Durango June Fly Fishing Report
It looks like it is going to be a fantastic June for us here in the Durango region. We have had a handful of rain and snowstorms throughout April and May, so the snowpack and river flows are looking good for June.
Watch for these guys hatching soon.
Currently working their ways through the bulk of runoff; the Rio Grande, Upper San Juan, Animas, and Piedra are shaping up for some fantastic dry fly opportunities starting mid June. Of course, Salmonflies are on the menu for trout in these rivers and should be showing themselves mid-June along with large amounts of caddis and stoneflies. We are currently sitting on 80% of snowpack while the rest of Colorado is between 150%-250%. Safe to say, our fishing should be coming around a while sooner than our friends up north.
This is great news for those who have booked a float trip with us on the Rio Grande this year. With increased flows now; our float season is looking to be a good one. If you are salmonfly junkie (as most of us are); our local rivers may be the only options in our part of the state to fish a Pteronarcys Californica emergence this year. With…interesting…management of Blue Mesa Reservoir and the Gunnison River in the Black Canyon and Gorge; flows will be increased to 8000 through the first part of June and remain at 4000-6000 cfs until the end of the month. This is unfortunate news for those seeking to fish the famed Gunnison salmonfly hatch.
However, we do have a few guide openings for our float season on the Rio Grande River. The Rio Grande should be ready to fish around June 10th with fish looking to surface food sources right around then. Call or e-mail the shop for more information or to book a float trip. This is one of the best dry fly fishing float trips available in the state of Colorado and of course Salmonflies are a real possibility throughout June. What makes the Rio Grande so great is the abundance of bug life that makes the dry fly action so spectacular. With brown and yellow stoneflies, caddis, PMD’s, brown drakes, grey drakes, green drakes and of course salmonflies: the Rio Grande is truly a bug factory.
As always, if you ever are in need of an accurate report; make sure to check out our frequently updated Durango Area River Reports page.
Speaking of local reports and flows, the San Juan River in New Mexico was just bumped up from 250 to 300 CFS. Now this may not seem like a large increase…but it certainly has the big boys moving. Duranglers Guide Les has been finding some big browns that love baetis nymphs since the increase.
If you plan on fishing the San Juan, make sure to get your New Mexico fishing licence online before you go.
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 – Blue Winged Olives, Midges, annelids, aquatic worms, scuds, eggs, leeches, caddis, PMDs, large ants.
- Animas – Salmonflies, Caddis, PMDs, Sculpins, Fingerling Rainbow Trout, Crayfish, Mice, Hoppers.
- Upper San Juan – Salmonflies, Caddis, PMDs, Sculpins.
- Rio Grande – Salmonflies, Stoneflies, Caddis, PMDs, Green Drakes, Brown Drakes, Mice.
- Piedra River & Williams Creek – Salmonflies and Stoneflies; Caddis, PMDs, Midges, BWOs.
- Los Pinos River – (Below Dam) – Midges, PMDs, Caddis, Baitfish & Leeches, Mice.
- Dolores River Above Reservoir, Los Pinos Above Reservoir – Stoneflies, Ants, Beetles, Hoppers, Caddis, Baitfish. (Still very cold)
- Dolores River (Below Dam) – HOPPERS! PMDs, Caddis, Midges, BWO’s, Rattlesnakes (No seriously lots of rattlesnakes so watch out, but no, the fish probably won’t eat a rattlesnake pattern.)
- High Country Lakes and Streams – (slooowly becoming active, may not be ready until July for great fishing) Hoppers, Ants, Beatles, Moths, Mice, bugs…things that look like bugs…but for real High country trout are not too selective. Most high floating attractor patterns will slay. Damsel flies, Chronomids, and Callebaetis in lakes.
Recommended Fly Patterns
San Juan River:
- Midges: Size 20-30 – Flash Midge Pupa, Red Big Mac, WD-40, Zebra Midges
- Baetis: Size 20-14 – Juju Baetis, Thread Body Baetis, BWO Snowshoe Dun, BWO CDC Emerger, RS2
- Annelids: Red Sparkle Worm, Red annelids, Chamos Leech, SJ Worm in Red, Orange, Pink, and Tan
- Ant Patterns: Make sure to have a few size 14 black ant patterns in case of rain…such as a Black Stimulator or Amy’s Ant.
- Scuds: Size 14-18 – Olive and Tan
- Leeches: Size 8-14 – Olive, Brown and Black Simi- Seal Leeches, Bunny Leeches, and Buggers
Animas and SW CO rivers:
- Stonefly nymphs: Size 2-14 – 20 Incher Stone, Prince Nymph, Pats Rubberlegs, Little Black Sloan.
- Stonefly Dries: Size 8-14 – Overstimulated Gold Stone, Golden Plopper Stone
- Salmonfly Dries: size 2-6 – Rogue Foam Stone, Overstimulated Salmonfly, Mojo Salmonfly
- Caddis Nymphs: Size 12-18 – Caddisstrophic Pupa, Cased Caddis, Sparkle pupa and Sparkle emerger
- Caddis Dries: Size 12-18 – Duranglers Peacock Caddis, Black Mom’s Day Caddis, Clownshoe Caddis
- PMDs: Size 14-18 – Juju PMD, CDC Comparadun PMD
- Streamers: Mr. Hankey Mouse, Josh’s Ziwi, Circus Peanut, Conehead Wool Sculpin, The One Sculpin
Rio Grande:
- Stonefly nymphs: Size 2-14 – 20 Incher Stone, Pats Rubberlegs.
- Stonefly Dries: Size 8-14 – Overstimulated Gold Stone, Golden Plopper Stone
- Salmonfly Dries: size 2-6 – Rogue Foam Stone, Overstimulated Salmonfly, Mojo Salmonfly
- Caddis Nymphs: Size 12-18 – Caddisstrophic Pupa, Cased Caddis, Sparkle pupa and Sparkle emerger
- Caddis Dries: Size 12-18 – Duranglers Peacock Caddis, Black Mom’s Day Caddis, Clownshoe Caddis
- Drakes: Size 10-14 – Film Critic, Brown Rib Green Drake
- Mice: Mr. Hankey Mouse
Lower Dolores:
- Caddis Nymphs: Size 12-18 – Caddisstrophic Pupa, Cased Caddis, Sparkle pupa and Sparkle emerger
- Caddis Dries: Size 12-18 – Duranglers Peacock Caddis, Black Mom’s Day Caddis, Clownshoe Caddis
- PMDs: Size 14-18 – Juju PMD, CDC Comparadun PMD
- Hoppers: Size 8-12 – Tan Sweetgrass Hopper, Green Morrish Hopper, Turk’s Tarantula
High Country
Any attractor patterns will work. Have some Humpies, Royal Wulffs, Stimulators, Elk Hair Caddis, Turks Tarantula, or Parachute Adams on hand in sizes 10-16. If you must go under, a size 10 olive bugger, Copper Johns, and Pheasant Tails always seem to work. These fish are not too selective.
