Will Blanchard

About

Will is one of the head guides here at Animas Valley Anglers, he also happens to be the owner. Be it an addiction or a love for the craft Will can be found fishing and guiding through out the Southwest well over 200 days each year. He has been going strong on these local waters since 1989, and started guiding in 1992. Will started his guide career with Duranglers in Durango Colorado. Will guided for seven years with that outfit before starting Animas Valley Anglers in 2000.

He brings a tremendous amount of knowledge, expertise and a positive, enjoyable attitude to a guide trip. Will is comfortable on any body of water, in pursuit of any species of fish. Be it Rio Grande brownies, picky San Juan bows, Babine steelhead or anything in between. Will has logged more guided float hours on the Animas and upper San Juan (Pagosa) than most anyone. Will has put in his time on water making him one of the regions most sought after guides. After spending a day on the water with Will you will have learned the true meaning of the "fly fishing experience."

When not guiding...
Will can be found late in the fall and early winter exploring the remote waters of north central BC for the worlds largest steelhead. He spends countless hours probing the Kispiox, Babine, Bulkley, Skeena and many other remote waters with friends, his wife Amanda and their black lab Kispa. (Chloe, their Dane/Lab mix has to stay home)

Will and Amanda are also proud parents. They welcomed Benjamin Rally Blanchard into the world December 15th 2010. Ben's first fishing trip to the Animas was 10 days later on Christmas day.

When not working hard on the oars or wading knee deep in a steelhead stream Will can be found behind the lens of his camera documenting the natural world and the fly fishing lifestyle. He also spends a lot of time in front of the computer as a web designer and graphic artist for Animas Valley Anglers.

One of his true passions however is ice hockey. He spends countless hours on the ice at the Chapman Hill Ice Arena in Durango Colorado as well as the frozen ponds, lakes and rinks near Smithers BC.

Nick Name:

Will

Outfitter

Animas Valley Anglers

We are the best, that's right, the best guide service that is based out of Durango Colorado and fishes the entire southwest. We are strickly a guide service, no retail operations to ... moredistract us from what is truly important, the trout. We offer custom and peronalized fly fishing trips on all the great waters of the southwest. That includes the San Juan Quality Waters (plus the mid and lower river), Rio Grande, Animas, upper San Juan, Dolores (upper and lower), Pine, Florida, mountain creeks, Root Pond trophy trout lake, headwaters and more!

We are open, and more than willing to fish 365 days a year. We offer killer spring wade and float trips, solid summer hatches, fall adventures and very consistent winter angling. Great guides, all with the knowledge and personalities to make sure your time on the water with Animas Valley Anglers is special and rewarding. No pressure guiding, great teachers, stunning scenery and a few nice trout will help make memories that will last a life time time (year after year)!

Fishing Trips: