New Mexico & Southern Co. Aug/Sept

[jt7]

Planning trip to New Mexico or Southern Co, or possibly both Last week of Aug/ first week of Sept. If NM i'm fishing/camping at Rio Costilla for sure, then considering Red River, Los Pinos, & maybe Rio Vallecitos. Other than camping at Costilla any suggestions on what town to stay in for rest of trip? And i may possibly head up and try Conejos if time allows. Also any news on the restocking at Costilla?
My other option is the Durango/Silverton/Ouray area, i've never fished up there before so any suggestions on good area to base out of? Good camping area? Looking to fish Animas & Dolores, and still researching other streams. Any meadow streams similar to Costilla in this area?
Thanks for any info

 

[Acristickid]

Not too familiar with those areas but I’ve fished in the Pecos drainage (east of Santa Fe in the Nat Forest). In CO I’ve fished the Conejos and some tributaries.

What’s the attraction for you to fish these areas?

I do not know current conditions but I think those areas received little precipitation and might be a bit dry this year especially at the dates your looking at.

My best advice for you would be to contact the state fish and game biologists and ask them lotsa questions. They usually are willing to help and provide great information. Good luck and have a great time.

 

[sarce]

Upper Hermosa Creek is a nice meadow stream near Durango recently restored to hold cutthroats. Also enjoyed Pass Creek over the divide east from Pagosa Springs (found brook and brown there). Both are small streams. No idea what flows are like at the moment. My visit was in September a few years ago and flows were fine.

 

[jt7]

Not too familiar with those areas but I’ve fished in the Pecos drainage (east of Santa Fe in the Nat Forest). In CO I’ve fished the Conejos and some tributaries.

What’s the attraction for you to fish these areas?

I do not know current conditions but I think those areas received little precipitation and might be a bit dry this year especially at the dates your looking at.

My best advice for you would be to contact the state fish and game biologists and ask them lotsa questions. They usually are willing to help and provide great information. Good luck and have a great time.

I have fished Conejos couple times also, beautiful area to fish. Also fished Costilla and Cimarron in NM couple times, if i go back to that area i wanted to try more streams around there instead of traveling up to the Conejos. Have traveled through Silverton and Durango area but never fished there so not too familiar with it. I just got couple books on fishing Colorado so hopefully they will have some good info in them.

 

[jt7]

Upper Hermosa Creek is a nice meadow stream near Durango recently restored to hold cutthroats. Also enjoyed Pass Creek over the divide east from Pagosa Springs (found brook and brown there). Both are small streams. No idea what flows are like at the moment. My visit was in September a few years ago and flows were fine.

Been reading up on these 2 streams, Hermosa looks really nice, may give that one a try if i go in that area. Was there pretty good access, and what about roads getting to it? Thanks

 

[sarce]

Been reading up on these 2 streams, Hermosa looks really nice, may give that one a try if i go in that area. Was there pretty good access, and what about roads getting to it? Thanks

Roads are good to it. Both of the upper branches have good numbers of fish. I found more in the main branch but the east branch was very exposed and bitterly cold the day I was there. I think there were a few beaver ponds and they had ice around the edges. The main branch was more pocket water and tight casting but fish were more active.

 

[cstinebiser]

I was just there in June (SW CO), we fished Lime Creek south of Silverton, mineral creek between Ouray and SIlverton, the Uncomphagre at Pa-Co-Chu-Puk, as well as the Gunnison lake fork as well as the Canyon in the North Rim (For the salmonflies). My favorite would have had to be between Lime Creek and lake fork of the gunnison.

 

[Tiogadog]

The Conejos is a great river. Call the Conejos River Fly shop for accurate information. There are plenty of good small tributary streams that are loaded with cutthroats.

Taos is a great base for New Mexico. Taos Fly Shop can help you out. Rio Santa Barbara is a nice campground with great fishing.

If you go to the Conejos, make sure you eat at the Dutch Mill in Antonito. It is some seriousLy great New Mexican food despite the name.

 

[Tiogadog]

Here are some videos from our trip out there a few years back



Conejos

Santa Barbara

 

[jt7]

The Conejos is a great river. Call the Conejos River Fly shop for accurate information. There are plenty of good small tributary streams that are loaded with cutthroats.

Taos is a great base for New Mexico. Taos Fly Shop can help you out. Rio Santa Barbara is a nice campground with great fishing.

If you go to the Conejos, make sure you eat at the Dutch Mill in Antonito. It is some seriousLy great New Mexican food despite the name.

Yes, love Conejos. Have fished it a few times, and then go to Costilla. Guys at Taos Fly Shop are very helpful. Only get out west about every other year so thats why i was thinking more about southwest Colorado where i've never fished. But it will be hard to go out there and not go to Conejos and Costilla!

 

[Acristickid]

FYI- been getting lotsa rain in CO and the Animas has been pretty stained and not fishing too good at least for the moment. Most waters were in good shape.

 

[Stylie]

Animas had that big mine spill a few years ago, I believe it is recovering. If you dont mind Lake Fishing my buddy catches HUGE Lake and Rainbows in Lake Vallecito NE of Durango, not really my thing. I have been looking at the area lately too and I gotta say the Dolores would be my choice.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Florida R. near Durango fished well for me years back. GG

 

[gulfgreyhound]

https://duranglers.com/florida-river-fly-fishing
GG

 

[jt7]

Animas had that big mine spill a few years ago, I believe it is recovering. If you dont mind Lake Fishing my buddy catches HUGE Lake and Rainbows in Lake Vallecito NE of Durango, not really my thing. I have been looking at the area lately too and I gotta say the Dolores would be my choice.

Yea i'm not so much into the lake fishing either. I'm still trying to narrow down my choices but i think Dolores is going to be one. May hit Dolores and Hermosa. But I've also been looking at some small streams in Gunnison area, ( Cochetopa & Big Blue Creek) but that may be too much driving around. Gotta get it narrowed down soon, planning on going last week Aug/first week Sept