San Juan Help

[Steve Watkins]

My son and I go west every year for a week long fishing trip before schools starts.  Planning a trip the 3rd week in July to the San Juan.  Never been to the river.  Hoping for suggestions on fly patterns and sizes and any other advise.

 

thanks

Steve

 

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Small midges are your best friend. There's a great shop in Durango, CO that's worth going to. Duranglers is the name. They guide on the San Juan, Animas, and high country streams there. Durango is an awesome town. 

If you don't want to go up there, Abe's is a good place as well. It's a crowded river, but there are some giants in there. I fished in about four years ago when I was traveling to Farmington, NM for work. 

[Phil Lilley]

Fished there 15 years ago.  They said no scuds... but we caught them on #16 to #20 scuds.  Strip woolies and buggers in the faster water... I don't think they see that allot.  I fished a jig in the bigger, deeper water and did real well.  Again, they don't see many jigs.

They are known for their midges.... tons of them.  They group up and make midge clusters.  But they see a ton of midge flies -- that's why I kept trying different stuff.  Some worked, some didn't.  Try to fish areas that don't get hit very often too. 

[Devan S.]

I fished there in May. Local fly shop suggested midges and annelids and smaller the better. 

I asked about jigs and buggers and basically got laughed at. 

I caught fish on jigs no problem......seen a guy catching fish on a jerkbait too. 

At the end of the day they are fish. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

Same story on the Frying pan.   You gotta use mysis shrimp or nothing.   I used a bugger on a sinking line and smoked em.    Caught em on surf and turf too.   

[Steve Watkins]

Thanks for the replies.  I will post an update and hopefully some fish pics when we return.

[netboy]

If you walk in just below the Dam there is an area called the braids. It is a good wading area with lots of shallow water and channels around some small islands.

Be sure to keep a sharp eye out for creepy crawlers on the way in. I almost stepped on a big rattlesnake a couple of years ago. No warning rattle...   

[Ryan Miloshewski]

17 hours ago, snagged in outlet 3 said:

Same story on the Frying pan.   You gotta use mysis shrimp or nothing.   I used a bugger on a sinking line and smoked em.    Caught em on surf and turf too.   

I'm sure the Italian fish in there will eat the spaghetti and meatballs. 

[snagged in outlet 3]

4 hours ago, Ryan Miloshewski said:

I'm sure the Italian fish in there will eat the spaghetti and meatballs. 

Even German brown ones do😁