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Not sure what to bring for your trip? Well take the guesswork out of what flies you will need on our local waters with a custom fly assortment for our local rivers. Custom assembled for where and when you will be fishing!
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?
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just Increased | The Flows have just bumped and fishing is good at these flows!
Classic junk: worms, eggs, and leeches have still been doing work. The midge factory has stepped down in size, so some 24 and 26s are in order. Cloudy days have brought out dry fly fishing with midges and BWOs along with some good streamer fishing. |
Midges 22-26: Black Flash Midge Pupa, Sidewinder Midge Pupa, Tav’s Big Mac, Disco Midge, CDC Midge Dry, Parachute Adams.
San Juan Worms: Red, Wine, Orange. Red and Orange Annelids. Egg Patterns. Baetis: Brown Baetis Nymph 20-24, Split Back BWO 20-22, Parachute Adams and BWO Comparadun 20-24. Simi seal leeches, buggers. White Streamers like a Flash Fry and Galloups Flatliner. |
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?
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coming up with spring! | The BWO hatch has arrived. 11-3 pm is a good time to find it. If you are not finding rising fish, put on a caddis pupa with a mayfly nymph and fish deep.
The water is a little off-color so a little flash or contrast in your flies never hurts. Streamer fishing has just begun. |
Nymphs: Prince nymphs 16-18, Silver Bead Rainbow Warrior 16-22, Killer May 18-24, Juan’s Sniper Baetis 20, RS-2s 18-22, Brown or Olive Micro May 18, Euro Nymph Jigs 14-18. Green or Chartreuse Caddis Larva 14-16: Graphic Caddis, McPhail Caddis Pupa, Deep 6 Caddis Pupa
Dries 18-20: BWO Comparadun, Barrs Vis-a-Dun, Parachute Adams, Extended Body BWO Streamers: Meat Whistle, Complex Twist Bugger, Rubber Bugger, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon |
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.
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rising | The San Juan is in full-on early season runoff. Fish the banks, and maybe even now is the time to float!
Streamers and stonefly nymph rigs will be the go-to. Watch for hatches of BWOs. |
Nymphs: Prince nymphs 10-16, Pat’s Rubberlegs 6-12 or Jigged Pats 10, 20 Incher 8-10, Silver Bead Rainbow Warrior 16-22, Brown or Olive Micro May 18, Euro Nymph Jigs 10-16.
Streamers: Sparkle Minnow, Kreelex, Complex Twist Bugger, Rubber Bugger, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon |
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!
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rising | The Piedra is usually the first to bump up in flows in spring. With warmer weather, expect higher flows with off-color water. Stonefly nymphs are your friend right now.
Williams Creek may be an option with nymph and Euro rigs. |
Nymphs: Prince nymphs 10-16, Pat’s Rubberlegs 6-12 or Jigged Pats 10, 20 Incher 8-10. |
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.
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
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Rising | Below, the flows have been bumped up and fishing will be picking up with nymph rigs. Above, the river has started to flow with spring and is rising a little with snowmelt. It will be cold, so fish deep nymphs. Euro rigs will be a good option. | Nymphs: Prince Nymphs 12-16, Brown Wired Stone 10, Copper John 12-18, Pats Rubberlegs. Pheasant Tails 16-20, Zebra Midge 18-22, SJ Worms. Tungsten CDC FB Pheasant Tail 14-16, Two Bit Hooker 16-20, Juan’s Sniper Baetis 20. |
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!
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Low |
Flows have been dropped and fish will be SPOOKY. Small bugs with fish in likely holes.
A streamer may find you a few fish. |
Nymphs: Silver Bead Rainbow Warrior 16-22, Killer May 18-24, Juan’s Sniper Baeits 20-24, Disco Midge 18-22, RS-2s 18-22, Tav’s Big Mac Pupa Grey and Black, RS-2 20-24.
Dries: Parachute Adams 20-24, Griffith Gnat 20-24. |
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.
