Animas
River details
The Animas is a stunning, free-flowing river that tumbles its way through Durango
Colorado before heading into New Mexico and merging with the San Juan near Farmington
New Mexico.
The
Animas
is (was) one of the West's best kept secrets.
It is know for some monster trout, but they
will
not come
willingly. Animas trout can be very technical
and a challenge to catch. There is a reason
most of the other guide services in the area
stay clear of the Animas. To help decode this
river and learn a few tricks book a day with
an AVA guide. |
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Animas
River flows, guide
reports, hatches
and predictions
9-15-11
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Flows
and Fishing Report
The Animas River is gin clear
and fishing has been very good.
Early fall afternoon thunderstorms
could drop enough rain to blow
it out,
but the river should stay low
and clear over the next few weeks
and months. Some PMD are around,
but trico, micro beatis, micro
caddis
and hoppers are the main bugs
in the system.
Guide
Activity
Will, Chris, Drew, Marc,
Josh J
Animas
Guide Reports
August 15 2011
Guide: Will Blanchard
Section:
Private Ranch and QW
(Quality Waters)
Weather:
Sun | Am temps 44 F PM temps
68 F
Hatches:
Tricos, midges, small caddis
and
Fishing:
Fishing was strong
mid morning
Animas
Guide Reports
May 8 2011
Guide:
Chris, Josh and Tim
Section:
Float-Durango south
Weather:
Sun | Am temps 44 F PM temps
68 F
Hatches:
Not much
Fishing:
Ripped streamers with some
very nice fish to
the fly. Josh put
a monster in the
net.
April 25 2011
Guide:
Will
Section: Float-Durango
to ranch take-out
Weather:
Sun | Am temps 38
F PM temps 61 F
Hatches:
BWOs
Fishing:
Good fishing with nymphs
and some streamers. 
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Hatches
The hatches on the Animas, like all of our rivers, change with the seasons.
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Winter:
Midges, sculpins
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Spring:
Midges, BWOs, caddis,
stones, sculpins,
fry, ducklings
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Summer:
Micro caddis, PMDs,
tricos, ants, hoppers,
sculpin, fry, small
birds and mammals
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Fall:
Hoppers, BWOs,
sculpins, young
trout fingerlings
Insects
and food in the system
Caddis pupa (both cased and free), caddis larva, midge larva and pupa, mayfly
nymphs, snails, stones, eggs, worms and sculpins.
Fly
patterns
Summer:
PMDs-Pheasant Tails,
PMD nymphs and
emergers in sizes
14 to 18. Hair wing
dries in the same
sizes. Ants in
black or red, hoppers
in tan, yellow
and green. Caddis
pupa and larva
in tan, gray and
olive in sizes
16 to 20. Elk hair
caddis in the same
colors and sizes.
Sculpin patterns
in olive and natural.
Winter:
Midge
pupa size 18 to 24.
Red and brown larva
plus caddis nymphs
fished deep. Keep
a few small adams
and
midge adults in the
box in case you spy
a fish up on the
surface. Beatis nymphs
and emergers
in gray and brown,
sizes 18 to 22. Dries
are about the same
size and will be
dark olive to light
dun
in color.
Caddis
pupa and larva in 16s
and 18s. Cased caddis
in the same size range.
Streamers in black, brown, olive and natural. Vary your streamer size based
on water clarity and temperature. The dirtier the water, the bigger the bug.
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Predictions,
forecast and info
The
Animas should stay low till
big rains. Late summer and
fall can offer some of the
best fishing of the year...check
it out!
Animas
has been designated
Gold Medal status by
the state of Colorado.
There is nearly 4 miles
of Quality Water that
starts just south of
Durango. The section
is from Lightner Creek
down stream to Dallabeta
Park. Rivers in the
state only earn this
status by high numbers
of quality trout.
There
is public access through
Durango, the Gold Medal
section and a few sections
on the Southern Ute
Reservation. A separate
fishing licence is
required to fish the
Ute waters.
