The San Juan River Fly Fishing Report - Pagosa Springs, CO: 2016

Friday, October 14, 2016

Fishing in the Everglades

Now that hurricane Matthew has passed us by the fishing has picked up. It has still been windy, but that is the way it goes in the Fall. We fished in the Estuary Owners Tournament and we got the first place Redfish. We beat the bait guys on the fly, and Steve even sight fished, the Redfish!

Bragging rights for a Year!

Most of our fishing on the windy days, have put us in the creeks, and mouths of even smaller creeks for a shot or two. Then making runs for similar types of creeks with the same exposure. The best fly for the Redfish has been the Squirmy Crab in all black. I also landed a nice Sheepshead (one of the hardest fish to catch on the fly) on the Squirmy and then drooped it on my foot. Ouch..Lucky no infection followed. Tomorrow is the first day of Stone Crab Season, I know what we are having for dinner.

Here are some recent pictures from the Glades.

Friday, September 23, 2016

Great Fall Fishing

Fall is Here, and so is the first snow!

The fishing has been very good lately, but not all day. With colder temps (mid 40’s) the high country streams have been a slow start. So we have been starting later to stay on the bite. The bite, in the mountains, is when the insects start to get active. When we get the first few cold nights the nymphs are not moving around, and neither are the fish. One day when we went up high, due to muddy water lower, the stream temp was 39 degrees at 10,000 feet. We found a few pods of non-feeding fish wadded up in a ball, the size of a basketball. It was pretty neat to see. Compare that to the fish on the Lower San Juan that enjoy temperatures of 38 – 44 degrees year round. 10 o’clock in the morning till 4 has been very good.

Both of the private properties have fished good to great this year. The section on the Navajo at Spear R U Ranch has completed the entire 3 mile stream restoration. This is going to be a great improvement for the ranch, and they will be rewarded with some excellent fishing in the future, even in low water years.

Now that fall is here, it is time to head to the Florida Everglades and chase some Snook, Redfish, and Tarpon. I will be down there till mid – November.

Here are some fish pictures.

FISH ON!

Make sure to visit the Laid Up Charters web site (http://www.laidupcharters.com).

Scott Taylor
http://highcountrycharters.com
970-946-5229

While you are in town make sure that you visit the following businesses!

Need Fly Fishing gear? See Pop's
Let it Fly
Downtown Pagosa Springs, across from Kip’s
970-264-3189
http://www.flyfishpagosa.com

Hungry for Adventure?
Pagosa Outside Adventures - Rafting, Biking, Kayaking, Tubing
Downtown Pagosa Springs
970-264-4202
http://www.pagosaoutside.com

Need Ski Rentals?

Pagosa Ski Rental (PSR)

Downtown Pagosa Springs

970-264-2866

http://www.skipagosa.com

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Good Fishing in July, bring the rain for August!

Well we were waiting for run off to be over in late June and early July. Now 23 days into July, the plug was pulled and the water is leaving fast. On July 1^st the flows were at 600 cfs and most of the waters were tough to wade fish with beginners and the holes were limited. Today the flows are at 62 cfs! Crazy, we need some rain. Monsoonal flows are starting this week and hopefully we will get some rain and cooler temperatures in the afternoons. So far the stream temps have only reached 65 – 68 for highs and low 50’s in the morning. Once the temperature hits 70 degrees we stop fishing, and only fish the mornings till 1 or 2 o’clock.

Below the dam, the big flush of 5,000 cfs is over and the river is flowing at around 700 today. Lots of midges and emergers, some red larva in the mornings, then big macs and some foam wings. Lots of grey bugs were working for me.

Sunset Ranch has been fishing very good, we just hope the rain comes, we might loose some days due to high muddy water, but that will be welcomed to have cooler water temps for the fish. I have also had a few good days out at the Navajo river. The tiny Navajo is flowing at 54 cfs, almost the size of the San Juan! The hopper dropper rig has been working well on the Navajo and all of our Forest Service permitted streams.

Below are some more pictures.

