The Jemez watershed offers anglers ample opportunity to catch trout. Several small- to medium-sized streams harbor rainbows, but the predominant fish are browns. NM Highway 4 follows the Jemez River throughout. The stream cuts through steep canyon walls and is replete with deep runs and pools. Surprisingly, the fishing is good even along the road. The Jemez River is formed where the Rio San Antonio is confluent with the East Fork at the prominent Battleship Rock.

The Ro San Antonio is accessed from NM Highway 4 upstream from Battleship Rock, NM126 and F.R. 376 north from NM126. A great deal of the Rio San Antonio meanders like a snake through many grassy meadows. There are a lot of pools and deep runs, and some canyon areas where the fishing access requires some hiking but it can be worth the effort.

The East Fork also heads on the publically owned Valles Caldera. Once on public land, there are many miles of excellent fishing. Once this stream leaves it cuts almost entirely through deep canyons. Some are very hard to get to but the fishing can be very rewarding. It's always best to hike into the canyons beyond the access points before you start fishing. Some stretches of the East Fork are on private property so be sure to respect other's property.

The Rio de las Vacas and the Rio Cebolla, draining the northwest Jemez mountains, converge to form the Rio Guadalupe. The Rio de las Vacas has public access from the north and south but the middle portion of the stream runs through private property. Fishing is good in the spring but gets fairly slow in the summer as flow decreases. The Rio Guadalupe is my personal favorite and has the most water of any Jemez watershed stream. After several miles the Rio Guadalupe flows into the Jemez River near the Jemez Pueblo. 

The Rio Guadalupe flows into the "Guadalupe Box." And that's where the fishing gets good--and more challenging. There are a lot of deep pockets and deep runs for excellent dry fly and nymph fishing. The last week of April until about the second week of June there are incredible stonefly hatches. That's the time to go if you can beat the spring runoff. 

Take US550 Bernalillo exit off I-25 to the town of San Ysidro. Head north on NM 4 which follows the Jemez River and the road continues to Los Alamos to the north then on to Santa Fe. The Jemez River is about 50 miles northwest of Albuquerque and about 40 miles from Santa Fe.