Rio Epic Fly Fishing and Guide Reports - Summer 2021



Fishing and guide reports for the San Juan Quality Waters, Rio Grande, Dolores, Pine, Animas and other streams of Southwest Colorado. Snowpack, snow science and USGS stream flows.

If our reports look to be out of date please refresh your browser. If that doesn’t do it please feel free to drop us a line for a real-time update. We try to update every few days, but we are on the water way more than on the computer!



SAN JUAN - Quality Waters
New Mexico


Summer 2021
Flows: Clear
Click for SJ flows




The San Juan, especially the Quality Waters, offers some of the most consistent year-round fishing in the Southwest. Could be argued the entire lower 48 for that matter.


Solid dry fly fishing has been good, but nymphs continue to rock. Some monsters have made it to the net of late. The steamer bite has also been pretty good. Hatch: Midges and BWOs. Midge is very small but look for clumps. Black or grey ranging from 20 to 28. BWOs are small in a size 20 to 22.


Forecast: Solid fishing should continue through the winter and spring.


San Juan NM flows

SAN JUAN - Lower River
New Mexico


Summer 2021
Flows: Clear
Click for SJ flows




The lower Juan is clear and fishing is OK. Flows are too low to fish the lower section. Need at least 500CFS.


Hatch: Some midges in the AM and BWO in the afternoon.


Forcast: The "Lower" should fish well off and on through the fall and winter. When the visibility


Summer and Fall hatches look for caddis, BWOs, small stones, and PMDs (PADs and pinkies). PMD dry fishing can pretty sweet if you hit "the day".

San Juan NM flows

San Juan - near Pagosa
Pagosa Springs


Summer 2021
Flows: off but will clear soon
Click for USJ flows




The upper San Juan is iced and cold.




Hatch: none


Forcast: The upper Juan should fish prettywell through the summer and fall.


Summer hatches around Pagosa Springs as well as downstream into Mesa Canyon consist of salmon flies, stones, PMDs, caddis and drakes.

San Juan in Colorado flows

San Juan (New Mexico) Flow News



BUREAU OF RECLAMATION NAVAJO RESERVOIR RELEASES


May 18th 2021


In response to forecast increasing runoff and flows in the critical habitat reach, the Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled a decrease in the release from Navajo Dam from 400 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 300 cfs on Tuesday, May 18th, starting at 0400 AM. Releases are made for the authorized purposes of the Navajo Unit, and to attempt to maintain a target base flow through the endangered fish critical habitat reach of the San Juan River (Farmington to Lake Powell).


The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program recommends a target base flow of between 500 cfs and 1,000 cfs through the critical habitat area. The target base flow is calculated as the weekly average of gaged flows throughout the critical habitat area from Farmington to Lake Powell. This scheduled release change is subject to changes in river flows and weather conditions.


Navajo Dam BOR Site

Pine River Flow News



Winter 2020


Pine River flows out from below Vallecito will be holding very low and fluctuating between 3 and 5 CFS. Uhg . . . We would love to see flows around 100 CFS, please do your snow dance!



Dolores River Flow News



Fall & Winter 2020/2021

McPhee is currently releasing approximately 25 to 23 CFS for the downstream fishery. We hope it does not drop below what is already a low flow.


Dolores (DRWCD)

Southwest Fly Fishing Guide Service



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