Colorado Fishing Reports ยท San Juan & Dolores Basin
Below Navajo Dam, the San Juan's Quality Waters are one of the most famous tailwaters in the West: big rainbows and browns, thousands of fish per mile and tiny flies.
Looking for the latest San Juan River Navajo Dam 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 San Juan River โ Below Navajo Dam, New Mexico.
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
Below Navajo Dam, New Mexico fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Flood water filled Navajo Lake, and the river below the dam is running muddy, with only about an inch of visibility. The gauge near Archuleta shows about 196 cfs.
Water temperature and oxygen are still good for trout. Until it clears, fish big, bright patterns: San Juan Worms, eggs, mops and leeches in 10 to 14. When it clears, go back to midges and BWOs in 20 to 24.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Below Navajo Dam, New Mexico, bring: San Juan Worm #10-14, Egg #14, Bunny Leech #8-10, Zebra Midge #20-24, RS2 Emerger #20-22, Parachute Adams #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-20, Black Beauty #20-24, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Below Navajo Dam, New Mexico river details
| Access | Texas Hole, Upper Flats, Lower Flats and other parking areas along the Quality Waters below Navajo Dam. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 5,700 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 377 miles, roughly 8 hours from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | All year |
| Fish | Rainbow and brown trout |
| Regulations | The first quarter mile below the dam is catch and release. Special Quality Waters rules apply below that. A New Mexico fishing license is required here, not a Colorado one. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 to 12 ft leaders, 6X to 7X tippet |
| Camping | Cottonwood campground in Navajo Lake State Park |
| Kids | Yes. Easy access and lots of fish to watch. |
| Good to know | Bring a New Mexico license. Flies are tiny, and fish are picky. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Midges and big crowds of fish.
Spring
BWOs and higher spring releases.
Summer
Midges, PMDs and ants.
Fall
BWOs and browns.
How to get there
Take US-160 to Pagosa Springs or Durango, then go south through Aztec, New Mexico to Navajo Dam. It is about a 7-hour drive.