I went to guad yesterday and fish for some trout, i tied some #20 nymphs with a bead head, tandem on 5x tippet under astrike indicator , they were simple designs brown thread with some quail feathers comming out like a tail... we got there at 615 and fished till 430.....AND NOT A SINGLE HIT ... i went last week and caught 1 only because a guide was there and helped me out, so i used the same equiptment and fish the same water with zero success, cahaged spots and nothing....i felt like i didnt know what i was doing ... and they were there because we same a bunch rising, some other guy was there and caught two down stream from us, and the day before he said he caught 9.....im really really fustrated with these trout and any advise would help....

ouch! I have no personal experience or advice to offer but do feel your pain.

Mayhaps try going to some local fly shops and asking them to sell you the best patterns? That is one way to pick up tidbits of advice.

Try San Juan Worms of all colers...I have had good success with the red ones, but the brown ones are pretty good. Also you can usually pick some up with drifting a wolly bugger. Go to the fly shop in Gruene they will hook you up !!!

Change flys often and try to work them deeper (nymphs) until you find the right combination of weight and depth.

I don't typically use a strike indicator but I do understand the 'high stick' technique that many people use to catch trout in the Guadalupe.

You need to target the areas that look like they should or do hold fish and hit them from every possible angle to present the fly in as many different ways as possible.

The most important thing to remember is that if what you are doing isn't working try something else!

Most of my success in catching trout comes by accident because I'm trying something different out of frustration especially with fresh stocker trout. 99% of the time I'll end up using some kind of wooly booger or nymph and seldom do I dry fly anything. I know the reports say that the dry fly action is getting good but I've never had much luck going dry (surface).

It would help to know if you were mainly drifting your flies on the swing versus a downstream drift that required mending to avoid drag. Also if you saw fish rising, then there were presumably some midges or other type of fly around. I have had some success using a small elk hair caddis or parachute adams in that situation - and have the fly sit on the water for only a brief time because sometimes I think that it causes the fish to reflexively strike. Asking advice from a local flyshop is a good suggestion because they will know tricks that are good for local waters. Good luck

Hi, I am new to the board but think I may be able to throw a few tidbits out there. I feel that sometimes people switch out flies way too often, my suggestion is if you have done this and still no luck, start messing with the depth of your indicator and your weight. Sometimes in cold water situations, you have to put the fly right in there face or they wont' touch the fly. If they are rising, are you seeing noses or mouths, or is it a small movement of water and then you see there dorsal or tail, if that is the case they are probably taking emergers. I fish the San Juan river in NM and before I mess with flies, I always adjust my indicator and weight, then I'll start switching out flies.

I agree with the other comments and I personally use a high sticking technique when I fish nymphs on any trout water -- excellent hook set reaction time and it allows you to be in total control at all times presenting the fly in the most natural drift possible. As for going fishless on the guad--man I feel for you there and lets set the record straight, I don't really care too terribly much about who caught what and where the day before (the day before isnt today and I am there to fish today!) I arrived because I tell you what that just keeps me thinking "what am I doing wrong?!" if I fail to land a fish. I am not knocking good advice just don't get discouraged if things aren't happening like they were a few days earlier---dont lose your focus! Now in the defense of all those who have ever zeroed on the guad (including myself) lets just face it, sometimes it just isnt a good day for catching--always a great day for fishing though!

I heard that.... problem was the other guy was catching about a 1/4 of a mile down river ...talk about a reality check.... anyway thanks for the advice has anyone been to the guad within the last week , how is this hot weather affecting em'... oh yea one more question how do you fish for strippers in the lower guad..(just in case the trout arnt biting )

The tube hatch hasn't started yet so the stripper fishing will have to wait until at least May However the striper fishing is done mostly up near the dam in the long deep runs. Most striper fishing success comes from using trout colored rapalas or other stick baits or so I've heard (I'm not an expert by any means)...
I'm suppose to lead a Fly club group trip to the Guad this weekend so I'll report back on how we do and what we did it with.