Huge WILD BROWN Trout on the Animas River, Durango Colorado - Mcfly Angler Episode 6
One of the last free-flowing rivers in the state of Colorado, the Animas River is a unique and rare treasure. With the newest and one of the best Gold Medal Water fly-fishing sections in Colorado, the Animas is a river that should be on your list of places to fish.
When Juan Rivera passed through this corner of Colorado in 1765, he named the river El Rio de las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio, “The River of the Lost Souls in Hell.” To Rivera and his Spanish compatriots, the valley was remote, bleak, and had little to offer them in the way of riches.
The Animas River is the major stream draining the high alpine terrain of the Needle Mountains. It heads in small meadows on the flanks of Cinnamon Mountain north of Silverton, then plunges through wild canyons as it carves a route between the Needle and West Needle Mountains. By the time it reaches Durango, the Animas has grown to a large river. Out of the mountains the Animas meanders through a shallow depression across broad plains. South of the New Mexico border at Farmington the Animas joins the San Juan River.
Fortunately, public access to the Animas River within the city of Durango is plentiful with almost 7 miles of river from 32nd Street Bridge to the Rivera Bridge south of town. Two parcels of private land are found in this stretch, but they are well marked. Foot and bike trails parallel the river through much of town, providing abundant easy access.
The Animas is big water. In Durango the river is almost 100 feet wide, filled with huge rocks and deep holes. The river offers extensive riffles, freestone conditions, and stretches of pocket water. The bottom consists of gravel and cobbles. The rocks are as slick as those in any river in the West, and anglers must always be very cautious when wading. Wet wading is popular in summer, but waders are called for in the early season and in the fall.
A year or so back, the EPA spilled about 3 million gallons of toxic chemicals into the river. These chemicals included heavy metals like lead, arsenic, zink and iron. For a week the river turned bright orange and many thought the river was done for. However after cleanup, and time, the river has seemed to turn back to what it originally was. Fish show no signs of poisoning, and supposedly the river water is safe to drink.
This trip started (and almost ended) very frustrating. I didnt see a single fish all day, and didn't even get one bite on the line. At the end of the day when I was further down stream, I fell in the water which pretty much made me quit fishing. As I walked back to the car, I decided to try one last spot. The spot where I hooked a big trout my last trip. I ended up hooking a very good sized brown trout, one of the largest Ive ever caught. It had to have been 24-25 at least. It was a beautiful fish, with hooked jaws.
Here is a list of the gear I used, and also links to where you can buy them.
9' 6wt Sage Method -
Sage 3250 Reel -
Rio Outbound Short WF6/S1 -
Rio 3x Tapered Leader -
Simms G3 Waders -
Simms Freestone Vest -
Music: bensound.com
clapandyell, theduel, goinghigher, tomorrow, sexy
More music: Sneaky snitch kevin macleod (incompetech.com)
licensed under creative commons: by attribution 3.0 license
Some of the above info about the animas was gotten from the Duranglers website. You can see more info about the Animas River and other local rivers on their website duranglers.com.
Fishing the Animas in December! - Animas river in Colorado - McFly Angler Episode 37
In most parts of the United States, fishing in the winter is something that is not possible. Either snow covers the ground, or fishing is not very productive. But not so in southern Colorado or northern New Mexico. Around here, you can practically fish year round. Granted there are a few days out of the year you probably would not want to be on the water, however there isnt really a specific season where fishing dies down.
So in December I only got to go fishing once, and that was on the Animas river. During the winter, the fish are more lethargic and therefor streamers are not quite the best bet for fishing. They dont want to chase swinging streamers. So nymphing is probably your best bet. Caddis pupae tend to be one of the more effective patterns to use during this time. And that is the fly I caught all my fish on. Other patterns to use are going to be copper johns, prince nymphs, and the various baetis nymphs as well. You want to fish slow, and relatively deep, as the fish are deep in holes just conserving energy. While some people are randomly productive with some dry flies, you really cannot guaranty fish on dry this time of year. You kinda have to be at the right place at the right time. So bring those dries along with you, but dont be disappointed if you never get to use them. Your best bet for catching will be on the nymph. At least that is my experience.
The fly I caught the most amount of fish on was called the GTI caddis. Here is a video on how to tie that.
