Fly Fishing the San Juan River

The San Juan tailwater below Navajo Dam in northwestern New Mexico is one of the most famous big-fish trout fisheries in the country, with the 'Quality Waters' running roughly 3.75 miles downstream from the dam. Cold, stable, nutrient-rich releases produce enormous numbers of large, well-fed rainbow and brown trout in a desert canyon setting. The fishery is defined by midges (anglers routinely fish size 22–26 patterns on long, fine leaders), making it a proving ground for technical nymphing. Blue-winged Olives in the cooler months and a midsummer Pale Morning Dun emergence round out the dry-fly opportunities.

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When to fish

Year-round

Best months: year-round

Best

Midge: year-round, dominant. Blue-winged Olive: Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov.

Today's conditions

Where to fish

Along the San Juan River

Turley1 shopNavajo Dam6 shops

Durango4 shopsPagosa Springs4 shops

The Quality Waters run roughly 3.75 miles below Navajo Dam, with the Texas Hole, Kiddie Pool, and other access lots along NM-173 plus wade trails.

The water

Tailwater

Key hatches

Midge
Blue-Winged Olive
Caddisfly
Pale Morning Dun

Hatch calendar

Conditions

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6-day forecast

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Forecast from the National Weather Service ↗

Hatch calendar

Months each hatch is active on the San Juan River, with hook sizes and local timing notes.
Hatch · hook	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Midge(midges)hook #10–22year-round, dominant	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Blue-winged Olive(mayflies)hook #16–22Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov				April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November
Caddisfly(caddis)hook #8–14Jun–Aug, evenings						June	July	August	September
Pale Morning Dun(mayflies)hook #14–18Jul–Aug							July	August