Rio Epic | Fishing Reports & River News

guide reports, fishing conditions, river flows, weather & snow pack

Rio Epic guides are on the water everyday and have first hand information and fishing reports for the San Juan, Rio Grande, Animas, Dolores, Pine, mountain streams, alpine lakes and larger regional still waters like Vallecito. here you will find fishing reports from the guides along with river news, flows, weather and snowpack information.

fishing reports, flows & news

hatches

what's on the water

Spring 2026

Low water springs means early hatches and good fishing. Fingers crossed we get some more snow and rain.

The San Juan Quality Waters are clear and flows are around 250 CFS - 300 CFS. Small bugs are the ticket for hookups. For nymphs make sure to stock up on red annelids (18-24), grey and black midge pupa (20-26), cream midge larva (22-24), BWO's like foam wings in grey and chocolate, RS2, flashback baetis is sizes 18-22. Eggs and worms can have their place but mainly as a point fly. Dries look at Griffiths Gnat, micro Adams, shuck buster midge, BWOs all in sizes 18-26. Lower down near the mid section caddis, some PMDs and BWOs.

Weather was hot and dry this winter here in the Southwest but a cool and wet spring has helped. Fingers crossed. Freestone rivers (no dams) like the upper Dolores, upper Pine, upper Florida, upper San Juan, Animas and Mountain Streams are getting pretty dang low. When flows drop bug size decreases. Tricos, BWO, small drakes, hoppers, ants and other terrestrial bugs are on the menu.

The Rio (hybrid freestone) is perfect right now with solid streamer and nymph fishing. The Pine is flowing steady around 150 CFS above the lake and 400 CFS and climbing below Vallecito. BWO and midges but caddis might show soon.

Lake levels seem to be holding with hatches of midges. Mice too! Pike and trout fishing has been solid.

hot spots

recent trips

April 2026

Most of Rio Epic guides have been spending time on the Rio, Animas, lakes and the San Juan below Navajo Dam both in the Quality Waters and our private lease. May and early June are some of the best months on the Juan.

REO guides have also been floating the Animas River near Durango. Flows have been up and down, dirty and clean. Peak snowmelt for the Animas will be earl June for dry fly fishing. BWO, PMD and caddis

The Rio has bumped in flow and clarity is perfect. Almost too clear. The streamer bite has amazing. Some salmon flies have already started to stage down river. Caddis will be here too very soon!

With the opening of some Forest Service roads a little early we will be spending more time earlier this season on the Pine, upper Dolores, Hermosa Creek and other regional streams.

Area lakes like Vallecito, Lemon, Haviland and Navajo Lake have also been producing some rewards of late. Trout and Pike have both been active along with large and smallmouth.

hot flies

DIY or planning for your trip

Spring/Summer 2026

San Juan Quality Waters are clear, low and small bugs are the ticket for hookups. For nymphs make sure to stock up on red annelids (18-24), grey and black midge pupa (20-26), cream midge larva (22-24), BWO's like foam wings in grey and chocolate, RS2, flashback baetis is sizes 18-22. Eggs and worms can have their place but mainly as a point fly. Dries look at Griffiths Gnat, micro Adams, shuck buster midge, BWOs all in sizes 18-26.

Rio Grande and Conejoes Stone fly nymphs in pickles, bitch creeks and the like are getting gobbled up. Some caddis too. Junk bugs like eggs, worms, buggers and mop flies will get grabs.

As the warmer weather kicks in the Rio and Animas the water will color up. The dirty water is best fished with larger streamers. Streamers like Barely Legal, Dungeon, Peanut Envy, Pearl Necklace and Sculpzilla. All of these articulated style flies we tend to fish in larger sizes. When the weather cools and flows clear go smaller. Colors typically black, olive and brown.

Streamers: Barely Legal, Dungeon, Peanut Envy, Pearl Necklace and Sculpzilla. All of these articulated style flies we tend to fish larger in larger sizes in dirty water. When the water clears size down. Colors typically black, olive and brown. Spring is also junk fly time of year. Eggs, worms, buggers and mop flies.

river flow scheduals, predictions, news & warnings

Rio Grande, San Juan, Dolores and Pine River Flows and Release News

Rio Grande River

RIVER WARNING: An in-river head gate along with rock and ditch work was completed in 2025 between County Road Bridge 18 and Hannah Lane. At certain flows it did pose as a river hazard. The safe bet was to portage or line boats on river-right. This past spring continued work was completed to make passage safer. We will see what it looks like at certain flows. At a flow rate of 600 cfs we did ask our clients to walk around and we slid the boats easily over the shallow part of the rock work. Guides, DIY rafters and boaters should still take caution when navigating this section of river. There is also another step down head gate diversion about a 1/2 mile below the one just mentioned.