Remember[st1] to visit http://laidupcharters.com

Scott Taylor
http://highcountrycharters.com
970-946-5229

While you are in town make sure that you visit the following businesses!

Need Fly Fishing gear? See Pop's
Let it Fly
Located Downtown Pagosa Springs, across from Kip’s.
970-264-3189
http://www.flyfishpagosa.com

Hungry for Adventure?
Pagosa Outside Adventures - Rafting, Biking, Kayaking, Tubing
Downtown Pagosa Springs
970-264-4202
http://www.pagosaoutside.com

[st1]

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Fishing conditions will improve over the next 2 weeks!

This is the spring that I am wondering, when will the spring run – off end! The town stretch of the San Juan is at 1,440 cfs this morning and is finally stepping down from 2,500 cfs on June 7^th. The Piedra is also coming down. Flows are at 940 cfs and were at 1,700 cfs on June 7^th. Below the dam on the Lower San Juan the flows are at 4,100 cfs this morning and I think they will be on the high side for quite a while.

Today I am going to go up to the Piedra and check it out, usually when the Piedra is below 1,000 cfs (in Arboles, by the lake) it is fishable up high. The run – off will also slow down this week with cooler temperatures (39 degrees this morning) and 75 for the high.

Below the dam we have been doing some wade trips, the parking lot looks deserted after the boat trailers are shuttled downstream. With the high flows there has been very little pressure. We have a bunch of holes that fish well, some take a bit of work to get to. Parts of the road on the way to the upper flats are mid – thigh deep, making it a work out to get up there. We have even caught a few fish on the road bed. If you are fishing down above the T Hole, I would use larva’s (red, olive, cream) much longer than normal. On a stomach pump last week at 1:30 pm, it was all larva and one pupa. We also stuck a few on hoppers, but nothing has really been looking up.

Some great photo's on a high water wade trip with Guide Andy Warden!

The few streams we have been fishing around town, are still slightly off color but have been producing some very healthy fish. Best patterns have been Copper n Hare, and Pink Squirmy Worm. You can get them at Let it Fly. In the shallower water it has been Hopper Dropper style, or using an indicator. Conditions will be changing over the next two weeks, and the fishing forecast is for some great fishing. Mid to late June often can be great, because most of the fish have not been fished for since last fall.

Small stream near Pagosa, Shannon with her first fish on a Fly!

For Florida Fishing visit http://laidupcharters.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Run-off in the mountains and good Snook and Redfish action in the Everglades!

Steve and I are still down in the Everglades. The Tarpon fishing still has not been hot, it is not even close to hot it is cold. The water temp dropped from 80 – 73 on Monday. Crazy weather. Still finding baby tarpon in there little spots. Had one day where 8 ate the fly and 2 made it to the boat. We have been targeting Redfish and Snook and going in places we have not spent much time before, going farther and farther away and learning more. And having some great success. Our crab and baitfish patterns keep evolving with materials, hooks sizes, weed guards. Taking traditional patterns and tweaking them to be quicker to tie, be less fouling of materials on the hook, easier to cast, ect.

Lows this week are going to be in the lower 70’s the highs will be around 87 degrees and the wind forecast is for it to a lot lighter this week. Hopefully we will get some more shots at some big poons, if not we will keep exploring.

Now that's a Dragon Fly!

Some Snook Action.

Redfish from a tiny creek, the leader was inside the guides when he ate. The Redfish ate the fly, 5 feet from the rod tip!

Laid Up Charters Highlights

Back in CO, the run off is on, and everything is blown out, except for below the dam in New Mexico. Flows on the town stretch of the San Juan are at 922. And that is the low for the week! It has still been snowing. The temperatures will be in the low 60’s to 75 for the high for the week. So I expect the run-off to get over a 1,00cfs for sure this week. Every time there is a cold front, run off will slow down and the fishing will improve. Don‘t forget Pop’s Squirmy Worms! They also make a great crab pattern.

Below the dam on the Lower San Juan the flows are a 408 and will remain there until May 18. Then the river will ramp up to 5,000 cfs on May 22nd. for up to 33 days. Ramp down will be done on July 4th at 500 cfs.

