Conditions on the Animas River are more favorable for fishing than they normally are through the cold month of January.  It is definitely winter in the Durango area, but we are not seeing the really cold nights that can turn the river into something more like a frozen margarita.  That’s right, no spoon needed, water temps have been a balmy thirty-seven to thirty-eight degrees.  The midge hatch has been impressive, flows are solid and the water clarity has been just right.  Like leading a duck, not too far ahead and not too far behind, but just right.

I have been streamer fishing and it’s been pretty productive.  And when I say streamer fishing I don’t mean fishing a sinking line and slowly raking the bottom for a lazy grab.  When I say streamer fishing, I mean actively moving the fly, often shallow enough to be visible, and watching respectable browns and rainbows attack the fly two and sometimes even three times.  Considering the cold water temps the aggressive behavior of the fish has been a bit of a surprise, but I’ll take it.

I have not been nymphing, but during last nights big game I got a report from a trusted source.  Crazy Mike (he is crazy, I swear, but crazy in a good way and he’s one of the best anglers and tiers I know) put the bobber to work a couple times last week with good results.  If I recall correctly (PBR can make things fuzzy), an egg and a bead head something fished patiently in the right water was the ticket.  

Bottom line, fishing on the Animas is good right now no matter how you like to skin the cat.  But right now, means right now.  Conditions will soon change and the “Animal” will start pitching curves before you can tie that loop knot.

Spencer

The San Juan has been fishing decent since the first of the year and should continue to be a great option in February.  Count on Duranglers to be your source of what is happening on the “Juan” and for you flies and supplies.  Marc Wethington is coming to the 5 Rivers TU meeting to report on the recent work done in the Braids.  Meeting is on Monday, 2/6, at Durango Brewing (3000 North Main Ave.), at 7pm.

If it is too cold to get out, then it’s a great time to tie flies. As always, we have a complete selection of fly tying materials. If you would like to learn, inquire about our beginner fly tying classes. Call or come in to sign up and get details.

San Juan River 1/5/12

Last week I got a chance to guide one of my favorite guys, Craig Gillihan.  Craig lives in Quakertown, Pennsylvania and we have fished together for several years now.  Swapping stories about bowhunting and fishing always seem to fill the spaces between fish when we’re on the river together.

We started the day wading around the new sections in the braidsand caught some nice fish on eggs and crystal flash midge emergers.  I’ve had a lot of fun poking around in there lately and checking out all of the new buckets that are holding fish.  The improvements in the braids have been getting a lot of attention lately and rightly so.  Rediscovering

San Juan River Bow 1/5/12

a new spot on an old favorite is always worth the time.

After lunch we worked our way through the main channel where Craig caught fish steadily all the way into the upper flats on thread baetis and Rs2’s.  Much of the water we fished in the afternoon we had to ourselves which made our day even better.

Craig is a fine angler and fishing with him is always a pleasure.  If you haven’t taken advantage of the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been experiencing lately, now is the time.  The San Juan has been fishing well and the crowds have been thin if you walk a few minutes further from the parking lot.  Thanks Craig for a great day on the River!

See you on the River!

Rob Coddington

Duranglers would like to offer a special thanks and wishes for tight lines to everyone who shopped and fished with us through 2011. Have a great 2012!

With the storms going north and south of Durango, the Animas continues to offer easy access and decent fishing weather permitting for a local fishing fix.  And, the San Juan Quality Water below Navajo Dam is still fishing well.  The recent work to improve habitat in the braids area has been an unqualified success with a significant increase in holding areas for anglers to spread out. As usual, midges are the bugs of choice along with the red analid.  Winter is a great time to fish wooly buggers and leeches, either black or olive.  As usual, check in with us for the latest in what’s happening on the Juan.

Fly tying lessons are starting this month. The first session is Jan. 12,13, 17 & 19. The class is a full eight hours of lessons for $100 and we furnish everything! These cold winter nights are great for cranking out your flies for the upcoming season. Come in or give us a call to sign up. Class size is limited to 6.

 Need to get away from the cold for a fishing fix?  We still have a few spots on the Andros, Bahamas bonefishing trip.  This was a great trip in 2011 and should be equally good this year. 

