I must say, watching a big 'ol San Juan trout suck in your dry fly is exciting!!!

 

[AzTrouter]

Dry/dropper on the Juan works well, even if it’s not quite a dry. I tie a size 22 Klinkhammer style Baetis, tied sparse, on an emerger hook that’s my ‘indicator’ and drop a size 24, tied sparse, Top Secret under it. I like Dorsey’s Top Secret. Only midge ya need, no emergers trim the wing to a nub with nippers and fish it deep as a larva.

At this point I tie sparse on size 24 hooks and land more fish than tying size 26’s and not getting a good hook set.

Speaking of non typical Juan work, I ran into a fellow straight up Euro nymphing, he was working the same water I was. Me with my short stick and creeking tactics and he with traditional tung headed Euro patterns and long rod, we hit it off right away :- )

 

[mka]

Jeepster gets a chuckle out of some of my rigs on the Juan. On our last trip there last month, I caught a nice fat 20 incher on a #14 rubber leg stimulator (with some flash). I often hang a dropper on that fly using a #18 or #20 bead head nymph or midge emerger. Been having fun with that rig this year. That stimulator does well fished alone and I usually use a #14 or #12 size for some action with the big ones.

You've inspired me to try glass on the river sometime...I have a 7' CGR 4/5 rod that would be a blast. I've really been wanting to try my bamboo, but for various reasons seem to always pull out a graphite rod when there. The rod that has gotten more use for me on the Juan this year is my Winston WT 8'6" 4wt rod...it's just so much fun that it's hard for me to use any other rod in my quiver.

 

[el jefe]

Jeepster gets a chuckle out of some of my rigs on the Juan. On our last trip there last month, I caught a nice fat 20 incher on a #14 rubber leg stimulator (with some flash). I often hang a dropper on that fly using a #18 or #20 bead head nymph or midge emerger. Been having fun with that rig this year. That stimulator does well fished alone and I usually use a #14 or #12 size for some action with the big ones.

You've inspired me to try glass on the river sometime...I have a 7' CGR 4/5 rod that would be a blast. I've really been wanting to try my bamboo, but for various reasons seem to always pull out a graphite rod when there. The rod that has gotten more use for me on the Juan this year is my Winston WT 8'6" 4wt rod...it's just so much fun that it's hard for me to use any other rod in my quiver.

Well, I'd say that's rod's fun. You caught two cold bees with that thing!!

 

[mka]

Well, I'd say that's rod's fun. You caught two cold bees with that thing!!

LOL...for sure, no catch and release those two were consumed!!!!!

 

[pdq5oh]

I've got a 4wt Butterstick and have been hitting the local bluegills. Tomorrow I'm heading to Pa to fish a small creek with some decent rainbows and browns. Trees and brush overgrow the nice holes so I'm thinking the Butterstick will be lots of fun there, and easy to put a nymph in the right places with. Sounds like the Butterstick was a complete success on the San Juan. I hope for the same in Pa.