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Guided
fly fishing on the Animas
River
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 learn this tricky
but great fishery.
Animas
Valley Anglers offers
guided wade and float
trips on
over 60 plus miles of
the Animas River. We
offer
Animas Head-waters, tributary
creeks, upper Animas
Canyon via the Durango-Silverton
Historical Train, valley
floats, Durango wade
and floats,
Gold Medal Waters south
of Durango, private waters
and float trips into
New Mexico.
Past
Fishing Reports
Jan
16 2011
Guide:
Will
Section:
Wade-Isgar Ranch Private
Waters
Weather:
Sun | Am temps
31 F PM temps
41 F
Hatches:
Big midges
midday.
Fishing:
Ok Fishing
with midge,
caddis and
small mayfly
nymphs. Long-time
friend and
AVA guest,
David Osias,
braved to mild
weather for
a little fishing
on the Animas.
Fishing was
not lights-out,
but it was
a fun day on
the water.
Dec 25 2010
Guide: Will
Section:
Isgar Ranch Private
Waters
Weather:
Sun | AM temps 22 F
| PM temps 45 F
Hatches:
Not much happening
in the way of bugs.
Fishing:
Caddis and midge
pupa took fish on
long leaders. Check
the blog for photos
from the day. It
was Will and Amanda's
first day on the
water with their
new born Benjamin.
It was his 10-day
b-day!
July
18 2010
Guide:
Will and Chris
Section:
Wade on Private
Waters south of
Durango
Weather:
Sun/light breeze|
AM temp 65 F |
PM temp 99 F!
Hatches:
Small PMDs and
PADs, midges.
Fishing:
Fished pretty well
with nymphs deep.
Pocket water also
fished well with
light nymph rigs
and small flies.
There seems to
be a ton of small
fish in the system,
but the monsters
continue to find
the flies. Looks
like some stocking
has occurred in
Durango and on
the southern Ute
waters. For the
most part these
small fish will
be food for the
big browns. Over
the past week we
have put a number
of 18 to 21 inch
fish to the net
as well as two
monster browns
over 24 inches!
It has been fun,
despite the heat
and dry weather.
June
22 2010
Guide:
Marc
Section:
Wade
through
Durango
Quality
Waters
Weather:
Sun
| AM
temps
61
F |
PM
temps
85
F
Hatches:
Some
caddis
but
not
many
mid
day.
Some
PMDs
Fishing:
Fished
well
with
nymphs.
A few
smaller
fish
to
dries,
but
subsurface
was
most
productive.
A couple
solid
fish
in
the
18
to
20
inch
range.
May
12 2010
Guide:
Josh and Chris
Section:
Floated private
waters south
of Durango
Weather:
Sun and wind
| AM temps 41
F | PM temps
68 F
Hatches:
Some BWOs
Fishing:
Fished pretty
well with
big streamers.
Water was
a bit "off",
but clearing.
At time some
nice fish
chased and
climbed on
big streamers.
Nice to catch
a window
before full
run-off kicks
in.
March 23 2010
Guide:
Will
Section:
Private waters
south of Durango
in AM and Durango
Town Waters
in PM
Weather:
Clouds | AM
temps 21 F
| PM temps
48F
Hatches:
Midges and
BWOs
Fishing:
Fishing was
good. The flows
bumped a bit
and stained
due to low
elevation snow
melt. She was
very green
with about
2 feet of vis.
A handful of
fish were suckers
for nymphs
under an indicator.
Streamer produced
more action
however. Probably
because I fished
it more than
the bobber
rig.
February 18 2010
Guide: Will
Section:
Private
waters
south
of
Durango
Weather:
Sun
with
some
clouds
| AM
temps
24
F |
PM
temps
42
F
Hatches:
Small midges
Fishing:
Very good
with nymphs
fished
deep. Some
nice fish
to the
streamer
as well.
We also
managed
to find
a small
pod of
trout eating
midge adults
and got
a couple
on dries.
Fantastic
day for
sure.
Thanks
to Jim Arl for some
of the winter Animas
shots
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