Durango Fly Fishing Report – Animas & San Juan Rivers

Durango Fly Fishing
Apr 25
2 min read

Spring fishing is underway here in Southwest Colorado, and both the Animas River and San Juan River are producing some great days on the water right now. This San Juan River fly fishing report covers current conditions on both the San Juan River and Animas River, with updated flows, clarity, and what’s working right now in the Durango area.

Animas River Fly Fishing Report

From the valley stretch down toward the state line, the Animas has been fishing pretty well overall. Flows have been holding in that 450–500 cfs range, giving us some nice, stable conditions to work with.

Nymphing is still the name of the game, but streamers have been producing some quality fish as well. Smaller bugger-style patterns with enough weight to get down have been effective, especially along seams and slower edges. On cloudier days, fish have been more willing to move, but we’re still finding opportunities even on the brighter days.

We’re also starting to see more fish beginning to look up. There have been bugs coming off here and there throughout the day, especially as things warm up, and that trend should continue. As we move into the next couple of weeks, we expect to see caddis coming in stronger, which should really get fish keyed in on the surface more consistently.

Wade fishing through town has been solid as well, with good access and steady action.

San Juan River Fly Fishing Report (Below Navajo Dam)

The San Juan remains one of the most consistent fisheries in the area and continues to fish well. Water clarity has improved following turnover, though it’s not completely clean yet—visibility is currently around a foot and a half to two feet and getting better by the day.

Flows have recently bumped up into the low 600 cfs range. As always, it can take a day or two for fish to fully adjust to those changes, but overall it’s a positive shift for the system.

Nymphing continues to be the most productive method. Smaller bugs—midges in the #22–24 range—have been key, especially as fish are already keyed in on these patterns. On days with recent flow changes, it can help to fish a little deeper and slower, incorporating worm, leech, or other “junk” patterns to stay in the zone.

Dry fly fishing hasn’t quite turned on consistently yet, but we are seeing good numbers of mayflies around. As clarity continues to improve and temperatures rise, it’s only a matter of time before fish start looking up more regularly.

Streamer fishing has been hit or miss depending on conditions, but there have been some solid eats—particularly from larger fish. Smaller, well-presented streamers that get down quickly have been the most effective.

Looking Ahead

With stable flows on the Animas and improving clarity on the San Juan, we’re in a great stretch of fishing right now. As water temperatures continue to rise and bug activity increases, we expect to see more consistent dry fly opportunities in the coming weeks.