Rio Chama Fishing Guides and Conditions, New Mexico
A Wild and Scenic red-rock canyon float below El Vado, plus the cold tailwater below Abiquiu Dam that fishes all winter under Georgia O'Keeffe country.
Guides on the Rio Chama
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
No guides listed yet
Guide or outfit this water? Create your profile. Listing is free, the commission is 10% or 7% with a premium profile, and premium profiles list first on this water.
About the Rio Chama
The Chama gives northern New Mexico two very different trips. The Wild and Scenic section from El Vado Dam down to the Chama Canyon and the Christ in the Desert Monastery is a thirty-mile red-rock float, usually run over two or three days on scheduled releases, with brown and rainbow trout, sandstone walls and some of the quietest camping in the state. The tailwater below Abiquiu Dam is a shorter, road-accessible fishery that stays cold and fishable year-round.
The canyon float is the signature trip and it is release-dependent: the Bureau of Reclamation runs water through in early summer, and the float community plans around those releases. Fishing in the canyon is best on the shoulders, before the water comes up and after it drops. The Abiquiu tailwater is the reliable option the rest of the year, fished with nymphs and streamers, and it holds larger browns than most people expect. Pike and walleye live in the reservoirs and occasionally show up in the river.
The Chamita gauge sits low on the river above the Rio Grande confluence and reflects the sum of the releases and tributaries. Several hundred cfs is normal working water; release periods push it much higher, which is when the canyon floats run, and low-flow periods make the tailwater technical and clear. Because so much of this river is managed, checking the current release schedule matters more than any long-term average.
Abiquiu, Chama and Espanola are the towns, with Santa Fe an hour away. The canyon has no services, permits are required for the Wild and Scenic float in season, and the monastery asks that visitors respect the quiet.
Fished this water? Add a photo
Reviewed by hand before it appears. Pick the water, not the spot — we never publish exact locations.
Access
El Vado Dam: the top of the Wild and Scenic float.
Cooper El Vado Ranch: the standard permit launch for the canyon.
Chama Canyon and the Christ in the Desert Monastery: mid-canyon river access on a rough road.
Big Eddy and Chavez Canyon: canyon takeouts above Abiquiu Reservoir.
Abiquiu Dam tailwater: the year-round road-accessible trout water.
Chamita and the Rio Grande confluence: the bottom of the river near the gauge.
The Wild and Scenic section requires a permit during the season and has no services.
Seasons
Year-round on the Abiquiu tailwater.
April and May: pre-release fishing in the canyon, cool water and few people.
June and July: scheduled releases, the main canyon float season.
September through March: the tailwater at its best, browns in the fall and midges through winter.
From the water
No logged trips yet. Be the first to put this water on your map.
Log this water
Fished it or cleaned it? Log in or create a free account to log a trip with photos and earn the waterway badge.
Questions
What is the current flow on the Rio Chama?
As of Sep 6, 2:00 am, the USGS gauge RIO CHAMA NEAR CHAMITA, NM reads 52 cfs, the 5th percentile for this date, with water temperature 70.5 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Rio Chama?
Anglers target Brown Trout, Northern Pike, Rainbow Trout, Walleye on the Rio Chama in New Mexico.
Where can you access the Rio Chama?
El Vado Dam: the top of the Wild and Scenic float. Cooper El Vado Ranch: the standard permit launch for the canyon. Chama Canyon and the Christ in the Desert Monastery: mid-canyon river access on a rough road. Big Eddy and Chavez Canyon: canyon takeouts above Abiquiu Reservoir. Abiquiu Dam tailwater: the year-round road-accessible trout water. Chamita and the Rio Grande confluence: the bottom of the river near the gauge. The Wild and Scenic section requires a permit during the season and has no services.
When is the best time to fish the Rio Chama?
Year-round on the Abiquiu tailwater. April and May: pre-release fishing in the canyon, cool water and few people. June and July: scheduled releases, the main canyon float season. September through March: the tailwater at its best, browns in the fall and midges through winter.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Rio Chama?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the New Mexico agency site: https://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/fishing/rules-info/