Duranglers May Monthly Report

Duranglers May Monthly Report

“If you don’t listen to country, you do now.”

Offhand warnings spoken to our summer help on their first days in the shop.  Training new fly shop guys just reinforces that May is here.  For us at Duranglers, May is pretty much summer.  We are scrambling to get everything in order before half the crew heads over the hill to Creede for a few weeks in June/July.  May is also the month of runoff and most of us are chomping at the bit to get on the water, hoping the rivers will clear soon.

Currently, the San Juan is fishing well with afternoon midge and BWO hatches while rivers such as the Animas, Piedra, upper San Juan, and Rio Grande are rising with cold off color water.  The fishing options grow by the day, but you might have to think outside the box this month.  If you want to get into fish, being creative counts.  How should one get creative exactly?  Well let us help you out with a few suggestions…

• Religiously watching the flows – While not the best option, you may find a window of opportunity with all the unique weather we have this month.  If you see the flows drop for a day or so, it means the visibility might be getting better
• Tailwaters – Local tailwaters such as the San Juan, Dolores, Uncompahgre, and Pine fish well right through higher flows.  The flows may get bumped up, but the water will still remain clear.  Plus higher flows on tailwaters makes for less technical fishing.
• Flatwater – Not subject to flow fluctuations, lakes and reservoirs can be a great place to find some big trout, bass, carp, panfish, pike, and musky in May.  If you are a sold-out trout bum, I highly encourage you to pick a warmwater species to target this month.  You may feel like you are slumming it, but the things you will learn might just translate back to your trout fishing.
• The High Country – Small creeks still hold fish during high water.  While the water may be cold, creek fish will still take a well presented dry, bead head nymph, or small streamer.  This is a great time to finally get up into the higher elevations.  Plan your trip accordingly.
• Just Fish the Mud – High, off color water doesn’t mean no fish.  Just make sure to use big, dark nymphs and streamers and fish close to the bank.  Trout will move close to the bank to get out of the fast current in the middle of the river.

If you are not sure about where to start, give us a call at the shop or shoot us an e-mail at [email protected].  We are always glad to help.  Make sure to give us a call if you would like to book a guide trip.  Our calendar is filling up and we would love to get you on the books for a day out on the water!

“By the time it’s all over, you will dreaming in country music.”

Insects and Natural Food Sources

If you have any questions on a specific river; please call the shop for more info.  970-385-4081

• · San Juan River, New Mexico – Midges, annelids, aquatic worms, scuds, Leeches, trout eggs, BWO Nymphs, baitfish in the lower waters.
• · Lower Animas – BWOs, Caddis Pupa, Stonefly Nymphs, Sculpins, Crayfish, Aquatic Worms.
• · Upper San Juan – Stonefly Nymphs, Mayfly Nymphs, BWOs, Caddis Larva, Midges, Aquatic Worms
• · Rio Grande – Stonefly Nymphs, BWOs, Caddis Pupa, Mayfly Nymphs, Sculpins and Baitfish, Aquatic Worms.
• · Piedra River & Williams Creek – Stonefly nymphs, Mayfly Nymphs, BWOs, caddis nymphs.
• · Los Pinos River – (Below Dam) – Midges, Mayfly Nymphs, baitfish, BWOs, Aquatic Worms.
• · Dolores River Above Reservoir, Los Pinos Above Reservoir –  Still very cold, Stonefly Nymphs, BWO nymphs, Midges, Small Streamers
• · Dolores River (Below Dam) –  Midges, BWO’s, Stoneflies, Caddis, Terrestrials.
• · High Country Lakes and Streams –  Small leeches, chronomids, midges.
• · Local lakes – Leeches and baitfish patterns for trout and pike.  Chronomids.

