Duranglers October Fishing Report – Autumn Elements

Duranglers October Fishing Report – Autumn Elements

Brown trout strip sets.  Camp fires smoldering in the rain.  Crushed aspen leaves pressed into elk tracks.  Mist-lined steelhead passages.  Marabou filled fly boxes.  Duck blinds before dawn.  Spey casts in crisp air.

Blaze orange and mossy oak.  Gold, Bronze, and Crimson.

The elements of autumn: things that grip us far more than being a special memory.  They are far closer to the spiritual.  Maybe it is the closing of summer’s dog days leading into the darkher hours of winter that cause us to hold these elements dear.  Sometimes they are just fleeting moments more than they are tangible and physical.  Passing through our life, these instances are not just etched into our memories.  They are etched into our identity.

October is here, and we have a lot to be excited about.

Interestingly enough, the biggest topic of discussion around the fly shop is the health of the Animas.  When the Gold King Mine dumped it’s contents into the Animas River this past August; the reputation of the Animas was poisoned far more than the waters and the fish.  Two month after the fact, we are still reading editorials and articles discuss the “death” of a once great river.  Many of these writings, while well intentioned with their conservation message, do not paint the full or correct picture of the Animas.  The short of it is that fish counts are actually up as of right now compared to last year.  Bug life is flourishing.  Toxin levels have returned to pre-spill levels.  Brown trout are moving into their historic spawning grounds for the fall reproduction fest.  The river continues to flow.  Life moves on.  And fishing is really good.

Some would paint the Animas as irrevocably damaged.  It is not.  It was injured, but it has been suffering these injuries for a century.  We hope that this incident opens the eyes of the public to the hardrock mining pollution across the west.  Only time will tell the long term effects.  Right now, the Animas is giving up some amazing fish.

The remainder of our Southwest Colorado rivers continue to have incredible days of fishing.  The San Juan River is in the fall swing and is fishing very good with dry flies.  The Pine, Piedra, Dolores, and San Miguel are also fishing very well; but trout are beginning their fall maneuvers into winter lies.  This month may also have a few sunny days that will allow for good high country fishing, but you may have to put on a dropper.

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, BWO’s, Tricos, Sculpins, Crayfish, Aquatic Worms.
• · Upper San Juan – Midges, BWO’s, Aquatic Worms, stonefly nymphs, baitfish.
• · Rio Grande – Stonefly nymphs, BWO’s, Midges, Sculpins and Baitfish.
• · Piedra River & Williams Creek – Stonefly nymphs, Caddis nymphs, Midges, BWO’s.
• · Los Pinos River – (Below Dam) – Mayfly Nymphs, baitfish, BWO’s, Midges, Aquatic Worms, leeches.
• · Dolores River Above Reservoir, Los Pinos Above Reservoir – Stonefly Nymphs, BWO’s, Streamers, Midges.
• · Dolores River (Below Dam) –  Midges, BWO’s, Tricos, Mice, Sculpins and Baitfish.
• · High Country Lakes and Streams –  Small leeches, chronomids, Midges, Damselfly Nymphs, Scuds fished deep.
• · Local lakes – Leeches, baitfish, and crayfish for trout and Bass. Damselfly Nymphs, Scuds fished deep.  For pike: baitfish and crayfish.

Recommended Fly Patterns

San Juan River:

• · Midges: Size 24-30 – 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, Squirmy Wormy, Chamos Leech, SJ Worm in Red, Brown, Pink, and Orange
• · Scuds: Ray Charles, Grey Flashback Scud, Olive Flashback Scud
• · Leeches and Streamers: Size 8-14 – Olive, Blood Leech, and White Simi- Seal Leeches, Bunny Leeches, Buggers, Goat Leech
• · Terrestrials: Glitter Ant 14, Black Stimulator size 12-16.

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

• · Stonefly Nymphs: Size 6-16 –  20 Incher, Pats Rubberlegs, Sparkle Stone, Hairy 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
• · Mayfly Dries: Size 16-22: BWO Vis-A-Dun, BWO Silhouette Dun, Trico Spinner
• · 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
• · 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 – 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
• · Mayfly Dries: Size 16-22: PMD Vis-A-Dun, PMD Silhouette Dun, Trico Spinner
• · 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
• · BWO Dries: Barr’s Vis-a-Dun BWO, Sparkle Dun, Snowshoe Dun, Hackle Stacker, Bat Wing Emerger
• · Trico: Sizes 18-24 – Parachute Adams, Trico Spinner
• · Streamers: Simi Seal Leeches, Buggers, Snot Rocket

 Lakes

• · Trout – Sowbugs, Leech patterns, chronomids, small baitfish and streamers, Simi Seal Leeches.  Barry’s Carp Bitters
• · Smallmouth bass – Meat Whistle, Grim Reaper Bass Fly, Clouser Minnows, Near Nuff Crayfish
• · Pike:  Magnum Baitfish, Engler’s Pike Fly, Pike Snake

High Country:

• · Attractor dries:  16-20 – Humpies, Stimulators, Royal Wulff, Royal Chubby, H&L Variants, Purple Haze.
• · Attractor nymphs:  14-20 – Prince, Hares Ear, Pheasant Tails, Soft Hackle Wet Flies, Dirty Bird
• · Small streamers such as buggers and Simi-Seal Leeches