This Will Make You Feel Like A Kid Again
Fly fishing on the Upper Animas River in Colorado offers a truly intimate and romantic creek experience, making many clients feel like a kid again by providing the classic small-stream adventure often sought in the West. This high-alpine environment, distinct from New Mexico's fishing, boasts a storied mining history that adds to its unique character. The demand for such a "creek component" in fly fishing has been recognized, and this area consistently delivers the quintessential small stream experience that captivates anglers.
Cutthroat Trout
We're targeting cutthroat trout in active pocket water with stealthy spot-and-stalk tactics. Unlike pressured fisheries, the Upper Animas' tributaries allow you to often visually locate the trout before casting, typically finding them in the tails of pools or underneath overhangs. Much like the gold miners who once worked these lands, you'll be "panning for gold," searching for the distinctive pop of color that signifies these high-country cutties.
Brook Trout
These aren't picky eaters; in fact, they're insatiable and incredibly fun to catch on dry flies. While you still need to present your fly well, it's a great starting point for any angler and an excellent option for dry fly fishing. Expect to find gorgeous brookies typically around 7 inches in length.
Fishing Seasons
When is the best time to fish the Upper Animas River?
The prime window for fly fishing the Upper Animas River is primarily after the snowmelt runoff subsides. This typically occurs from mid-June to late July, depending on the year's snowpack levels. We recommend you plan these trips well in advance due to the brief season, which generally extends into early fall before colder temperatures set in by the end of September.
Upper Animas River Tactics
What Is The Best Way To Catch Upper Animas River Trout?
Fly fishing on the Upper Animas River is best suited for the dry fly purists out there.—a scalpel-like dissection of pocket water, using a single dry fly or a dry-dropper rig. We're using zero to three-weight rods, ideally between 6.5 and 7.5 feet. This setup allows for precise dapping and accurate presentations in short windows where fish have little time to inspect the fly. Despite some potential snags on branches, much of the fishing is in open areas, making this a great, "GMO-free" experience for adventurous beginners looking to explore public lands.
Dry Flies
Dry Flies reign supreme here! Recommended dry fly patterns include the Chubby Chernobyl, Parachute Adams, Royal Wulff, Hot Spot Caddis, or any "demented creation" you've tied yourself. While many creeks call for extra light tippets, you can comfortably use 3x, 4x, or 5x here, as the focus is on precise presentation rather than ultra-light tippet size.
Streamers
While we may be able to get some aggressive and reactive eats from brookies on streamers, the dry fly action is so good here that we rarely throw anything else. If you're looking to get your streamer fix, we highly recommend you join us for a San Juan River fly fishing trip.
Nymphs
The only nymphing we typically do on the Upper Animas is adding a dropper to a dry fly. If you're looking to get into Euro Nymphing, check out our Euro Nymphing trips or our trips to the Conejos River, where we fish more subsurface patterns.
We're About Trout
We're About Trout!
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