Guide Andy Warden and his client on a recent trip below the dam with a monster bow!

It has been a while since the river has been flushed out. This will make the fishing great for the summer. If you wade with the high flows I would suggest wearing a life jacket.

We now have with our newest Private Property a total of 4 miles of Private and 3 ponds!

The Navajo River stretch is a 3 miles of river that also has 2 large ponds. This ranch is going to start a 3 year stream improvement project this fall. We are very excited about this property.

Remember to visit http://laidupcharters.com

Scott Taylor

http://highcountrycharters.com

970-946-5229

While you are in town make sure that you visit the following businesses!

Need Fly Fishing gear? See Pop's
Let it Fly
Located Downtown Pagosa Springs, across from Kip’s.
970-264-3189
http://www.flyfishpagosa.com

Hungry for Adventure?
Pagosa Outside Adventures - Rafting, Biking, Kayaking, Tubing
Downtown Pagosa Springs
970-264-4202
http://www.pagosaoutside.com

[st1]

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

I am down in the Everglades getting ready to head out and look for some Redfish at low tide. We have had some big winds, but even with that we are still finding fish and making them eat. The water temp is still a bit on the cool side (76 -78 degrees) due to evening lows around 60. Definitely jacket weather on some of the long runs in the morning. The one good thing with the big wind, it blew in some water way in the back, where we were pushing the boat on the bottom and could not get to fish that were 100 yards away crushing glass minnows with their backs out of the water. Amazing to see! Wading was not an option, mud up to your thighs, and of course – gators.

Lows this week are going to be in the upper 60’s to 70 degrees and the wind forecast is for it to a lot lighter this week. The Tarpon fishing should improve as we get closer to May.

Back in CO, the run off has begun. Flows have been between 600 – 900 with a chance of rain all week and a little snow on the weekend. Every time there is a cold front, run off will slow down and the fishing will improve. Try some of Pop’s Squirmy Worms!

Below the dam on the Lower San Juan the flows are a 500 and will remain there until mid-May. Then the river will ramp up to 5,000 cfs for 33 days. It has been a while since the river has been flushed out. This will make the fishing great for the summer. If you wade with the high flows I would suggest wearing a life jacket.

We have also added a new Private Property trip, on the Navajo River. This is a 3 mile stretch that also has 2 large ponds. I visited the ponds in the winter where one pond had water coming into it, and was not frozen. I saw some very big Rainbows. This ranch is going to start a 3 year stream improvement project this fall. We are very excited about this property.

Remember to visit http://laidupcharters.com

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

It is almost Spring Time!

Not quite yet, but it felt like it last week with temperatures in the 40's on the mountain and mid - 50's in Pagosa Springs. The local streams are still all frozen except for the town stretch where the hot springs keep the water open. The best fishing options locally are parts of the Animas and the Lower San Juan. The lower Juan is a little green with the lake turning over, but there is still a good 3 feet of visibility.

Sarah wanted to go get a fish fix on Valentines Day, and take a Sunday off from skiing at Wolf Creek. Sarah landed 10 fish, said she was good and we headed back to Pagosa. In a hour and a half I switched her set up 8 times with flies and several other times, moving the indicator up or down, and adding, or taking away weight. Below the dam, it is very important to keep changing to stay on the fish. We stopped fishing at 12:45, at 12 we started fishing gray foam wings, at 12 :45 started to see some BWO's getting sipped down from the surface by hungry trout. Try to stay in front of the hatch!

Don't forget to book you Spring fishing trips early this year. The second and third weeks of March will book up first.

Spring Tarpon Season is right around the corner!

If you have ever had the itch to fly fish in the saltwater or have fished other areas in the Salt you need to check out Fly Fishing in the Everglades Nat. Park and the 10,000 Islands on the West Coast of Florida. For the upcoming Tarpon Season, I am offering readers of this fishing report some big savings. For fishing trips in April & May of 2016 that are 3 days or longer, the rate will be $450 a day. A savings of $100 a day!