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rising | The upper D is coming up, but fishing has been good with nymphs and streamers. Stonefly nymphs will be your friend in the deeper water. | Nymphs: Prince nymphs 10-16, Copper Johns 12-18, Hare’s Ear, Pat’s Rubberlegs, Pheasant Tails.
Streamers: Buggers, Natural Mini Sculpins, Meat Whistle, Sculpinator, Heisenberg
|
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen (30 Mile)
Frozen (Wagon Wheel) |
Rising | The Rio has started to fish very well with streamers, nymphs, and BWOs. Our pre-runoff season has kicked off and we are floating. Now is the time to get on the water before the big water shows up Need a guide?
If you only had one fly: Pat’s Rubblerlegs |
Nymphs: Prince nymphs 10-16, Pat’s Rubberlegs 6-12 or Jigged Pats 10, 20 Incher 8-10, Brown or Olive Micro May 18, Euro Nymph Jigs 10-16.
Dries: Barr’s BWO Vis-A-Dun 18-22, Smoke Jumper Baetis 18-22. Streamers: Sparkle Minnow, Kreelex, Complex Twist Bugger, Rubber Bugger, Galloup’s Mini Dungeon |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen (Above Lemon)
6.2 cfs (Below Lemon) |
Rising slowly | Above Lemon, we are seeing more open water every day. Below, the flows are still extremely low. Fish may be staging in Lemon right now. Above the flows are rising and fish will be picking up. | Nymphs: Copper Johns 14-20, Hare’s Ear 16-18, San Juan Worms, Jigged Frenchies, Prince nymphs.
A few streamers might be worth it: Simi seal Leeches, Buggers, Natural Mini Sculpins. |
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 | Rising | With spring on the way, the creeks are opening a little more each day, but also increasing flows. Coldwater means attractor nymphs. | Dries: Parachute Adams, Humpys, Wulffs, 16-20
Nymphs: Prince Nymphs, Zebra Midge, 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.
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bugs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rising | As the river is coming up, fishing is getting better with spring flows. Deep running nymph rigs are your best bet. Water may be off-color with runoff. | Nymphs: Prince nymphs 10-18, Copper Johns 12-18, Hare’s Ear, Zebra Midge 18-20.
SJ Worms. Baetis: Killer May 18-24, Juan’s Sniper Baeits 20-24, RS-2s 18-22. Dries: Barr’s BWO Vis-A-Dun 18-22, Smoke Jumper Baetis 18-22. |
Our local lakes and ponds hold an abundance of trout, pike, bass, and many other species of gamefish. Need a guide?
| CFS | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice | Ice is staring to come off our local lakes and fishing is picking up. | It’s Navajo reservoir game time! Pike fishing has been decent, but smallmouth bass fishing has been on fire.
Our local lakes such as Vallecito, Lemon, Totten, Puett, McPhee are iced off and warming up. Lower elevation has been warming up but the mid-elevation lakes are doing good as well. |
Trout: Balanced Leeches 8-14, Chironomids 10-12 Scuds 18, Damselfly Nymphs 12.
Pike: EP Pike Fly, Engler’s Pike Fly. Dougie’s Perch, The Roamer Pike Fly. Bass: Olive, white, black, fire tiger colors of buggers, poppers, and steamers. Clousers, Low Fat Minnow, Trailer Trash Gurgler, Drop Dead Minnow. Carp: Barry’s Carp Fly, Carp Bitter, Hare’s Ear Nymph 10 |
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?
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steady/just dropped | Expect small bugs to be your best bet and the lower reaches around Pleasure Park will be the only options easier to access. Go small and fish the deeper slots and runs. | Small bug land:
Two Bit Hooker 16-20, RS2 20-24, Black Midge Pupa 18-22. San Juan Worms and Eggs
|
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.
| Water Conditions | Rising/Falling | Fishing Conditions | Patterns/Bug |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low and steady | Do you love stocked fish?
It’s the classic tailwater setup of small tippets, flies, and a stealthy approach to bring fish to the net. Baetis and Midges are on the menu. |
Midges 18-24: 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. RS-2 Foam Wing Emerger #20-24, Killer Mayfly #22-24, Brown Baetis Nymph #20-24 |
