Duranglers June Monthly Report – The Dawn of Summer

Duranglers June Monthly Report – The Dawn of Summer

Despite the February-like May, the dawn of summer is almost upon us.  June is game time for fly fishing in Durango and while runoff is currently kicked into high gear; there is still plenty of trout to be found.  With the constant producer of the San Juan River, Electra Lake opening after 2 years of being closed to the public, Salmonflies on our doorstep, and the Rio Grande Season right around the corner: June should once again prove epic for the fly angler in Southwest Colorado.

So thanks to all the rain and snow in the High Country this past May, our snowpack percentages have rocketed up from extremely low to extremely high for this time of year.  This means that you could very well be one who is asking “When is all the runoff going to end!?”  Truth be told, we could be seeing higher waters through the better part of June.  Don’t fret!  There is still plenty of fishing to be had here in our lovely corner of Colorado.  Check out our guide to Fly Fishing Through Runoff to find some fish.

Runoff is going to affect most of our local rivers such as the Animas, Piedra, Upper Dolores, and Upper San Juan.  While high and muddy water can be difficult to wade, it is certainly not unfishable.  Dark nymphs and streamers fished right along the bank are the best bet as the fish will be stacked along the edges.  Keep an eye out this month for good hatches of salmonflies, stoneflies, and caddis on all of our local freestones.  June is the most float friendly month and the Animas and Upper San Juan are great options to drift and fish.

Of course, the beginning of June is also when we head over the hill to float the Rio Grande River for 3 weeks.  If you are on the books with us, we look forward to seeing you over in Creede!

Finally, the San Juan River has been fishing fantastic this month and should continue this trend throughout the summer.  Standards such as BWOs and midges are feeding fish, but when the rains come for our monsoon season; expect ants.  This can happen anywhere from the end of June through the beginning of July.

Hopefully, we will see you on the water this month!  Don’t forget that June 6th and 7th are Colorado’s Free Fishing days and June 6th is New Mexico’s.

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 – Caddis nymphs and dries, Salmonflies, mayfly nymphs, Sculpins, Crayfish, Aquatic Worms.
• · Upper San Juan – Stoneflies, Salmonflies, Caddis, Mayfly Nymphs, Aquatic Worms
• · Rio Grande – Stonefly nymphs and dries, Salmonflies, Caddis, Drakes, Sculpins and Baitfish.
• · Piedra River & Williams Creek – Stonefly nymphs and dries, Salmonflies, Caddis, Drakes, mayfly nymphs.
• · Los Pinos River – (Below Dam) – Mayfly Nymphs, Caddis, baitfish, BWOs, Aquatic Worms, leeches.
• · Dolores River Above Reservoir, Los Pinos Above Reservoir – Stonefly Nymphs and Dries, BWO, Streamers, Caddis.
• · Dolores River (Below Dam) –  PMDs, BWO’s, Stoneflies, Caddis, Terrestrials and Hoppers.
• · High Country Lakes and Streams –  Small leeches, chronomids, midges, Terrestrials.
• · Local lakes – Leeches and baitfish for trout and pike.  Chronomids, Callibaetis.

Recommended Fly Patterns

San Juan River:

• · Midges: Size 20-30 – Black Midge Pupa, Big Mac, Desert Storm, WD-40, Jujubee 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, Rootbeer annelid, 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 –  20 Incher, 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,
• · Caddis Dries – Duranglers Peacock Caddis, EZ Caddis, Parachute Caddis
• · Stonefly Dries – Chubby Chernobyl, Chernobyl Ant, Rogue Foam Stone
• · 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
• · Stonefly Dries – Chubby Chernobyl, Chernobyl Ant, Rogue Foam Stone, Stimulators, Overstimulated Stone, Black El Camino
• · 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
• · Caddis Dries – Duranglers Peacock Caddis, EZ Caddis, Parachute Caddis
• · PMD Dries – Barr’s PMD Vis-A-Dun, PMD Cripple, Parachute Adams
• · Stoneflies – Stimulators, Sparkle Stone, Pat’s Rubberlegs,
• · 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, callibaetis nymphs and dries.
• · Smallmouth bass – Meat Whistle, Grim Reaper Bass Fly, Clouser Minnows
• · Pike – Magnum Baitfish, Engler’s Pike Fly, Meat Whistle, Pike Snake, EP Pike Fly, Pike Poppers

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!