Best month to fish the San Juan River

Month-by-month fishing quality

Why these months?

Two things decide your odds on the San Juan River: flow and season. You need the river in its fishable-flow band — so a freestone in spring runoff is out no matter how good the hatch would be, while a dam-fed tailwater holds shape year-round. On top of that, the hatches and water temperatures line up best in October and November and January and February, which is why those months edge out the rest. The San Juan River's season runs year-round tailwater; prime october–march.

The San Juan below Navajo Dam is the desert tailwater that defies its surroundings — a cold, clear, weed-rich ribbon of trophy trout water running through high-desert sandstone in northern New Mexico. The 3.5-mile "Quality Waters" hold enormous numbers of big rainbows and browns that see year-round midge and BWO hatches, making it one of the most consistent winter fisheries in the country.

Where to fish the San Juan River

The Texas Hole and the braids below the dam are legendary; much of the Quality Waters is wadeable, though a guided drift puts you on the deeper runs. Steady dam releases mean it rarely blows — watch for the prime 500–1,000 cfs window.

Guided trips & lodges to book