Updated 5/14/2019
Make sure you also watch our recent Animas Lunch Report for a weekly recap!
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The Quality Water section of the San Juan River below Navajo Reservoir is arguably the best trout river in the world. The San Juan offers big fish…lots of them, and you can catch them 365 days a year! Need a guide?
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 408 cfs | Steady | Fishing is getting better every day and the water is clearing. Trout have been keying in on the small stuff, even in dirty water. Red annelids and black midges seem to be killing it. Baetis have also been coming off and fish will look up in the afternoons. | Midges 20-26: Black Midge Pupa, Sidewinder Midge Pupa, Tav’s Big Mac, Midge Pupa. Griffith Gnats as a dry.
San Juan Worms: Red, Wine, Orange. Red and Orange Annelids, and Chamois leeches. Egg Patterns. Thread Baetis, Jujubaetis, Split Flag, Vis-A Dun. Buggers, Simi Seal Leeches, Slumpbusters in black, olive, and blood colors; best as you get further from the dam. |
One of the last free-flowing rivers in the state of Colorado, the Animas is a unique and rare treasure. With the newest and one of the best Gold Medal Water sections in Colorado, the Animas is a river that should be on your list of places to fish. Need a guide?
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2600 cfs | Rising | With runoff coming in strong, it may be a bit. Cooler days will cause the flows to drop, and fishing may pick up!
|
Stonefly/mayfly nymph rigs, would be our go-to. A Pat’s Rubberlegs/ Pheasant Tail is pretty much standard. But don’t discount Green Caddis Larva, Micro Mays, Frenchies, Blow Torch Nymphs, and Prince Nymphs.
Streamers such as: Platte River Spider, Triple Double Rainbow, Animas River Special, Lunch Money. |
Flowing through Pagosa Springs on its way to Navajo Reservoir, the “upper” San Juan is a good freestone river with good caddis and stonefly hatches.
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1560 cfs | Rising | High and off-color with snowmelt and rishing. If temps drop, look for a float window. | Pat’s Rubberlegs, 20 Incher, Sparkle Stone, Atomic Stone, Brown Wired Stone in sizes #8-12.
BH Copper John, Psycho Prince, Hot Wire Prince, Prince Nymph, GTI Caddis #14-18. Split Flag Baetis Dry, Pheasant Tail, small Parachute Adams. |
Spilling out of the Weimunuche wilderness, this classic trout stream offer good dry fly opportunities and a surprising diversity of fishing opportunities and a surprising diversity of fish. Duranglers also has some outstanding guided private water on the Piedra!
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1680 CFS | On the rise | Close to Arboles, the Piedra is high and dirty. Higher reaches around Williams creek are high but clear and may fish ok. A heavy euro or standard nymph right will work wonders along the banks in pocket water. | Pat’s Rubberlegs, Trout Retreiver, Sparkle Stone, Atomic Stone, Brown Wired Stone in sizes #8-12.
Tungsten Assassin Jig BH Copper John, Psycho Prince, Hot Wire Prince, Prince Nymph, #14-18. BWOs: Two Bit Hooker, Jujubaetis #16-20 |
The section below Vallecito Reservoir is bordered by private property on both sides for its entire length below the reservoir, you can only fish it if you are lucky enough to own property on it OR you take a guide trip with Duranglers! The section above the Vallecito requires a 3 mile hike into the Weminuche Wilderness.
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 716 cfs below Vallecito/656 cfs above | Rising Above/Bumped up Below | Below, the flows are steady and fishing is awesome. Standard nymph rigs are best with an attractor nymph followed by a small mayfly or midge nymph. Above, the river is rising and opening up every day. | Nymphs: Prince Nymphs, Brown Wired Stone, Copper John, Pheasant Tail, RS-2, Rubber Legs Hares Ear.
Jujubaetis, Pheasant Tail, Juju Midge, Zebra Midge.
|
The Dolores River below McPhee Reservoir doesn’t get allocated enough water to blossom into the river it should be, but still remains a good river Keep an eye on the little water it is getting and remember every drop counts!
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40.1 cfs | Steady | Fishing will be good right now with BWOs and Midges However, they are going to have to bump flows up any day now with lots of water coming in.
Go small with clear water, go bigger with streamers if off color. Below Bradfield Bridge, there are float opportunities. |
Streamers such as Wool Sculpin, Heisenberg, and Rubber Bugger. Mayfly Nymphs 16-20: Tav’s Fluff Baetis, Tungsten CDC FB Pheasant Tail, Two Bit Hooker. Midges 20-24: Mercury Midge, Bling Midge, Flash Midge Pupa, CDC Midge Dry. |
This freestone river spills out of the high country and through a beautiful forested canyon. The limited access on the river should not be a deterent in exploring this great river.
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2060 cfs | Rising | While the river is opening up, it is very high and off color. Trout will be moving into the river for the yearly sexy time and may be caught around the town of Dolores. Nymphs and streamers will be key, but watch for baetis hatches. | Prince Nymphs, Hares Ear Nymphs, Pheasant Tails, and any other of your favorite attractor nymphs.
Streamers in olive and black such as Heisenberg Streamer, Sculpinator Streamer, and buggers. |
The Rio Grande is a classic western river. It is a great dry fly river with one of the best Salmonfly hatches in Colorado. The flow is partially controlled by a dam, but the many tributaries add significant flow during spring and wet weather. Need a guide?
