Animas
River flows, guide reports and
hatches (12-18-09)
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Flows, guide
report and flows
The Animas is low and cold. Some slush on cold mornings,
however as mid-day temps warm the river is fishing just
fine.
Guide
Report: Fishing was fair to good
with fish eating small midges and
caddis nymphs deep in pools and pockets.
Guide
activity: Will, Chris
and Matt
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Hatches
Animas river insect hatches: Midges in brown, black
and gray.
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Winter:
Midges
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Spring:
Midges, BWOs, caddis, stones
and sculpins
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Summer:
Caddis, PMDs, tricos, ants and
hoppers
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Fall:
Hoppers, BWOs and sculpins
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.
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Fly
patterns
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.
Caddis
pupa and larva in 16s and 18s.
Cased caddis in the same size range.
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
Animas will continue to fish this winter.
Nymphs will be the ticket, but keep your
eyes peeled for fish on dries and emergers
over the next couple months.
Drop
us a line to check on availability
for
a
guided
wade
this winter. Click for great deals!
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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Animas
River Trout and Year-round Season
Rainbows and browns are the main trout species
that live within the river and the average fish is 12
to 16 inches. However 18 to 20 inch fish are common.
Some cutthroat also can be found lurking the Animas and
can grow over the 20 inch mark.
Sight
nymphing, stripping streamers and
casting dries to these
wild and
planted
fish make
it
a fantastic
wade
or float fishing. Monster trout, 7 to 10+ pounds, do
in fact lurk in the Animas. These rouge trout are very
shy and only show themselves once in awhile. Most of
the monsters feed at night on other fish, mammals and
small birds.
The
season on the Animas River is year-round.
On occasion there will be slush in
the river during really cold periods
mid winter. The river will become
muddy and high during spring run-off
during late April and early May.
Flows subside in June.
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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.
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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