Help With The San Juan

[Lucky Fly]

I am planning a trip out over my summer break in June. Where is the easist places to wade? Can you wade and fish from Cottonwood Campground? Any advises about fishing the various places at the juan would be appresciated.

Steve

[timsfly]

I go out to the san juan a couple of times a year, the easiest wading is probably the section above the texas hole, there is some wading around the cottonwood campground, but most of the time all I see there is people fishing bait, sitting in lawn chairs, we have fished that area a few time in the past, there are a few fish. Good luck. I usually go out in sept. oct, or in nov. but when you are heading that way there may be more water, so check out the water flow at the float and fish fly shop, they are good guys and they will help you alot. http://www.ifly4trout.com/ check out this web site, it always seems to have good info.

[Phil Lilley]

I got out there on June 26 last summer and just caught the river right after they shut the flow down from the spring runoff. If you're there too early, the river is high and tough to wade. So keep in touch with the guys out there and don't go too early.

[motroutbum]

keep in touch with me im working at the caddis company in durango and we do most of our trips down there as well as on the animas. try to get ahold of me when you are coming out. i could at least make a trip down to fish with ya and help you out

[Lucky Fly]

Tim, Lilley, and Motroutbum

Thanks for the help, I was not aware of the sping runoff and was planning on going the middle to last of June. I will hold off until the middle of July to make the run down.

Motroutbum, I will give you a call at the fly shop when I am headed that direction.

Thanks

Steve

[Phil Lilley]

You may research the "worker ant hatch" there. I heard about it when I was there last summer. It happened during the first good rain in July I understand. They're huge black ants that come out of the ground and are thick... they get in the river and the fish go nuts on them. I guess they use the big ant patterns and the fish explode on them. But you never know when it's going to happen.

[motroutbum]

The ant "hatch" really starts after the first monsoons of the year down there. after those hard rains, the carpenter ants come out of their holes to escape drowning and most of them end up in the river. i just got done tying probably 100 suspended ant patterns in anticipation for them. it could happen any time from now till july, just depends on when they get hammered with rain...kind of like you guys back home are getting it now....at least it is well needed