We continue to have men’s and women’s clothing on sale as well as a selection of wading boots and men’s and women’s waders.  In addition, the Sage Xi2 and Scott S3S saltwater fly rods are on sale along with selected Sage and Lamson fly reels.

We have scheduled the first fly tying classes for January 10, 12, 17 and 19. This will provide 8 hours of lessons for $100 and we furnish everything. If you can’t make our January class, we will have another class in February and, probably, March.  Come in and sign up or sign someone else up for a great Christmas gift.

The San Juan and the Animas are still fishing very well. With the usual Midges and some BWO’s in the afternoon down on the Juan, there are lots of fish on the surface. Not huge numbers, but there havebeen some very large fish caught right here on the Animas in recent days.  Nymph small baetis and midge patterns, or dredge a black bugger for best results.

Don’t forget to get in here and sign up for the Holidazzle drawing. Win a fly box and flies worth $150. Drawing will be held at 4pm on December 23^rd.  Also, come in and put down your wish list so your loved ones will know exactly what you want.  Tight lines and happy holidays form the guys and gals at Duranglers.

Descriptively, the work has included creating a detention pond in the outlet of the Rex Smith Wash so as to prevent siltation of the area in and below the “Kiddie Hole”; placement of rock, topsoil and willows so as to close off some of the unproductive braids; and creation of 20 fish holding areas, “holes” if you will.

On 11/30/11 Buck Skillen of Duranglers got a guided tour of the work from New Mexico Game & Fish fishery biologist Marc Wethington.  Here is Buck’s reaction to what he saw.

“The result of all of this work is just short of INCREDIBLE!  There are now a lot more places to fish up through the braids and this will spread people out more and, perhaps, reduce some of the crowding.  The fish have already moved into the holes that were created.  I stood next to one such hole and was able to fish to probably 30 or 40 fish within an easy cast.  I hate to say it but shooting fish in a barrel came to mind.  Fortunately, they were hungry and ate readily.  I wont ask you to suspend belief or strain my credibility by mentioning numbers; suffice to say I had fun.  And, perhaps, best of all it doesn’t look fabricated.  I really believe inside of a year we won’t be able to notice what was done.  All in all a very exciting development for our San Juan Quality Waters.”

Midges and BWO’s still coming off and fishing has been very good with only a few anglers on the water.

Tight Lines,

Tom

The San Juan is also a great bet as it has been fishing quite good. As always there will be midges in water.  Look for Blue Wing Olive hatches, especially in the afternoon. Nymphing with RS2’s and Baetis emergers is a good bet, but look for rising fish on those overcast days.

Most all of our summer clothes are on sale as well as selected Sage Rods and reels and Lamson Litespeed Reels.  Come in and check out the good deals for early Christmas presents.

We will begin are winter fly tying classes soon. Please give us a call if you are interested in these lessons, as class size is limited. Dates will be posted soon.

Tight Lines

On Monday October 31, 2011 Habitat Improvement work begin in the Braids Area of the San Juan.  Work is expected to be completed no later than December 15, possibly sooner.

It is anticipated that crews will be working Monday – Thursday, 10 hours a day.  It is possible that the contractor may decide to work on Friday’s as well.

The river will be closed to anglers from the bottom of the Kiddy Hole to the lower part of the Upper Flats the entire time of the project.

There will be heavy equipment in the river at times and only time will tell how much impact to clarity and fishing there will be below the project.

After the first week of work it seems the negative effect have been minimal.  Hatches of Midges and BWO’s have been very good with rising fish most days.  Contact us for more detailed information.

Duranglers Tom Knopick will be hosting our 3rd annual trip to Andros South Lodge on Andros Island in the Bahamas.  The staff at Andros South Lodge does an awesome job and this is truly a great trip.  Andros is without question one of the great Bonefish destination on the planet with endless diverse flats and creeks, the opportunities here are boundless.  Andros South Lodge is focused on providing the finest bone fishing in the world.

Trip Dates are April 21-28, 2012.  Join us for a trip of a lifetime!  Please contact Tom for details.

This brute of a Bonefish could not resist a well-placed size 4 Gotcha.