Rio Epic Fly Fishing and Guide Reports - Summer 2019



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 the reports don’t seem up-to-date please refresh your browser. If that doesn’t do it just drop us a line and ask us how the fishing is. We try to update every couple days, but we are on the water way more than on the computer!



SAN JUAN - Quality Waters
New Mexico



July 2019
Flows: Clear and sweet!
827 CFS Below Navajo



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.


Flows went down and held at 600 cfs for a bit, but have bumped to 827 cfs. The dry fly fishing has been solid. Nymphs continue to rock. The steamer bite is best early and late in the day.


Hatch: Midges and BWOs. Midge is small. Black or grey ranging from 20 to 28. BWOs are small in a size 20 to 22. Might see some ants soon with the afternoon shows soaking the ground the past couple days. Beatles and big foam flies are turning heads too. Look for PMDs in the lower QW and Mid river.


Forecast: Solid fishing should continue through the summer and fall.


San Juan NM flows

SAN JUAN - Lower River
New Mexico



July 2019
Flows: Clearing with a green tint
827 CFS Below Navajo



The lower Juan is clear and fishing pretty well. The Archuleta Ditch is still pulling a full head of water from the main channel. Not sure the number but it probably takes around 150 to 200 cfs from the main channel


Hatch: Caddis, BWOs, small stones, and PMDs (PADs and pinkies). PMD dry fishing can pretty sweet if you hit "the day".


Forcast: The "Lower" should fish well off and on through the summer and fall. Just remember strong monsoon rains this summer do have the potential to put the river "out" with mud and silt.


San Juan NM flows

San Juan - near Pagosa
Pagosa Springs



July 2019
Flows: Clear-ish green
1200 CFS on the slow drop near Pagosa



The upper Juan looks to have peaked and on the drop. Slowly....


Hatch: Sorry, stones are done. They emerged in small numbers through Mesa Canyon while the river rolling high in late June.


Right now we are seeing PMDs, caddis and drakes. Fishing has been hit or miss on the upper but still a stunning place to cast a fly.


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


San Juan in Colorado flows

San Juan Flow News June 2019



July 9, 2019

SENT VIA E-MAIL July 9, 2019

The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled an increase in the release from Navajo Reservoir from 800 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 1,000 cfs tomorrow, July 10th, at 2:00 AM. Releases are made for the authorized purposes of the Navajo Unit. Higher than average inflows continue to fill Navajo Reservoir but are tapering off. Current elevation at Navajo is 6074.5 ft, which is 7 feet below the flood control storage pool. Releases are being increased as needed to smoothly move water throughout the summer.


Navajo Dam BOR Site



Pine - below Vallecito
SW Colorado



July 2019
Flows: Clear
1930 CFS Below Vallecito



The Pine has bumped in flow and holding in the 2000 CFS range with OK fishing. Despite the higher than normal flows fishing has been OK. The bigger water makes landing larger fish a little tricky. A good problem to have!


Hatch: Midges, PMDs and BWOs with some caddis in the evenings.


Forcast: Flows seem to jumping around a bit of late. We do not know why at this time but will post once we hear. Pine flow news can be found below.


Pine flows

Rio Grande - below 30 Mile
Creede & Southfork



July 2019
Flows: Still high
3000 CFS Wagon Wheel Gap



The Rio has a lot of water flowing through. Flows have dropped a bit, but a push of wet weather bumped it again. Should continue a slow drop as summer moves along.


Hatch: Salmon flies might be done, but will see the ones that did hatch in the high water migrate through the dark timber areas of the river. Small waves of caddis continue, mostly in the evenings. Drakes on the lower river near South Fork and will start to show soon up river near Creede.


Warnings: Flows are still high, use extreme caution when wading or floating the Rio.


Forcast: With the solid snowpack we are looking at a long long and very fun season on the Rio.


