Colorado Fishing Reports ยท San Juan & Dolores Basin
The San Juan flows through downtown Pagosa Springs past the hot springs, with a town riverwalk and national forest water upstream.
Looking for the latest San Juan River Pagosa Springs 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 Pagosa Springs.
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
Pagosa Springs fishing report
Updated November 7, 2026.
Two big storms on October 22 to 24 and November 1 to 2 caused major flooding across southwest Colorado. The San Juan crested near record levels on November 2 and the town took heavy damage. It is down to about 770 cfs but still high and dirty.
Give it time. When it starts to clear, fish big stonefly nymphs, worms and dark streamers in the soft water. US-160 and Highway 151 were closed during the storm, so check road conditions.
Load your fly box
Before you head to Pagosa Springs, bring: Pat', s Rubber Legs #4-10, 20 Incher #8-12, Pheasant Tail Nymph #16-18, San Juan Worm #10-12, Sparkle Minnow #4-6, Zebra Midge #18-22, RS2 Emerger #18-22, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Black Beauty #20-24, Egg #14-16, Squirmy Wormie #12-14, Scud Bomb #14-16.
Flies working right now
The flies above that we have in stock right now.
Pagosa Springs river details
| Access | The town riverwalk and Yamaguchi Park, plus national forest water upstream. |
|---|---|
| Elevation | About 7,100 ft |
| Drive from AvidMax | About 284 miles, roughly 6 hours 12 minutes from our Centennial shop |
| Best season | Summer and fall at normal flows |
| Fish | Stocked and wild rainbows, plus browns |
| Regulations | Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife for the current rules. A Colorado fishing license is required. |
| Leaders and tippet | 9 ft leaders, 4X to 5X tippet |
| Camping | East Fork and West Fork national forest campgrounds |
| Kids | Yes in normal years, with town access and stocked fish. Not now. |
| Good to know | The hot springs keep the town stretch partly open in winter. |
Fishing by season
Winter
Hot spring water keeps the town stretch partly open.
Spring
BWOs, then a big runoff.
Summer
Caddis, stoneflies and hoppers.
Fall
Low, clear water, BWOs and browns.
How to get there
Park at Yamaguchi Park or along the riverwalk in Pagosa Springs.