Wade34/100
Wading is the most sensitive plan today. Use protected edges only, avoid crossings, and downgrade quickly if clarity or current feels wrong.
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Fly fishing report · West
Los Pinos River
A practical Los Pinos report for San Juan mountain access, RiverReports flow support, official USGS context, private-water cautions, and trout tactics.
Check flow & weatherToday's river scoreHigh source confidence
54
Caution
Best option: Float.
A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
Updated Jul 13, 11:17 PM UTCUsually refreshes about every 45 minutes
Recommended approachFloat
Mode scores adjust the river-wide score for the risks of wading, bank fishing, or floating.
Bank / edgeCheck
This report does not describe this as a primary mode. Verify legal access, depth, launches, and retreat options before planning around it.
Float · Best fit58/100
A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
Confirm before you leave
Flow and weather right now.
Use the flow trend to confirm the score before you leave. Weather can change the safest and most productive fishing window.
Loading current flow and weather.
River strategy
Start with access boundaries, then fish the water you can legally reach.
The Los Pinos can be very useful for trout planning, but access is the first filter. Use flow and weather checks, then confirm whether your plan is on public land, a legal easement, or private or tribal water.
- RiverReports gives the flow chart for this page, with USGS 09352800 as official backing near the lower river context.
- San Juan National Forest lists river and stream fishing opportunities and Pine River Trail access in the district.
- Private land and Southern Ute Reservation context matter on parts of the drainage, so do not assume a visible river is open to public fishing.
- Fish early in summer, watch storms, and carry a thermometer where lower water warms.
Why this score moved
FlowLowers score
USGS shows 36 cfs with a stable over about 6 hours trend. same-date USGS history (2018-2025, 8 readings) puts normal around 93 cfs and the high-water marker near 0 cfs; today's flow is above that high-water marker. Treat this as high-water fishing: wading, clarity, crossings, and boat control need a conservative check.
Short-term weatherUse caution
The forecast has storm or heavy-precipitation risk, so timing and access matter more than the score alone.
Best mode nowUse caution
Float: A float can fit better than wading only if launches, shuttle, boat skill, wind, and local rules all check out.
SeasonHelps score
Summer: Primary public-trip season once high water settles and access roads are reliable.
WeatherHelps score
The NWS forecast is about 76F with Chance Showers And Thunderstorms.
Read the water
What changes the plan.
The best public-facing plan is usually a summer or early fall trip after runoff settles, with clear access boundaries and a backup if the river is too high, warm, or restricted.
Low clear water
Use smaller dries and nymphs, longer leaders, and careful approach angles.
Moderate stable flow
Best condition for dry-dropper rigs, caddis activity, and riffle-edge nymphing.
Runoff
Fish only protected edges if safe and legal, or wait for a clearer drop.
Warm lower water
Carry a thermometer and shift away from trout when temperatures are stressful.
Field plan
Fish it with intention.
Best flows
Stable post-runoff flows with clear banks, safe wading, and trout-safe water temperatures.
When to skip
Skip when access is unclear, the river is in heavy runoff, storms are building, or lower water is too warm for trout.
Local plan
Start with access boundaries, check flow and weather, fish one clearly legal reach, and keep the Animas as a backup.
Backup water
Animas River is the easiest nearby backup when access or flow makes the Los Pinos plan uncertain.
Hatches & flies
Bring a flexible box.
TimingWhat to watchUseful flies
SpringMidges, BWOs, caddis, and stonesZebra midge, BWO emerger, prince nymph, stonefly nymph
Reviewed pattern · report says “Zebra midge”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it ↗
Reviewed family · report says “BWO emerger”Blue-Winged Olive PatternsBWO describes a hatch group, not one fly. Nymph, emerger, dry, cripple, and spinner profiles must stay separate because they occupy different parts of the water column.See family guide ↗+ 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box SummerCaddis, PMDs, yellow sallies, ants, beetles, and hoppersElk hair caddis, PMD, yellow stimulator, ant, hopper
Reviewed pattern · report says “Elk hair caddis”Elk Hair CaddisLook for a tented elk- or deer-hair wing, clipped hair head, dubbed body, rib, and hackle palmered along the body. The body color should be labeled because tiers often match different natural caddis colors.See photos & how to fish it ↗
Reviewed family · report says “PMD”Pale Morning Dun PatternsPMD names an insect group, not one fly. Pale nymphs, trailing-shuck emergers, upright or low-riding duns, cripples, and spent-wing spinners stay visibly separate.See family guide ↗+ 3 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box Late summerTerrestrials and evening caddisHopper-dropper, beetle, caddis pupa, soft hackle
Reviewed family · report says “beetle”Beetle PatternsBeetle flies range from simple foam shells to hair-bodied and sunken forms. A rounded back and compact profile distinguish the family from ants and hoppers.See family guide ↗
Reviewed family · report says “caddis pupa”Caddis Pupa PatternsCaddis pupa is a life-stage family. Curved bodies, wing pads, legs, beads, and soft-hackle collars differ among exact patterns and must be labeled.See family guide ↗+ 1 more reviewed guide in the Fly Box FallBWOs, midges, and streamer windowsRS2, zebra midge, olive bugger, small streamer
Reviewed pattern · report says “RS2”RS2Start with the beadless architecture: two dark-dun Microfibett tails separated behind a slim, tightly twisted and visibly segmented dubbed abdomen; a fuller thorax; and saddle-hackle web clipped into a short angled wing bud. Rim Chung's original-style form uses natural beaver dubbing and hackle web. CDC- or Antron-wing ties, beads, curved hooks, flash, and tailless Avatar-style flies must remain labeled variations.See photos & how to fish it ↗Reviewed pattern · report says “zebra midge”Zebra MidgeLook for a very slim tapered thread body, evenly spaced contrasting wire rib, a small bead, and no tail or wing. The reviewed classic is black with silver wire and a silver bead. Red, olive, brown, glass-bead, jig-hook, resin-coated, or tailed forms must remain labeled variations rather than replacing the classic identity.See photos & how to fish it ↗+ 2 more reviewed guides in the Fly Box 01
Confirm access first. If the reach is private or unclear, do not fish it just because the water looks good.
02
On public water, fish banks and riffle transitions before walking through them.
03
Use dry-dropper rigs once summer flows settle, and switch to nymphs if fish stay low.
04
Keep a backup in the broader San Juan drainage if storms, access, or flow shut down the first plan.
Access & responsibility
Know the entry. Know the exit.
Check current Colorado fishing regulations and local access rules before fishing. Parts of the broader drainage involve private land or Southern Ute Reservation context, so public access should be verified before you step in.
San Juan National Forest river and stream fishing areas
Use Forest Service access information as the public-land planning starting point.
Pine River Trail context
A useful upper-drainage public-land concept, with distance and road planning required.
Lower valley checks
Useful for flow and condition awareness, but private and tribal boundaries require extra care.
Transparent sources
Check the facts behind the plan.
Last material review: 2026-05-31
Common questions
Before you leave.
Is the Los Pinos River all public?+
No. Access is the first thing to verify because parts of the drainage involve private land or tribal context.
What flow source should I check?+
Use RiverReports for the quick chart and USGS 09352800 for official backing.
What is the best fishing style?+
Once flows settle, a dry-dropper or light nymph rig through banks, riffles, and soft seams is the practical starting point.