Fishing the San Juan at 5000 cfs -or- the story is in the water, keep your flies in the water By Lee Pillaro Often times, Spring in Southwestern Colorado means fishing flat water and tailwaters. But what happens when our favorite tailwater gets high during spring flushes? Well, if you’re like us here at Durangler’s…
Tying a Skinny Annelid for the San Juan River and Other Selective Trout The Annelid, or aquatic earthworm, is a staple on most of our guide trips headed to the San Juan River Quality Waters below Navajo Dam in northern New Mexico. The Quality Waters are a tailwater, and therefore year round water temps remain…
Navajo 2017 Spring Releases on the San Juan River The 2017 Spring release schedule is out for the San Juan River below Navajo dam. With these higher flows on the Juan, fishing will get pretty awesome. Check our the official statement, then a few of our notes below… BUREAU OF RECLAMATION NAVAJO RESERVOIR 2017 SPRING…
Animas Lunch Report – 5/25/16 – San Juan Dreaming Now I know this is the “Animas Lunch Report”, but the Animas is blown and muddy…whereas the San Juan River is absolutely righteous right now. As we stated in our post from yesterday, the the San Juan River is at 5000 CFS. Don’t let the…
The San Juan River at 5000 cfs It’s time to get out the junk flies…you know, eggs, worms, and leeches. The San Juan has hit 5000 cfs. It’s been a few years since this much water has been let out of Navajo dam. This photo was taken yesterday. Recognize that stretch? Yep, it’s Texas Hole.…
Animas Lunch Report – 1/20/15 – Tatted from Head to Toe Are you wanting to catch fish right now? Here is a secret: the San Juan is fishing very good. Shop hero Derek met this San Juan dweller recently and he was tatted from head to toe. The bow, not Derek.
A Day of Spey on the San Juan River in January A day spent on the San Juan River in January attempting to fool trout are typified in these ways: • Occasional winds – Sometimes gale force, sometimes dead calm • Low Temps – Teens and Twenties • Decreased flows – Currently at about 270 cfs…
Animas Lunch Report – 5/18/15 – Fish In A Barrel As you can see, Cory Crave is super excited about the stocking truck’s visit to Texas Hole. Hey, at least the big boys will eat fingerling sized streamer now! Andy – The Animas came up today to about 1440 cfs. Even though the the clarity decreased,…
Animas Lunch Report – 4/29/15 – San Juan River For better or worse, we are seeing some changes around here. Warmer weather, higher flows, more activity in the fly shop, and fish switching tactics on us. Summer is on it’s way. With the current weather, the Animas may have a few more days before clarity and…
Durango February Fly Fishing Report 2015 It’s hard to believe it is February in Southwest Colorado. It’s hard to believe because the weather is deceiving us into thinking it is March and not February. Our current 7 day forecast is calling for sunny days in the mid fifties. Truth be told, we actually want cold,…
San Juan River Fly Fishing: it’s a daily topic here at Duranglers. “How is the Juan doing?” or “Whats the recent report for the San Juan?” or “How is the Juan fishing these days?” or “How do I get to the San Juan?” Every day questions. This isn’t a complaint either, it’s just a fact.…
January 2015 Fly Fishing Report Winter: we are in the heart of it now. With the holiday season behind us, many have organized and hung up their rods and waders. Spending hours at the tying vice, working to fill up the boxes for spring; a fair amount of fisherman have opted to keep warm indoors in anticipation…
Winter, tying season. It’s cold outside, so more of our fishing time has turned to tying time. At home or here in the shop, we are refilling our boxes and fly bins with the bugs that seem to sell or get lost quickest. Since we are guiding and fishing the San Juan River most often,…
Durango July Fishing Report June has come and gone and with it, a month of unreal fishing has passed. Not to worry, July is the high point of our summer fishing season and it continues to be great in our small slice of fishing heaven. As we wind down our Rio Grande float season and…
The past two weeks have seen a large increase in shop traffic for us here at Duranglers. Summer is here and we are all thankful for that. With summer comes lots of folks from out of town and it seems the number one question of course is “Where can I go fishing?” followed by “The…
Father’s day is coming up (June 15th). That’s right, time to celebrate the man who taught you how to ride a bike, played catch with you in the back yard, and gave you awkward/ irrelevant dating advice. What better way to say “Hey dad, the way you fix stuff around the house and BBQ burgers…
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. Currently working their ways through the bulk of runoff; the Rio Grande,…
May Fly Fishing Report May is upon us and as we roll into the hot fishing season we start with…10 inches of new snow in the high country! Thankfully these inches of freshie pow pow will assist in fueling our local float season. Temps are rising daily, as is the CFS on our local rivers.…
Fishing the San Juan? New Mexico fishing license purchases are handled online via NM Fish and Game. This means you can now get legal for the San Juan River from the comfort of your own home! Instructions for obtaining a NM Fishing License TOLL FREE TELEPHONE Call the toll free number 888-248-6866 Monday-Friday 8am to…
River Conditions in April Unexpected weather is a Durango Spring certainty, but our April fly fishing report might help you succeed on the river. We woke up this morning to an inch of snow and 30 degree temps. By the afternoon it was 60s and sunny. Be prepared for anything! With fluctuating weather patterns comes fluctuating…
2014 Duranglers Fly Fishing Festival – April 4 & 5 Join us and our industry friends for two days of fun, education, clinics, deals, and demos! FRIDAY APRIL 4, 2014 Double Tree Hotel, Animas Room Social 6:30-7:00 / Presentation 7:00-8:30PM Nick Streit “Fly Fishing New Mexico’s Rio Grande Gorge” Learn the secrets of fishing the Taos Box…
River Conditions in February February…some might consider it the doldrums of fishing. They time of year to drink and tie flies and drink and watch fishing movies and drink. However, for those with a will of iron and the mental fortitude to brave the elements; February does not have to be a month sans…
Fishing Conditions in December Winter is coming…and for us it is already here. Snow has been flying and the temps have been dropping. The holiday season is in full swing and it is a great time to get out on the water. Now granted, fishing access is limited this time of year; but due to…
River Conditions in November “Remember, remember the fish of November…” Frosty autumn mornings; with each day giving way to the starkness of winter. Positioned center stream, casting at nothing in particular with only your deeper contemplations do keep you company. This is November. Even if the fishing has not slowed down, it feels right to…
River Conditions in October October is here, and for us it is a time to slow down. A time to take inventory from the past busy season. A time to catch our breath, maybe even head to far away waters for a chance at some steel. October is a good time to be in Durango,…
