Emerald Jewel of Southern New Mexico

Hookup!

A wild brown

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The Rio Peqasco is not typically for beginners. There are cross currents to cause drag, clear water that forces the angler to stalk wary trout, and tiny flies to match.

In August and September, the grasshoppers bounce out of the grass onto the river, making for great surface action. At that time of year, even the neophyte angler does well. Guides tend to use dropper rigs on the Peqasco, a small mayfly pattern on top, a tiny generic nymph below.

To imitate the midges that show up from March to September, they employ Disco Midges, Palomino Midges and Midge Clusters (#20#22). For the numerous caddis hatches, they rarely catch trout of any size on adult patterns, instead using generic emergers and beadhead nymphs (#4#20).

The Blue Winged Olive hatches can be thick in the winter. On the Peqasco, they fish these hatches with parachute patterns (#16#20) and both Olive or Gray Comparaduns (#16#20). A favorite all-around pattern is the Parachute Adams (#16#20). Tricos are represented by Sparkle Wing Tricos (#20#22).

Run Silent, Run Deep

What would a good spring creek be without a healthy population of damselflies? Banegas and Monasterio have found that an Olive Marabou Damsel nymph draws the best results. Scuds are plentiful and best imitated with a ginger pattern, #16.

And as early as April, the grasshoppers come out, sometimes lasting until early November, which make for the best and most exciting fishing of the season. Dave's Hoppers, Drowned Hoppers, Double Humpy and Madame X are the local favorites (#10#14).

The other successful terrestrial pattern is the Chernobyl Ant (#16#18), which will often induce takes when nothing else will. But if you want to hunt for trophy trout on the Rio Peqasco, you must go deep.

Local faves include classic streamers like the Royal Coachman, Mickey Finn and Light Spruce, as well as black, olive and purple Woolly Buggers and Bunny Leeches (#6#12). One hot fly developed just for the Peqasco is the J.J. Special, a big ugly fly that works best stripped past the dark holes under overhanging banks.