Rio Flow News: San Luis Valley Irrigation District - 30-Mile Releases

Water Managers Anticipate Early Runoff, Low River Flows, and Short Boating Season on the Upper Rio
Grande
Heather Dutton, Manager, San Luis Valley Water Conservancy District

Wednesday April 17, 2026

The 2026 runoff season is well underway. The following information is an update on the reservoir operations in the Upper Rio Grande: The Santa Maria Reservoir Company began their first 10-day release of irrigation water to the Rio Grande Canal on April 14th. This includes 100.8 cfs released from Santa Maria Reservoir into North Clear Creek and 215.6 cfs released from Rio Grande Reservoir into the Rio Grande. The water released from Rio Grande Reservoir was exchanged from Santa Maria into Rio Grande Reservoir earlier in the year. Santa Maria Reservoir is being drawn down for a construction project this summer. The Santa Maria Reservoir Company will likely start a second 10-day release of irrigation water to the Rio Grande Canal on April 21st. A release to the Monte Vista Canal could occur if the Monte Vista Canal comes into priority. The rate of the second release of irrigation water has not yet been finalized. Rio Grande Reservoir delayed their planned release of irrigation water to the Farmer’s Union Canal on account of this week’s snowstorms and will begin releasing stored irrigation water into the Rio Grande on April 19th for approximately twenty days. The rate of the release will start at 100-150 cfs and increase up to 350-450 cfs.

https://www.rgwcd.org/ or https://www.slvid.org/

San Juan below Navajo Dam

BUREAU OF RECLAMATION - NAVAJO DAM RELEASES

April 10, 2026

The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled a decrease in the release from Navajo Dam to 250 cubic feet per second (cfs) from the current release of 350 cfs. Releases are made for the authorized purposes of the Navajo Unit, and to attempt to maintain a target base flow through the endangered fish critical habitat reach of the San Juan River (Farmington to Lake Powell). The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program recommends a target base flow of between 500 cfs and 1,000 cfs through the critical habitat area. The target base flow is calculated as the weekly average of gaged flows throughout the critical habitat area from Farmington to Lake Powell.

This scheduled release change is subject to changes in river flows and weather conditions. If you have any questions, please reply to this message, call 970-385-6500, or visit Reclamation’s Navajo Dam website at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/nvd.html

BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

NAVAJO DAM RELEASES

Per Navajo Unit Operations Meeting Summary – April 21, 2026

The Bureau of Reclamation has scheduled an increase in the release from Navajo Dam from 650 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 440 cfs on Thursday, April 27th

Releases are made for the authorized purposes of the Navajo Unit, and to attempt to maintain a target base flow through the endangered fish critical habitat reach of the San Juan River (Farmington to Lake Powell). The San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program recommends a target base flow of between 500 cfs and 1,000 cfs through the critical habitat area. The target base flow is calculated as the weekly average of gaged flows throughout the critical habitat area from Farmington to Lake Powell.

This scheduled release change is subject to changes in river flows and weather conditions. If you have any questions, please contact Conor Felletter (cfelletter@usbr.gov), or visit Reclamation’s Navajo Dam website at https://www.usbr.gov/uc/water/crsp/cs/nvd.html

Per Navajo Unit Operations Meeting Summary – April 21, 2026

Projected Operations for Water Year 2026 No spring peak release is planned due to insufficient available water. Operations will focus on maintaining baseflows at or above 500 CFS. No drought response operations releases are planned from Navajo Reservoir in 2026, though releases from Flaming Gorge Reservoir will support Lake Powell. Reservoir elevation is projected to peak between 6037 and 6054 feet, with end-of-year storage estimated between 556,000 and 686,000 acre-feet. No shortages are projected through the end of Water Year 2026.

Pine River

Dolores Water Conservancy District - McPhee Releases

April 2026

PRID has begun releasing flows from Vallecito. The lake is full and full delivery of water called for by the ranchers and farmers will be in full swing once the weather warms in May

https://www.pineriverirrigationdistrict.com/

Dolores River

Dolores Water Conservancy District - McPhee Releases

Monday May 2025

McPhee is currently releasing approximately 5 CFS. No updates have been made for the Dolores. Withthe drought and a flow of 5 CFS we can see the writing on the wall. Not a lot of water will be released this year. https://www.doloreswater.com/

These flows are brutally low. We'll see a closure some time early summer unless flows increase. We'll implement our own Hoot Owl rules (not fish past 12:00-1:00 PM). Up by the dam it is cold, but down stream it warms quickly.

Rio Release News

river flows

Rio Epic river flow charts and links for USGS gage stations for the San Juan River, Animas, Rio Grande, Pine and Dolores.

links for flows to the San Juan, Animas, Pine, Rio Grande and Dolores

San Juan - New Mexico

Dolores - below McPhee

Map - Rio Stations

Map - Animas, SJ & Big D

southwest weather

Here some helpful links to NOAA, weather underground and others for our go-to links on all things weather in southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico.