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Fly Fishing Durango, CO and San Juan River

1,609 Views | 24 Replies | Last: 2 hrs ago by WestTexasAg
LRHF
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4:19p, 5/3/26
AG
Howdy!

Wanted to give a quick update on fishing Durango and the San Juan River this Spring and summer. Here's the short summary with details below.

1- The San Juan River is fishing great right now and projected to be excellent all summer! Limited Dry fly fishing has started this week.

2- High country fishing season will be short. We had a poor winter and not enough snow (barring a good monsoon season)


Details

San Juan River Update

The Juan and the Animas River come together near Farmington, NM before flowing to Lake Powell. The Animas has already peaked for the season (barring active monsoon season) and they are flowing more water from the San Juan. The combined flow is managed by the Bureau of Reclamation (Federal gov) and they must maintain suitable flow rates for an endangered Pike Minnow. The Animas runs through Durango and is a freestone river. As the Animas decreases (as runoff drops off), the flow at Navajo Dam is increased. The water coming out of the dam is 40/41 F year round and we never have warm temps or "hoot owl" restrictions. Because the Pike Minnow is on the Endangered Species Act, we will have abundant cold clear water on the San Juan all summer!

High Country Update

The 2025/26 winter in SW Colorado was extremely mild. We are well below average snowpack for this year and it appears as if the Animas River has already peaked. Meteorologists are looking it a very strong El Niño pattern that could bring monsoons rains to SW Colorado but if they don't, we could have a very active fire season. I guide many of the local high country streams through a local fly shop and can help you if you are visiting Durango. If the flows drop too low, we can always pivot to the San Juan River. Barring monsoon activity, I'll only guide trips through the end of June. I'll post updates if this changes materially.


As I mentioned, the San Juan is fishing great at the moment. The pictures below are all from this last week of guiding!

Cory '97
(720) 425-6138

https://www.instagram.com/cory_aka_lrhf?igsh=MWM3ZDg5N3BiemlsOA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr















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DVM97
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4:51p, 5/3/26
AG
Fished the San Juan twice last Fall, great time! Can't wait to go back!
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marcel ledbetter
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5:49p, 5/3/26
I once worked on a ranch above Pagosa Springs that was owned by a very wealthy person from the Midwest. He kept the river on his property stocked and it was only fished by a few visitors each summer. I spent every evening that summer fly fishing until dark. It was incredible to have that river and those big fish to myself all summer. Fantastic fishing in the prettiest country in America. Thanks for the photos.
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OnlyForNow
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In reply to LRHF • 6:09p, 5/3/26
AG
How hard would it be to put an 8 and 11 YO on fish? Both have some fly fishing experience, the older one most so than the younger one.
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LRHF
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In reply to OnlyForNow • 6:28p, 5/3/26
AG
If you have IG, give me a follow and you will see a bunch of trips with kids. It depends a ton on each kid, some are highly focused and follow directions to a T and others don't care so much.

When we have kids with little or no experience, we can launch the boat at crusher hole and focus on some young fish that eat almost anything. After some catching we load the boat and head to Texas Hole.

I take a lot of kids in high country trips with shorter rods and mostly dry fly fishing. I've had kids as young as 4 and 5. When wet wading, the little ones tend to cry when they get their feet wet. When this happens, we get one of the adults to catch a fish quickly then we let them "pet" th fish. Once they can look at the fish, learn about the lateral line, slime, fins etc. they tend to look past the cold water.

FYI- the boat holds the guide and two others. I can bring a 3rd (1 adult an two smaller kids) but we only fish 2 at a time.
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HowdyTexasAggies
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7:46p, 5/3/26
AG
I went with LRHF back in July 22, high country. It was with my three college age kids and wife, he was awesome. Wife and daughter had never fly fished, he had them catching fish in no time.
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Charismatic Megafauna
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In reply to OnlyForNow • 8:32p, 5/3/26
AG
We had an amazing time floating the Juan with Cory when my son was 8. There's nobody I'd recommend more highly for a father/son trip
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OnlyForNow
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In reply to LRHF • 8:41p, 5/3/26
AG
Gotcha. Ya we waded wet two years ago in the La Garita Wilderness and they did fine with getting wet feet so that shouldn't be a problem, will be adding you on IG!

Should add I've taught them both to nymph fish, so little different than dries.
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cheeky
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In reply to LRHF • 10:38p, 5/3/26
AG
LRHF said:
If you have IG, give me a follow and you will see a bunch of trips with kids. It depends a ton on each kid, some are highly focused and follow directions to a T and others don't care so much.

When we have kids with little or no experience, we can launch the boat at crusher hole and focus on some young fish that eat almost anything. After some catching we load the boat and head to Texas Hole.

I take a lot of kids in high country trips with shorter rods and mostly dry fly fishing. I've had kids as young as 4 and 5. When wet wading, the little ones tend to cry when they get their feet wet. When this happens, we get one of the adults to catch a fish quickly then we let them "pet" th fish. Once they can look at the fish, learn about the lateral line, slime, fins etc. they tend to look past the cold water.

FYI- the boat holds the guide and two others. I can bring a 3rd (1 adult a two smaller kids) but we only fish 2 at a time.

Do you guide the San Juan during October?
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LRHF
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In reply to cheeky • 11:14p, 5/3/26
AG
I do! October is a great month to be on the river. Around the 3rd week is when we see peak color changes on the cottonwood trees. The weather cools off as a bonus!

