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The Animas in Durango
Post 04 Oct 2021, 11:52 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/11/20
Posts: 378
Location: Dallas, TX
I spent a nearly perfect week in Durango last week, but unfortunately I missed seeing Donny aka Paveglass, and couldn’t get over to NM to fish with Aurelio.

The Animas is fishing very nicely right now. I landed many and lost many more, catching fish 5 out of 7 days. Mostly fished on the Animas River, right in town or just south of downtown. Lots of young rainbows, but a few 18” and up, and a few sweet browns, too.


I hooked up and fought a really beautiful mature brown who ate this nymph like a champ then I lost him right at the net.

Planned to hit the cascade and Los Pinos this week, too. Didn’t get to either, but consolation prize was a fantastic few hours fishing for big trout on a private piece of the Florida that was worth the whole trip.
I brought my Scott F6634 that day and thought I’d brought a knife to a gunfight but it handled the fatties like a champ.

I also got to fish with a beautiful Winston BIIIx built for me by the great Steve Van Winkle aka Shopkeeper Rods aka Reverend Struble. My first trout on a Winston ever and a total dream of a 905 western trout rod if there ever was one.


Fall color in the southern Rockies is just coming in. We had a spectacular drive on the Million Dollar Highway, 550 from Durango to Ouray to Ridgway (fun visit to Rig’s Fly Shop, highly recommend), and back.

Fall is a special season, especially in Durango.


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Post 04 Oct 2021, 11:58 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 01/31/18
Posts: 221
Location: Holly Springs, NC
My wife and I did that drive back in the fall of1995 before we had to move back to the east coast. Left from Albuquerque and continued on to Telluride from Ridgeway and then dropped down to Cortez and Four Corners. It was an incredible drive.


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Post 04 Oct 2021, 12:02 • #3 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/16/05
Posts: 2537
Location: Georgia
Looks like a fun trip, even without hooking up with other board members..


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Post 04 Oct 2021, 13:05 • #4 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/11/20
Posts: 378
Location: Dallas, TX
Gunpowder from what I recall there are some fairly spectacular fall drives to be had in NC, with the added bonus that you can make a stop at Skylight Inn in Ayden NC for a legendary chopped whole hog sandwich with crispy skin bits mixed right in.


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 06:25 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 06/08/18
Posts: 293
Location: Boston , MA
It’s too bad you couldn’t make it over to The Pine , and maybe Vallecito creek , not that it isn’t “all” spectacular fishing out there , but I think you would have really enjoyed both , private water aside , the public water fishes very well , and the farther you hike in , seems the better the fishing gets … Perfect plan for the next trip maybe , enjoy …


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 08:21 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/09/10
Posts: 1355
Location: US-CA
Nice trip!


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 09:09 • #7 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/18/12
Posts: 1712
Location: Bozeman, MT
KOOL!


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 10:03 • #8 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
So close to the Dolores. Hey, we can get a fresh green chile cheeseburger at Boxcar Cafe in Chama. Next stop, Brazos and Conejos.
Next thing you know, you're fishing with Aurelio, and only a day's drive home.


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 11:01 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
Nice !


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Post 05 Oct 2021, 12:52 • #10 
Guide
Joined: 06/08/18
Posts: 293
Location: Boston , MA
Now yer talkin Bulldog , world class fishing in pristine surroundings with 4/5 wt glass in hand , but at the end of the day , a good green chilies cheeseburger and a pint or 2 , well that’s just about as good as it gets !!! Place called LaVeta Loco had a great burger , and yup , bout an hour and some change drive down to the Costilla as I remember , Boxcar Cafe sounds like the ticket , but if you’ve got any other suggestions up near The Box for anything with green chilies , I’m all ears for the next Brazos fishing adventure …


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 05:18 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 02/09/16
Posts: 746
Location: Colorado
Great report, love it!


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 10:52 • #12 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/11/20
Posts: 378
Location: Dallas, TX
Thanks fellas. PGBuilt1, I have fished The Pine and Vallecito creek.

Ron, Hermosa was on my agenda as was a trip down to Aurelio’s neck of the woods. I’ve always wanted to fish & drive my way home to Dallas from Durango. Just need to make the time…

Love them all and will fish again as soon as possible!


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Post 06 Oct 2021, 22:12 • #13 
Guide
Joined: 01/20/16
Posts: 297
Location: Pershing, Missouri
Thanks for sharing the trip, that's a great nymph shot, super buggy.


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Post 07 Oct 2021, 11:56 • #14 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
Sorry I was out of town but it looks like you had a great trip. Maybe next time. Great post!


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Post 07 Oct 2021, 13:43 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/11/20
Posts: 378
Location: Dallas, TX
Absolutely. One of these days, Donny. Hopefully I’ll be there more next year.


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Post 07 Oct 2021, 18:21 • #16 
Sport
Joined: 06/27/14
Posts: 73
Location: US-NY
I was out that way a couple of weeks ago, and fished the Hermosa.

It was paradise. No good food stories, as it was just me myself and I at camp, and I never cook fancy for that group.


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Post 08 Oct 2021, 16:01 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 06/09/05
Posts: 2524
Location: US-CO
DaveS wrote:
Thanks fellas. PGBuilt1, I have fished The Pine and Vallecito creek.

Ron, Hermosa was on my agenda as was a trip down to Aurelio’s neck of the woods. I’ve always wanted to fish & drive my way home to Dallas from Durango. Just need to make the time…

Love them all and will fish again as soon as possible!


Dave, The Hermosa drainage burned two years ago, killing all of the trout in the stream, and the ash runoff killed 80% of the fish in the Animas. After that I went into the Hermosa from above, near the ski resort and hiked down to where the fire had stopped, fishing my way back up. There were numerous brook trout above where the fire had burned. The Fish and Game has isolated part of the upper stream to reestablish native cutthroats there.


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Post 20 Oct 2021, 09:33 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/09/09
Posts: 2796
Location: US-NM
Thanks for the great pictures.......Aurelio


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Post 20 Oct 2021, 21:27 • #19 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/22/12
Posts: 703
Location: US-IA
Excellent post
Rod


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Post 21 Oct 2021, 09:20 • #20 
Sport
Joined: 03/11/14
Posts: 89
Location: US-East Texas
Worked for a year in Durango when I was on a traveling line crew. We caught our dinner 2 or 3 nights a week after work during the whole year. Know those waters well..., geez I really miss that life.


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Post 22 Oct 2021, 11:10 • #21 
Sport
Joined: 08/18/21
Posts: 31
Location: Southern Maine
Great pics. Couldn't agree more about the Winston.


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