The entire crew of Fisheads San Juan River Lodge, and I, want to thank you all for another great year. Without your continued patronage we would not be the success that we have become. Many of you have become friends, and we enjoy seeing each and every one of you as the year goes by. And so, as we go into our fifth year, I want to thank you for your continued support.
Though many of you have met her, Fisheads would like to welcome Ella Hahn, our new fly shop manager. Ella hails from Pennsylvania and has lodge management experience. Another new supervisor in the fly shop is Barbara Willmart who also has experience in lodge management right here in Navajo Dam. Peggy Harrell-Nesbit, our long time fly shop manager has semi-retired. Peggy still works part time here but is working toward full time fishing.
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With the holidays closing in on us, we want to remind you to get your orders in for any gifts (to yourself or to others) you might want to order. Maybe you’re not sure what to get for one of your loved ones? We offer gift certificates, either by mail or you can also order online.Click here to order Gift Certificates online. They make a perfect gift for anyone. We carry a wide selection of Orvis rod and reels that are right for any skill level and budget. The guides of Fisheads recommend one of our ten foot fly rods for its great reach, exact mending and unparalleled presentation. The Helios 2 rod is hands down our favorite and available NOW. Orvis is closing out the Access Rod and you can purchase it at a reduced price. Make your Orvis order with us and get free shipping on orders over $50.00. This year we have added a stocked magnetic fly box to our Christmas inventory; the fly boxes can be customized and come filled with a variety of wet and dry patterns we recommend for this river. Fisheads has a lot of great gifts; waders and boots, wading staffs, rain jackets, hats and shirts, and if we don’t carry it we can order it with FREE shipping.
2014 was another excellent year for fishing the San Juan River! Our cold clear waters continue to amaze me with the abundant insect life and large fish populations. We saw all day long hatches of midges for the entire year getting our fish fat for this winter. The water is about as clear as I have ever seen it which offers the occasional glimpse of some of the giant trout that live in these waters. I am talking about fish over fifteen pounds that will occasionally take fish off our hooks! The river is producing lots of giant browns and rainbows. It’s all about the food source. A fish can only grow so large eating small insects but the sky is the limit when they have an endless supply of little fish to eat. I can’t wait to see what we catch this winter and next year.
The months of November through February are some of the best times of the year to fish the river. The crowds of fall are gone, the BWO and midge hatches are on fire and the fishing is excellent. With the average daytime temperatures in the high 40’s or low 50’s you can’t find a better winter fishery in the US. This is why the San Juan River is a year round fly anglers dream.
The monsoons didn’t happen this year except for one storm that changed the terrain below Simon Canyon. That area was unfishable for a short period of time until the fish thought it was a good place to hang out. The BOR is keeping the release of water at around 350 CFS and should do so through the winter. If all goes well, we should have high water flows this spring. This should flush out a lot of the sand that settled below Simon Canyon.
In last year’s newsletter, we mentioned that we were successful in getting on the ballot in the county for a beer and wine license. We are pleased to tell you that voters approved the measure, and we now serve beer and wine in our restaurant. We proudly serve wine from Wines of the San Juan, our local winery.
We know that the rest of the town closes down for the winter, but not Fisheads. The fly shop, lodge and restaurant are open early and close late all year long, Christmas day excluded. Stop by, you won’t be disappointed. The Back Cast Café also has a banquet room for groups and a full catering menu to go with it. We can provide a place for your meeting or party, whether the group is large or small.
We want to thank everyone for your continued support. We look forward to seeing you this winter and next year. 2014 has been a great year, and we are looking forward to see what 2015 will bring.
Happy and safe holidays and a Merry Christmas to all the Fisheads out there from the entire staff here at Fisheads San Juan River Lodge.
Tight lines, Chris Taylor, the head Fishead!
P.S. Looking for a way to drop a hint? Forward this newsletter to your fishead friends or maybe just your special Santa!