Flows, guide
report and flows
San Juan Quality Waters flow: 504 cfs (will rise May
20th) | NEW
SPRING FLOW INFO
San
Juan flow is just over 500 cfs and
is flowing clear with 5 to 8 feet
of visibility.
Guides
and fishing activity: Will, Chris,
Matt, Marc, Chip, Tim and Rick
Guide Report-Quality
Waters:
Fishing has been very good over the last couple weeks.
Strong midge and BWO hatches from the dam through Beatis
Bend. Some midges in the back channels
down
stream into Death Row.
Guide
Report-Mid section (bait water):
Fishing has been good with junk patterns and big beatis
patterns.
Guide
Report-Lower River:
Fishing has been good in the lower section, some bugs but
mostly streamers and junk patterns. caddis will show after
high water.
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Hatches
Main
winter hatches for the San Juan:
Midges and some BWOs.
-
Dec/Jan:
Midges, BWOs, leeches, eggs,
annelids and worms
-
Feb:
Midges, BWOs, leeches and junk
patterns like worms and eggs
-
March:
BWOs and midges
-
April:
BWOs and midges
-
May:
BWOs, midges, mosquito's, eggs,
worms, annelids and streamers
-
June:
BWOs, midges, annelids and caddis
-
July:
BWOs, midges, caddis, PMDs, annelids,
ants and hoppers
-
August:
BWOs, midges, PMDs, ants, hoppers
and streamers
-
September:
BWOs, midges, hoppers and streamers
-
October/November:
BWOs, midges and streamers
Insects
and food in the system: Caddis pupa,
larva, midges, mayfly nymphs, snails,
black fly larva, crane flies, eggs,
worms and fry.
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Fly
patterns
Midge
pupa is gray and black, in a #22 to #28.
Adults are black, or black and gray in
a # 24 to #30. There have also been some
larger #18 to #20 midge pupa that are
black/red. The adult is olive/gray. For
the BWOs fish brown wd40s and RS2s have
been good. Foam wing emergers in chocolate
and gray. Typical baetis emergers.
With
the water green to clear fish bright
patterns above natural patterns.
Larva and red annelids in #18 to
#24. San Juan worms in red, orange
and natural. Buggers and leeches
will also take fish. Leeches in gray
and black. Fish have also been on
orange, cream and red eggs. Some
scuds as well in #22 gray. Natural
streamers and leeches. Green moss
patterns at times.
Caddis
emergers and pupa are #16 and #18.
Cased caddis in the same size range.
Elk hair caddis, peacock caddis and
small stimis to match the adults.
BWO's (baetis) size #16 to #22 in
brown, chocolate and gray. Streamers
in black, brown olive. Vary the size
of streamers you strip.
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Predictions
and forecast
The
current snow pack should set up flows
similar to the 2008 season. We'll have
increased flows in April or May.
The
Animas is a fantastic free-stone
river that runs right through Durango
Colorado. Perfect river for full
and 1/2 day trips. Looking to learn
a few of the Animas secrets? Book
an AvA guide to help you decode this
tricky but great fishery.
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Guided
fly fishing on the San Juan below
Navajo Dam
The
San Juan River below Navajo Dam offers
both beginner and expert fly anglers
a chance at quality trout and lots
of them. The Juan fishes well year-round.
We
offer float and wade guide trips
on all sections of the San Juan below
Navajo Dam. Steady fishing can be
found
throughout the winter, spring, summer
and fall months.
Animas
Valley Anglers is licensed and permitted
by Navajo Lake State Park in northern
New Mexico near Aztec and Farmington.
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The San
Juan River at Navajo
Dam details
The San Juan is located about an hour south of Durango Colorado
and flows cold out from the bottom of Navajo Reservoir. The city
of Albuquerque, Farmington and Pagosa Springs are also a short
drive to the river. Albuquerque is about 3 hours, and Farmington
is 40 minutes and Pagosa Springs is an hour and some change. The
Juan flows through a true desert canyon with high sandstone cliffs
in bench form, each layer exposing millions of years of geology.
On the river floor, the river runs slow over shallow riffles and
deep pools, and is surrounded by willows, Broad-leaf cottonwoods,
Russian Olives and Tamarisk.
Trophy
Trout Quality Waters
The Quality
Water section, located
below Navajo Dam in the Navajo
Lake State Park, is
one of the top
tailwater fisheries here
in the US. In the first few
miles the San Juan is known
for big trout and lots of them.
The Juan is home to thousands
of fish per mile.
Packed full of trout; 10, 25
even 40 hookups per angler,
per day is possible. Fish
size averages between 12 to
20 inches. A 16 inch bow seems
to be the the typical fish
these days.
Lower
River
The
San Juan below the Quality Waters
is know as the Lower
River, and this section
flows over numerous riffles,
and is home to a large number
of fish. Brown trout tend to
out number the bows and they
can be very aggressive to a dry
or streamer. Fish size ranges
between 10 and 15 inches the
average seems to be 13 inch browns.
But hold on, there are some monster
bows and browns lurking about
in the lower river. When the
river is on, an angler can have
a large number of fish to the
fly.
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