Animas River Fly Fishing - Late Winter

Shhhhhhhhhhh...the Animas River is fishing well. I have had a few days on the water the past couple weeks with a few long time guests of AVA. Fished with Bob and his son Jeff for a couple days as well as Reed Tankerton and his buddy. Between the Animas and San Juan the late winter fishing as been well....again, shhhhhhh.....pretty sweet. Love the cold snowy days; fish are on the bite and you feel like you earned that hot coffee at lunch. This is a sample of shots from the Animas days with the guys. San Juan shots on the way. None of the shots have been tweaked, just strait of the camera.

-Will

photos: all images are copyright protected - Will Blanchard | Animas Valley Anglers

Late fall in the Southwest

A spawned-out Kokanee near Durango Colorado.

Kokanee (land-locked Pacific sockeye salmon) are suited to the large, fluctuating mountain reservoirs of Colorado. These silver fish with black spots on the upper half of their bodies can be found  swimming in compact schools feeding on zooplankton, a food source unaffected by the drawing down of reservoirs. They turn reddish in color and males develop a “hook jaw” during the fall spawning season.

go kokanee go!

off with their heads!

end game...but the cycle continues

layers and bends

He ate it! He ate it!

cold river warming

sunny tail

otter print

digital darkroom:
bow and bugger

ghost angler

cold tracks

ice brown

flight

baldy games

out of here

Will Blanchard casting

brookie solo spawning...kinda funny

Nate Bronson and a stunning brown.

Noodle master....

lunch

buzzzzzworm sign

pork chop