Per request from many subscribers, I am listing the gear I used on this trip, with links to where you can purchase them.
_____________________
Custom built 10' 3wt rod with the Xi blank -
Maverick fly reel 4/5 -
Rio LT Double Taper Line 4wt -
Angletech vest/backpack combo -
Manefish Neo Silicone Fly Box -
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Biking the Animas River Trail in Durango, Colorado (2018)
Enjoy as a take you on a bike ride along the northern half of the Animas River Trail in Durango, Colorado, from 32nd street to the skate park just north of 9th street and back. The Animas River Trail is a walking and biking path that runs the entire length of Durango, Colorado. As the name implies it runs along the Animas River. There are many access points to the trail. It makes walking and biking in Durango really easy.
This was filmed using the GoPro Session.
Music - Kona Sun by Freedom Trail Studio
The Animas River through Durango, CO
Durango is one of Colorado's most popular Tourist Destinations and for good reason: a historic downtown surrounded by spectacular mountains with a playful river running free through it all. A trip down this, the Animas river through Durango is a must see attraction for anyone visiting Southwestern Colorado. Visit CROA.org for a full listing of the finest outfitters on the Animas River and beyond.
Durango Real Estate | Joann: Durango's Animas River
The Animas river in Durango Colorado is a great local treasure, you never know what you'll see on the river....yoga stand up paddle boards?
Colorado Health Officials: Durango can use Animas River water
Colorado Health Officials: Durango can use Animas River water
Animas River rises to 5920 cfs Bakers Bridge Durango, Colorado June 7, 2019
The Animas river as seen from Bakers Bridge June 7, 2019
Durango & Silverton Train Crossing the Animas River, Durango , Colorado
Coal-fire steam locomotive crossng the Animas River in Durango, Colorado on January 2nd, 2009.
Durango Colorado - Animas River
Short video of the Animas river in Durango Colorado taken from the narrow gauge train ride to Silverton. July 2015
Toxic spill turns Colorado’s Animas River orange
A toxic waste spill triggered early Wednesday morning sent one million gallons of contaminated water from a nearby mine flooding into Colorado’s Animas River, turning the normally crystal-clear water bright orange and forcing officials to evacuate the river. The news drew national interest as reporters took to social media to share the shocking sight of the orange river
The Animas River serves as a secondary water source and as a place for aquatic recreation like kayaking and fishing for the city of Durango, Colorado. Officials have not only told locals to stay away from and out of the river, but to also restrict water usage for the next few days until it is able to be filtered back to healthy levels.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed that it accidentally triggered the spill while using heavy machinery to investigate pollutants at the abandoned Gold King Mine some 55 miles north of Durango. The mine, which was used over a century ago in gold mining, had been dormant for years.
EPA officials were working on building a pipe to divert the occasional seepage of polluted water from a collapsed entrance to the mine into a nearby creek. While working to remove the backfill debris covering the collapsed entrance, the EPA accidentally blew out the plug holding back the contaminated waste, and sent a toxic orange sludge-like mixture of heavy metals flooding downstream at a rate of 1,200 gallons a minute.
Fly Fishing for TROUT on the Animas River in Durango, CO - McFly Angler Episode 5
One of the last free-flowing rivers in the state of Colorado, the Animas River is a unique and rare treasure. With the newest and one of the best Gold Medal Water fly-fishing sections in Colorado, the Animas is a river that should be on your list of places to fish.
When Juan Rivera passed through this corner of Colorado in 1765, he named the river El Rio de las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio, “The River of the Lost Souls in Hell.” To Rivera and his Spanish compatriots, the valley was remote, bleak, and had little to offer them in the way of riches.
The Animas River is the major stream draining the high alpine terrain of the Needle Mountains. It heads in small meadows on the flanks of Cinnamon Mountain north of Silverton, then plunges through wild canyons as it carves a route between the Needle and West Needle Mountains. By the time it reaches Durango, the Animas has grown to a large river. Out of the mountains the Animas meanders through a shallow depression across broad plains. South of the New Mexico border at Farmington the Animas joins the San Juan River.
Fortunately, public access to the Animas River within the city of Durango is plentiful with almost 7 miles of river from 32nd Street Bridge to the Rivera Bridge south of town. Two parcels of private land are found in this stretch, but they are well marked. Foot and bike trails parallel the river through much of town, providing abundant easy access.
The Animas is big water. In Durango the river is almost 100 feet wide, filled with huge rocks and deep holes. The river offers extensive riffles, freestone conditions, and stretches of pocket water. The bottom consists of gravel and cobbles. The rocks are as slick as those in any river in the West, and anglers must always be very cautious when wading. Wet wading is popular in summer, but waders are called for in the early season and in the fall.
On this trip to the Animas I only got to fish a few hours. I had a late start on this impromptu fishing trip. I also forgot my SD drive for my go pro so I could not film everything. However It still was a fun trip even though I didnt land any fish. I did hook a very large fish though, but could not bring in this big brown. He threw the hook within a few seconds of hooking him.
I was fishing nymphs all day, and the fly rig I hooked the big one on was a small (18 size) red copper john, and a 20 size two bit hooker. Im guessing the one he hit was the two bit... The rod was my custom rod (a bit stiff of a rod) and the reel was my sage 2250. I was using the basic Rio line, mainstream WF5F.
Music: bensound.com
Songs: dance, moose
Some of the above info about the animas was gotten from the Duranglers website. You can see more info about the Animas on their website duranglers.com
Pedestrian bridge across the Animas River at Needleton, Colorado
Needleton is a trailhead and wilderness stop along the Animas River that is serviced by the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad Train. A small cluster of cabins is located very near the train stop - accessible by this pedestrian bridge over the river. Needleton is located along the Animas River between Durango and Silverton, Colorado. It's at an elevation of 2,523 metres (8,277 feet).
Here's my personal webpage about Colorado:
09-17-2012
Animas River Trail bike ride - downtown Durango, CO to Wal-Mart (#3)
Aidan riding from downtown Durango along Animas River to Wal-Mart
Animas River Parade 6-7-2014 in Durango, Colorado
Animas River Days and the annual parade down the river have been a fixture of the Durango community for many years. This year was also the opening of the reworked Smelter Rapids. The Marketing Department staff has combined still photographs and video with the rushing water of the river and the cheering of the spectators as the participants came down the river and entered the rapids. Some made it, others made it outside their craft. No one was injured in the making of this video. You are invited to visit The Marketing Department's web site at
Animas River Update — Trout Monitoring
Results from testing show that small fish in the Animas River near Durango survived the plume of mine waste that rolled down the river last week. The fish were placed in the river by our biologists before the plume reached Durango. These fish will be removed on Aug. 11, 2015.
Check us out at:
Bear on Animas River, Colorado
After stealing my pack while I was setting up camp, eating through it and all my food, then taking a drink of water, this bear started across the pedestrian bridge I was on.
Animas Forks Ghost town drive down the Animas River into Silverton, Colorado
Our jeep drive into Silverton following our crossing of Cinnamon Pass. Elevation at the Forks was 11,160'. Lots of old, abandon mines such as the Gold Prince Mill (largest in Colorado), the Toltec Mine and Mill, the Silver Wing, Eureka, Little Nation Mill, and the still active Mayflower Mill. Silverton was established in 1874 and is at an elevation of 9,317 feet. It was once the hub of 4 railroads. The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad still operates today.
Animas River polluted by EPA accident
COLORADO-- (CNN) The Animas River in Colorado has a mustard color now-- after a mistake by the EPA dumped more than three million gallons of pollutants into the water.
On Wednesday, an EPA team was using heavy equipment to enter a mine near Durango, Colorado.
The team accidentally caused the contaminated water inside to flow into the river, instead of pumping it out and treating it.
The mustard-colored water contains iron, zinc and copper.
Cities downstream in New Mexico are also at risk as the water flows into the San Juan River.
The EPA is taking samples of the area and it says the river's conditions have improved.
ANIMAS RIVER – Please Protect Our Public Lands
On August 5, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency accidentally spilled 3 million gallons of toxic waste into the Animas River in southwest Colorado, one of the most scenic rivers in the United States. The bright orange plume originated from an abandoned mine near Silverton. Please protect our public lands... for our children, for our future. #Colorado #Animas #AnimasRiver #Durango #EPA
Animas Short VLOG #1
Fly Fishing Animas River in Durango, Colorado.
music by: Dylla