Rio at Wagon Wheel

Rio Grande - Upper
SW Colorado



July 2019
Flows: clearing but still high
No CFS reported



The upper Rio is still rolling with high flows but looks to be dropping.


Hatch:Drakes, black flies and caddis


Warnings: Flows are still high, use extreme caution when wading the upper Rio. Also use best judgment when fording Pole Creek. There was a jeep accident late in June. Better to be safe than sorry.


Forcast: Looking to be a great season with all the snow in the headwaters. We feel the upper Rio will be happening sometime in late July or early August.


Rio flows

Pine River Flow News April 2019



June 19 2019:


Pine River flows out from below Vallecito are a bit of a yoyo right now. 2400 cfs in late June and then on July 6th dropped down to 800 cfs and then a day later went back up to 1800 cfs. Not sure at this point what they plan to do, but we'll let ya know.





Dolores River
Below McPhee



Flows: Holding in this range till June 23
1800+ CFS Below McPhee



Dolores has bumped in flow and is a muddy mess out of the dam. Spring release has begun (May 22nd) Fishing is slow with the dirty water.


Hatch: not much till flows settle


Forcast: Once the water settles in early June we hope to see clear flows return. Fishing should be OK this season on the Dolores.


Lower D flows

Upper Dolores
Dolores to Rico



Flows: Dirty
2500+ CFS near Dolores



Dolores has dropped with the cool temps. Full on runoff kick back into gear once temps bump. We'll be back to fishing it once peak runoff occurs.


Hatch: not much now. Look for stones and caddis and caddis soon.


Forcast: Looks to be a great year for the Dolores with plenty of water from our big snows this past winter.


Upper D flows

Piedra
SW Colorado



Flows: Stained/muddy
2000+ CFS Near Hwy 160



River is in runoff mode with high flows and dirty water. On the cooling trends look for flows to drop a bit. Often times the water will clear a little and the fish back on the bite. Streamers and bigs stonefly nymphs will get some play.


Hatch: not much


Forcast: Salmon flies in early June. Looking to be a great season on the Piedra with the snow up there.


Piedra flows

Dolores River Flow News July 2019



SPILL #2 ending (July 6-10 2019)

Per DRWCD:

McPhee is currently releasing flows of approximately 400 CFS downstream as it follows its final ramp-down to base flows. Inflows are dropping daily, at a rate of up to a couple hundred CFS per day, until the snowpack runs out. Releases will fall accordingly, and are expected to reach base-flows later this week, ending the spill. Current weather forecasts show no indication that inflows will turn back up, even for a short time.


Dolores (DRWCD)



Animas River
Durango



July 2019
Flows: dirty and high
3400 CFS (on the drop)



Due to the 416 Fire up the Hermosa drainage the Animas has been flowing with some nasty color in the water making visibility very poor. Some fish survived the poor water quality, but numbers are way down. We are looking at a long healing period for the Animas.


Hatch: not much going on right now


Forcast: It will take a few wet years to help heal the Animas post the 416 wild fire.


Animas flows

Mountain Creeks
SW Colorado



July 2019
Flows: high-ish but dropping!
CFS available



Most creeks are clear and flowing higher than normal, but coming into shape. Amazing times on small waters with light rods is here.


Hatch: caddis, mayflies and terrestrials (ants, hoppers and beetles)


Forcast: With a solid snowpack we are looking at a solid mountain stream season all through the summer and fall!


creek flows

Regional Lakes
SW Colorado



July 2019
Levels: High to mid
Many are full from snow melt



Lakes are open and fishing well this summer. High elevation lakes are still a bit cold but fishing well.


large lakes:

Electra: Open - Good

Vallecito: Open - Good

McPhee: Open - Fair

Navajo: Open - Good

Nighthorse: Open - Good


Smaller lakes:

soon!


Forcast: Lakes and reservoirs offer fun stillwater options and should fish pretty this year.


lake levels

Southwest Fly Fishing Guide Service



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