Recommended Fly Patterns

San Juan River:

• · Midges: Size 20-30 – Black Midge Pupa, Big Mac, Desert Storm, WD-40, Juju Midge, Midge Clusters, Duranglers Adult Midge, Griffith’s Gnat, Red Hot
• · Baetis: Size 20-26 – Juju Baetis, Thread Body Baetis, RS2, Pheasant Tail, BWO Vis-A-Dun, Parachute Adams, Brown Baetis Nymph
• · Annelids:  Red Sparkle Worm, Red and Orange annelids, Chamos Leech, SJ Worm in Red, Brown, Pink, and Orange
• · Scuds: Ray Charles
• · Leeches and Streamers: Size 8-14 – Olive, Blood Leech, and White Simi- Seal Leeches, Bunny Leeches, Buggers, Goat Leech

 Animas, Piedra, Upper San Juan, and SW CO rivers:

• · Stonefly Nymphs: Size 6-16 –  Prince Nymph, Pats Rubberlegs, Sparkle Stone, Hairy Stone
• · Caddis Nymphs: Size 12-18 –  Caddistrophic Pupa, , Hares Ear, Cased Caddis, Bubbleback Caddis, GTI Caddis
• · Mayfly Nymphs 14-20:  Pheasant Tail Nymph, Rubberlegs Hare’s Ear, Thread Baetis. Juju Baetis, RS-2,
• · BWO Dries – Barr’s Viz-a-Dun, Parachute Adams, Klinkhammer, Baetis Cripple
• · Midges: Size 18-24 – Flash Midge Pupa, Disco Midge, WD-40, Zebra Midges, Adult Midge, Griffith Gnat
• · Sculpin Patterns – Black and olive Sculpzilla, Circus Peanut, Wool Sculpin, The One Sculpin, Near Nuff Sculpin
• · Crayfish Patterns – Magnum Super Bugger, Meat Whistle, Near Nuff Crayfish, Cray Cray Nabber, Barry’s Carp Bitter
• · Streamers – Simi Seal Leeches, Black and Olive Krystal Buggers, Josh’s Ziwi, Circus Peanut, Cheech Leech, Double Gonga

 

Rio Grande:

• · Stonefly Nymphs: Size 2-14 –  Hairy Stone, Pats Rubberlegs, Sparkle Stone, Prince Nymph.
• · Caddis Nymphs: Size 12-18 –  Caddisstrophic Pupa, Cased Caddis, GTI Caddis
• · Mayfly Nymphs 14-20:  Red and black Copper John, Pheasant Tail Nymph, Hare’s Ear, Thread Baetis. Juju Baetis, RS-2
• · BWO Dries – Barr’s Viz-a-Dun, Parachute Adams, Klinkhammer, Baetis Cripple
• · Stonefly Dries – Chernobyl Ant, Chubby Chernobyl, Stimulators
• · Streamers – Krystal Buggers, Sculpzilla, Circus Peanut, The One Sculpin, Meat Whistle, Cheech Leech, Josh’s Ziwi

Lower Dolores:

• · BWO Nymphs:  Pheasant Tail Nymph, Juju Baetis,  Brown Baetis Nymph
• · Midges: Size 18-24 – Flash Midge Pupa, Disco Midge, WD-40, Griffith Gnat, Biot Midge Dry, Adult Midge
• · Little Olive Stonefly, Stimulator, Sparkle Stone, Pat’s Rubberlegs, Black Winter Stone
• · Hoppers: Chubby Chernobyl, Stimulator, Charlie Boy Hopper, Tantrum Hopper
• · Streamers: Simi Seal Leeches, Buggers, Snot Rocket

 

 Lakes

• · Trout – Sowbugs, Leech patterns, chronomids, small baitfish and streamers.
• · Smallmouth bass – Meat Whistle, Grim Reaper Bass Fly, Clouser Minnows
• · Pike – Magnum Baitfish, Engler’s Pike Fly, Meat Whistle, Pike Snake, EP Pike Fly

High Country:

• · Attractor dries:  Humpies, Stimulators, Royal Wulff
• · Attractor nymphs:  Prince, Hares Ear, Pheasant Tails, Soft Hackle Wet Flies
• · Small streamers such as buggers and Simi-Seal Leeches

Plan for this summer by checking out our guide to fly fishing the high country!