Duranglers January Fishing Report – Set Your Goals

Duranglers January Fishing Report – Set Your Goals

It has been a seriously sweet winter so far.  Tons of snow before January 1st, and it keeps on coming.  Consider this: the snow that falls before the first of the year is the same water we are fishing in August!  The winter solstice usually accounts for the coldest temps we see in Durango all year.  Those cold temps tend set any snow that has fallen into a deeper freeze than our later winter/spring snows.  That deeply frozen snow: well the more of it we have, the more that freezes during our coldest days.

Wolf creek saw 220 inches of snow already before January 1st rolled around, if that puts things into perspective.  Not to mention we are in the midst of another winter storm that could dump up to a foot (or more) on us here in Durango.

All that to say, hopefully one of your 2016 goals was to float in SW Colorado this summer!

However, the question right now is, “what are the current fishing conditions in Duranglers country?”  With most of our local water under snow and ice, there are few options available.  BUT, those options can be good ones.

The San Juan River tailwater is our number one producer this time of year as the water temps are the same year round, despite the air temps.  If you are a dry fly kind of angler, midday is your best bet with midges coming off from around 10 to 3.  Flows are around 260cfs so you may have to lighten your game with smaller flies and tippet but the San Juan remains one of the great winter fisheries of the west.

The other option you have to wet a line this January is our local Animas River.  While the Animas may not produce the numbers of the San Juan, winter time is the time to hunt and target big fish.  It may take persistence, patience, and a fair number of presentations, but big trout still have to eat throughout the winter.  Layer up as temps have been maxing out to at around 33 during the day.

A final option is a good snowshoe mission into some open water of the high country.  Where can this be found?  Well you will just have to get out there and explore.

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, Flying Ants, BWO’s, baitfish.
• · Animas – Caddis nymphs, Midges, Sculpins, Aquatic Worms, Mayfly Nymphs.
• · Upper San Juan – Midges, Aquatic Worms, stonefly nymphs, baitfish, Mayfly and Caddis Nymphs.
• · Rio Grande – Stonefly nymphs, Midges, Sculpins and Baitfish, Mayfly and Caddis Nymphs.
• · Piedra River & Williams Creek – Stonefly nymphs, Caddis nymphs, Midges, Mayfly Nymphs.
• · Los Pinos River – (Below Dam) – Mayfly Nymphs, baitfish, Midges, Aquatic Worms, leeches.
• · Dolores River Above Reservoir, Los Pinos Above Reservoir – Stonefly Nymphs, Mayfly and Caddis Nymphs, Streamers, Midges.
• · Dolores River (Below Dam) –  Midges, Mayfly Nymphs, Sculpins and Baitfish.
• · High Country Lakes and Streams –  Frozen Over
• · Local lakes – Frozen over

Recommended Fly Patterns

San Juan River:

• · Midges: Size 24-30 – Black Midge Pupa, Big Mac, Zebra Midge, WD-40, Jujubee Midge, Midge Clusters, Duranglers Adult Midge, Griffith’s Gnat,
• · Baetis: Size 20-26 – Juju Baetis, Thread Body Baetis, RS2, Pheasant Tail, BWO Vis-A-Dun, Bat Wing Emerger, Brown Baetis Nymph
• · Annelids:  Red Sparkle Worm, Red and Orange annelids, Squirmy Wormy, Chamos Leech, SJ Worm in Red, Brown, Pink, and Orange
• · Trout Egg Patterns: Size 12-16 – Pink, Yellow, Peach, Cream
• · Scuds: Ray Charles, Grey Flashback Scud, Olive Flashback Scud
• · Leeches and Streamers: Size 8-14 – Olive, Blood Leech, and Black Simi- Seal Leeches, Bunny Leeches, Buggers, Goat Leech

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

• · Stonefly Nymphs: Size 6-16 –  20 Incher, Pats Rubberlegs, Sparkle Stone, Dirty Bird
• · 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, Brown Baetis Nymph, Juju BWO, RS-2, Trico Nymph
• · Midge Nymphs: Size 18-22: Jujubee Midge, Black Midge Pupa, Big Mac Pupa, Zebra Midge
• · Midge Dries: Griffith Gnat, Stuck in the Shuck Midge, Mole Fly, Duranglers Adult Midge
• · Sculpin Patterns – Black and olive Sculpzilla, Circus Peanut, Wool Sculpin, The One Sculpin, Near Nuff Sculpin
• · Streamers – Black and Olive Krystal Buggers, Josh’s Ziwi, Circus Peanut, Cheech Leech, Double Gonga, Snot Rocket

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
• · Midge Nymphs: Size 18-22: Jujubee Midge, Black Midge Pupa, Big Mac Pupa
• · Midge Dries: Griffith Gnat, Stuck in the Shuck Midge, Mole Fly, Duranglers Adult Midge
• · Streamers – Krystal Buggers, Sculpzilla, Circus Peanut, The One Sculpin, Meat Whistle, Cheech Leech, Josh’s Ziwi

Lower Dolores:

• · Mayfly Nymphs:  Pheasant Tail Nymph, Juju Baetis,  Brown Baetis Nymph, Juju PMD, Brown Baetis Nymph
• · Midges: Size 18-24 – Flash Midge Pupa, Disco Midge, WD-40, Griffith Gnat, Biot Midge Dry, Adult Midge
• · Streamers: Simi Seal Leeches, Buggers, Snot Rocket

 Lakes

• · Trout – Sowbugs, Leech patterns, chronomids, small baitfish and streamers, Simi Seal Leeches.  Barry’s Carp Bitters

High Country:

Our high country is under feet of snow and ice.  You could always strap on some cross country skis or a pair of snow shoes and make the trek to some open water.  Or you could just plan for next year by checking out our guide to fly fishing the high country.