October is also prime time dry fly fishing. Most of our dry fly fishing is midges and BWO's in sz 20-24. I always have a dry fly rod in the boat and love teaching when the conditions are good.

The San Juan is open 365 days a year whereby some of the Northern states have a season (and maybe ice over).



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Centerpole90
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7:30a, 5/4/26
AG
Another super happy LRHF customer here! My fishing buddy and I fished a couple days and drove some mountain trails a couple days around Durango. We had a great time and had great success on the water - LRHF made sure of that and I'll always be grateful to he and Mrs. LRHF for the hospitality and friendship they extended to a couple wandering Ags.



Cory explaining to my buddy "You're not in saltwater anymore. The fish don't tail here."
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docb
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In reply to LRHF • 8:04a, 5/4/26
AG
Don't know when I will be in Durango again but you will be the first person I call if I make it down there! I've got a few days coming up on the Yampa, one day on the Elk and a couple of days fishing some spring creeks near Carbondale. I can't wait until I can split more time between Steamboat and Georgetown.
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MAS444
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8:32a, 5/4/26
AG
I'll be in Ridgway all summer. How close (or far, as the case may be) can you get? Where do you typically meet up and/or put in? Would love to make it work if possible. Fair warning though...I regularly listen to Jerry and Phish (but do have a job).
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LRHF
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In reply to MAS444 • 8:57a, 5/4/26
AG
Hey Mas444-

You are going to have a great summer! We are about 2 hrs south of you, If we do a high country trip, it's about 1 hr 20 min to meet at Purgatory.

If time allows and you want to fish the San Juan, let's chat but I would recommend you stay at our place for a nigh (probably 2). There are a couple of TA posters that have done this in the past (one has even commented on this thread)!

BTW- for those that may be confused, the boat has a bumper sticker that says "Jerry's dead, Phish sucks, GET A JOB". The sticker came with the boat and I left it to annoy a fellow guide that has been to over 100 Phish shows
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MAS444
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In reply to LRHF • 9:08a, 5/4/26
AG
Thanks for your response - I'll see if I can make something work. This will be our second summer in Ridgway...and our time there fills up fast! Would love to make something work though. I'll reach out if I can find some workable dates. The drive to Purg/Durango is great (in the summer) - I've done it many times.
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cheeky
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In reply to Centerpole90 • 11:58a, 5/4/26
AG
Centerpole90 said:
Another super happy LRHF customer here! My fishing buddy and I fished a couple days and drove some mountain trails a couple days around Durango. We had a great time and had great success on the water - LRHF made sure of that and I'll always be grateful to he and Mrs. LRHF for the hospitality and friendship they extended to a couple wandering Ags.



Cory explaining to my buddy "You're not in saltwater anymore. The fish don't tail here."

CP90 please PM me about this.
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BTHO all
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6:11p, 5/4/26
The wife and I have done four floats over two seasons with Cory. It's always a great time with many fish in the net and a few beers in the boat.
Our latest was in late March and Cory got us away from the crowds at Texas Hole and down river on some great fish on our first morning. We then finished up that evening at T Hole and pretty much had the place to ourselves after my wife caught on fire and ran the waders off.
On the second day, Cory worked with my wife throwing streamers and quickly had her on fish. She kicked my butt that day on the big bugs.
That was a great two day trip as usual, Cory!
You're the hardest working man on the river and are dialed in with the bug life.
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LRHF
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In reply to BTHO all • 6:18p, 5/4/26
AG
Here's some pics from the last trip with BTHO all












Here's the IG video I made from our first trip! These guys stuck with me through some pretty bad weather and we had an epic afternoon when a midge hatch occurred!

https://instagr.am/p/C49BEFluEjA
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TarponChaser
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7:24p, 5/4/26
Speaking of the drought and poor snowfall this year, I just read today that Denver Water is draining Antero Reservoir to shift water to more efficient reservoirs.

I've fished there and caught a lot of big trout.
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Corps_Ag12
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7:54a, 5/5/26
AG
Do you know anyone in the Breckenridge/Blue River area that could take a beginner on a wade in trip by chance?

We will be there mid July for a family vacation.
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Buck Compton
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9:20a, 5/5/26
AG
Awesome area and great to see more people getting out. I'll be in Dolores in August and might try to get some fishing in.
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LRHF
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In reply to Corps_Ag12 • 9:40a, 5/5/26
AG
Sorry, I don't have any recommendations for that area.
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Charismatic Megafauna
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10:31a, 5/5/26
AG
I fished with Blue Quill out of evergreen once a long time ago, if you don't get any other suggestions it couldn't hurt to give them a call
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TarponChaser
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In reply to Corps_Ag12 • 3:37p, 5/5/26
Corps_Ag12 said:
Do you know anyone in the Breckenridge/Blue River area that could take a beginner on a wade in trip by chance?

We will be there mid July for a family vacation.


I've booked through The Colorado Angler in Silverthorne a couple times. Good folks.

And depending on the conditions you can even DIY and wade the Blue right in town there in Silverthorne. Never caught anything huge there but I feel like it gets overlooked because of it running through town.
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WestTexasAg
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In reply to Corps_Ag12 • 11:23p, 5/5/26
AG
Corps_Ag12 said:
Do you know anyone in the Breckenridge/Blue River area that could take a beginner on a wade in trip by chance?

We will be there mid July for a family vacation.

Breckenridge Outfitters
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