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 535 cfs (30 Mile)
1940 cfs (Wagon Wheel) |
Rising | The recent bump in flows have made the Rio off color, but fishing may still be productive. Streamers and nymph rigs will be what you want to load your box with. | Stonefly nymphs, pheasant tails, prince nymphs.
Streamers such as Wool Sculpin, Heisenberg, and Rubber Bugger. Split Flag Baetis Dry, Pheasant Tail, small Parachute Adams. |
The difficult fly fishing on the Florida River will not be attractive to every angler, and beginners should take some time to hone their skills on other rivers before going there. Those who are willing to put in the necessary effort to discover its scenic wonders, as well as its secret trout holes, will be amply rewarded with much more than wild trout.
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 143 cfs (Above Lemon)
101 cfs (Below Lemon) |
Steady | They recently did a quick flush out of Lemon and the Florida was overflowing at the banks. They have since dropped the flows and it is clear. With recent private stockings, fishing may be good below. Above, Florida is rising and fish are moving into the inlet and river. | Nymphs: Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Hare’s Ear, Rainbow Warrior. Stupid Fast Caddis, tungsten golden stone.
Streamers and Buggers. |
Fishing Durango Colorado is very numerous and diverse. There is, of course, the famous San Juan River below Navajo Dam along with the larger freestone rivers like the Animas, Piedra, and Dolores. But there are also more small mountain streams than can be fished in a lifetime.
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | Clearing slowly | We still have a lot of snow up high, but creeks are clearing. Lower elevations may be better than up high. If you can find an open stretch, it might be worth a cast with a dry dropper rig. | Dries: Hippy Stomper, Royal Wulff, Stimulator.
Nymphs: Prince Nymphs, Copper Johns, Pheasant tails, Hare’s Ears. |
Flowing out of the “hip” town of Telluride, the San Miguel is a small river/ large stream that offers some great fishing and pretty good access.
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 559cfs | Rising | With warmer weather, the river is rising! Temps are cold, so it’s a good idea to fish deep with nymphs. | Nymphs: Copper Johns, Pheasant Tails, Hare’s Ear, and Prince Nymphs, Two Bit Hooker, Pats Rubber Legs, Hare’s Ear Golden Stone.
Midges: Mercury Midge, Bling Midge, Flash Midge Pupa, CDC Midge Dry. |
Our local lakes and ponds hold an abundance of trout, pike, bass, and many other species of gamefish. Need a guide?
- Vallecito Reservoir (Pike, Trout, Smallmouth Bass)
- Lemon Reservoir (Trout, Kokanee Salmon)
- Navajo Reservoir (Pike, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Carp, Trout, Catfish)
- Puett Reservor (Pike, Smallmouth Bass)
- McPhee Reservoir (Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass, Trout, Kokanee Salmon, Crappie, Walleye, Bluegill)
- Pastorius Reservoir (Bass, Trout, Panfish)
- Echo Lake (Bass, Crappie, Sunfish, Trout)
- Summit Reservoir (Largemouth and Smallmouth bass, Trout, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Crappie)
- Totten Reservor (Pike, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Bluegill, Crappie)
- Haviland Lake (Rainbow and Brook Trout)
- High country lakes (Trout)
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening up! | Opening up! | Bruh, lakes are where it’s at right now! Lower elevation lakes will be open and higher elevations are icing off. Look to fish inlets for moving fish. Navajo, Totten, Puett, McPhee, and Nighthorse are wide open and will be fishing good. Havaland and Electra are also good options and Andrews will be icing off. | Trout: Streamers, streamers, streamers. These fish are HUNGRY. Get a bugger in the water and hold on!
Pike: EP Pike Fly, Engler’s Pike Fly. Barry’s Pike Bunny. Smallmouth: White heavy streamers fished on drop-offs. Carp: Yeah buddy these guys are eating: large Hare’s Ears, Barry’s Carp Fly, Carp Bitters. |
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison River offers one of the greatest wilderness/fishing experiences in the lower 48. The river has a good population of rainbows and brown and some of the best hatches around. Every angler should put our three-day float on their “places to fish before I die” list! Need a guide?
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 920cfs | Steady | In the lower stretches, trout are hammering nymphs. It’s spring time and the fish are hungry.
Try out a streamer or two as well and look for hatches of BWOs |
Stonefly/mayfly nymph rigs, would be our go-to. A Pat’s Rubberlegs/ Pheasant Tail is pretty much standard. But don’t discount Caddis Larva, Micro Mays, Frenchies, Blow Torch Nymphs, and Prince Nymphs.
BWO Dries in 18-22: Parachute Adams, CDC Baetis Emerger, Mole Fly. |
The newest tailwater fishery in the state. The Unc. (we like to call it) has two faces. The overly manicured part of the river is a little like fishing at Disneyland. The “wild” section is a real river.
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| 161 cfs | Steady | Fishing has been good with small midge and mayfly nymphs. Sight fishing is best at low flows, but you can also dredge a nymph to the depths. Clarity can change with spring conditions. | Midges 22-28: Sidewinder Midge Pupa, Tav’s Big Mac, Jujubee Midge. Midge Dries: Duranglers Adult Midge, CDC Biot Midge, Midge Dry.
San Juan Worms, Red, Wine, Orange. Red and Orange Annelids, and Chamois leeches. Thread Baetis, Jujubaetis. |
