San Juan River, New Mexico Fly Fishing Reports & Conditions
Visibility: 60 inches
Water temperature at mid-day: 42 Degrees F
Water condition: Clear
Best time of day to fish: Consistent all day
Best stretch: Texas hole to the Dam
Best access point:
Fly fishing hatches in order of importance:
The best fishing in the morning will be with midge pupa and larvae, size 22 and 24. You can find fish eating midges of all colors, dark midges have been best. Size 22 and 24 black, brown, dark gray and olive, fish have been eating cream as well. Try fishing BWO’s from 11:00am to about 5:00pm. Dark gray and olive been the best colors in a size 22. Back to midges in the evenings. Black is the best right now! Stripping streamers has also been effective. Brown and yellow worked great today. The caddis are starting to hatch on the lower river. It will be fishing very well for the next month and a half. It is the best dry fly fishing of the year!
“Must-have” fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:
| Fly Name: | Fly Color: | Fly Size(s): |
|---|---|---|
| Midge Selection | grey, olive and crea | 22 to 26 |
| Midge | all colors | 20 to 24 |
| Rs2 | All | 22 |
| Wd-40 | Gray, olive, brown f | 20 to 22 |
| Bh American Pheasant Tail | brown | 20 to 24 |
| Cdc Mayfly Emerger | gray, olive, brown flash! | 22 and 24 |
| caddis | brown and black | 16 to 20 |
| PMD’s | dry’s and nymphs | 16 and 18 |
| stimulators | orange, yellow, brown | 12 to 16 |
| terrestrials | Ants and hoppers | 6 to 16 |
| Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby: |
|---|
| Fisheads of the San Juan |
Fish species: Rainbow and Brown trout
Fishing season: Year Round (Prime: March – November)
Nearest airport: Albuquerque, NM (2.5 hr) or Durango, La Plata Airport, CO (40 min) or Farmington, NM (40 min)
Located in the northwest corner of New Mexico, 40 miles South of Durango Colorado and 30 miles Northeast of Farmington New Mexico. The San Juan River is world renowned for providing some of the most rewarding trout fishing you will ever experience. The San Juan is a consistent producer of both rainbows and browns averaging 16 to 18 inches, with many reaching much larger proportions. Recent studies have suggested … 
that there are 15,000 fish per mile.
Since the completion of the Navajo Dam in the early 60’s, the river below
the dam has provided a perfect environment for the growth of trophy sized trout. Brown trout naturally reproduce in the river and the rainbow
fingerlings that are stocked yearly are essentially wild by the time they reach maturity. Catching them is an experience you will never forget! The San Juan has developed a far reaching reputation for Gold Medal trout fishing throughout the year. With comfortable temperatures all four seasons, you can be assured of enjoyable fishing whenever you come. The San Juan provides something for everyone, year round.
Clothing should be layered so you can adapt to the widely varying temperatures. An afternoon rain shower is common in the summer. Bring a rain jacket even if the sky is cloudless in the morning. Sun block (SPF 30+), sun gloves, hats, neck protection, polarized sunglasses and sun protective clothing are highly recommended.
Fishing 22 and 24 midges in the slower waters has been great. You can even sight fish in some places. Fish light weight ( a number 6 or smaller ) with your strike indicator 2 or 3 feet above the weight. You don’t want to be on the bottom when you are midge fishing. The BWO hatch is going great. Baetis live in fast water so look for them in the riffles at the top of holes and at the bottom of holes in the tail out. Fish are eating gray, olive and brown nymphs in these places, again it just depends on the day so have them all. You may have the chance to see fish on top during this time as well. A parachute Adams or comparadun should do the job. The may flies are green and are about size 22. Use dark colored wings as the fish are turning away from white wings. If you can’t see this try a marker fly about 12 inches above the baetis. The midges are actually bigger than the may flies right now so fish are looking for them all day. Try a brown and red colored midge or black and red midge, it is deadly! I have had great success with gray midges the last few days.
Fishing has been awesome and I see no reason for that to change. The weather looks good for the next week although I am sure the wind will continue to blow in the afternoon, its not a problem for catching fish but it makes the dry fly fishing tough as it blows the cotton wood seeds all over the water. The thunder storms have started which will get the ant fall coming soon. Fun stuff!! The lower river is fishing great! The caddis and PMD’s are hatching!!! Good luck to all the Fisheads out there, Chris