My wife and I are headed to Dolores Colorado for a week in early July. We will be staying in a cabin right on the river. I am looking for advice on fishing the river and maybe different places to fish in the area. Most of my fishing will done early in the morning before she gets up and then we will be looking for other things she is more interested in to do together because she is not into fishing. Thanks for any help.

First week in July can be iffy as far as runoff goes so the rivers may be high
If so, you will be doing a lot of nymphing

Caddis, stimulator tan are good dries to start with... Check with a local shop

Stimulate all the way that time of year. I know kodys papa has his far share of time on the water out there. Looks like the pack up there will be ok this year. Just be very carefull wading on the river and wear a belt. That time frame can be hit or miss but the hit can be amazing. I like to go with a big rubber leg stone nymph on the bottom,and a big yellow or orange stemy up top. Talk to the guys at the shop and they can help you on where the stonefly hatch has progressed to when you get there. Should be a great trip for the both of you. Look forward to hearing how you do.

I will certainly chech with the local shop. I assume there is a shop in Dolores. I have also read where the runoff can make things a little difficult and frustrating. We will be staying at The Dolores River campground and probably go to Telluride one day and Mesa Verde another. Also looking into a short rafting trip. Thanks for the info and anymore would be appreciated as well.

If you want a shot at a big one, check out the Uncompahgre River below Ridgway State Park Reservoir just ask for directions to �Pa-Co-Chu-Puk�
There are some big browns in there. Would go on a weekday as it can get popular on the weekends. Telluride Angler is a good shop in that area, but there are many others.

There's no fly shop in Dolores -- closest is in Telluride or Durango. Upper Dolores above McPhee is mostly private and can be tough to attain access on, but a really fun fish. Lower Dolores below McPhee has beautiful scenery but doesn't get the water flows it deserves. Fish are very very spooky and the temps can get out of hand quickly.

I go up to Mancos, just south of Dolores, a couple times a year. July should be fine regarding runoff unless they get a dump of snow over the next two months -- they're only sitting at 63% snowpack so it's likely to be yet another low water year. There's countless feeder creeks that would be a quick fish for you in the morning -- get a forest service map and take your pick.

I'd recommend driving over to Durango for the day and cutting your wife loose on Main St. there. Plenty of shopping and sightseeing. Might cost you in credit card bills, but you can spend some time on the Animas there in town, which can fish ok. Contact Duranglers in Durango for more info as well -- they're a pretty good shop.

Thanks. Will report when we get back.

I am very much a novice at tying but what would be a few fly's that I might try to tie and take? Size and color would also help. Thanks

Whiteowl,

Aside from working as the head guide for Beavers Bend Fly Shop Winter-Spring, I also work as the head guide for the Sportsman Outdoors and Fly Shop in Lake City, CO Summer-Fall. My home waters are the Lake Fork of the Gunnison river, the Gunnison river, and the Rio Grande river. First off, let me say that early July is without a doubt my favorite time of year in Colorado. The dry fly action is absolutely second to none. You can fish stimulators in sizes as big as 6, as well as large foam salmon fly patterns in July. While most of the salmon flies will be done hatching by July, they will not hesitate to rise to the foam patterns. Without a doubt, July is most well know for our golden stone hatches. They are absolutely incredible. Again, my go to dry fly patterns in July are yellow and orange stimulators, sizes 6-14. On dark, overcast days, royal stimmis will absolutely crush them. Big browns and rainbows will regularly rise to stone flies, and every year, we take some truly large fish on top. For nymphs, red copper johns, BH prince nymphs, 20 inchers, and Pats rubber legs are hard to beat. Really, any stone fly imitation will work. Depending on where you are, you may have some various mayflies coming off, so it is definitely good to make sure you tie up a few parachute adams, or my personal July favorites, Red Quills.

I notice that somebody mentioned runoff. It is a very good point to bring this up; however, most years we are easily able to wade fish by early July. It will really depend on the snow that the high country receives so I would definitely keep up with that.

If you want anymore specifics, feel free to shoot me a private message.

Thanks. PM sent.

Any thoughts on taking a dog. Thinking bout taking my lab but don't want to be totally limited in what we do. I know a lot of places allow dogs and she is very well behaved. Anyone have experience.

Headed up next Wednesday. Any more advice or reports such as runoff?

Got kinfolk that went to FF in Colorado last week , said he pasted cause too much snow and ice melting in the mountains caused the place he goes to be too high and rushing too much . He ended up in Durango for a wedding but went to fish was East of Durango .