Colorado Fishing Reports ยท San Juan & Dolores Basin
Around Silverton, the Animas is a cold, high mountain river shaped by old mining. Fish numbers are low, but the scenery is hard to beat.
Looking for the latest Animas River Silverton river report? This page is updated by the AvidMax fly shop team with live flows, current conditions, hatches and the flies working now on the Animas River โ Silverton.
Current flows
Heads up: Major flooding hit southwest Colorado on November 1 and 2. Expect high, dirty water and check road conditions before you drive.
Wind forecast
Silverton fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
The November 1 and 2 storms caused major flooding across southwest Colorado. The gauge below Silverton shows about 430 cfs, very high for November, and snow is coming.
Fishing here is done for the year. Plan on summer.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Silverton, bring: Elk Hair Caddis #14-16, Parachute Adams #14-18, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18, Royal Wulff #14, Zebra Midge #18-22, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Silverton river details
| Access | Roadside pullouts along US-550 and County Road 2 near Silverton. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 9,300 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 328 miles, roughly 7 hours 44 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Summer |
| Fish | A few brook trout, cutthroat and browns |
| Regulations | Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 7.5 to 9 ft leaders, 5X tippet |
| Camping | Campgrounds along County Road 2 and US-550 (seasonal) |
| Kids | Yes in summer at easy pullouts. |
| Good to know | Mining history affects water quality. The tributaries often fish better. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Snowed in.
Spring
Late runoff into July.
Summer
Short summer season.
Fall
Over by October.
How to get there
Take US-160 to Durango, then US-550 north over Coal Bank and Molas passes to Silverton.