Today
66°F
Partly Sunny
SE 5 mph · 3% precip
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Today’s verdict
Current River Conditions
As of (2 days ago)
This past week, the water has been blown-out and largely unfishable.
The San Juan is currently in rough shape — heavy regional flooding pushed a massive slug of sediment-laden water through the system, and the Quality Waters are running heavily off-color right now. Visibility is poor enough that fishing has been genuinely tough, and that goes for the lower river as well. Both reaches are being closely watched as conditions slowly evolve.
Once clarity starts returning, the setup for big-fly fishing looks genuinely exciting — high flows like these flush a ton of food into the system, and trout tend to gorge when that happens. Think chunky stuff: worms, eggs, mop flies, leeches, and streamers on stout tippet. It's a nice change of pace from the usual micro-midge grind, and historically this river has produced some of its best streamer days coming out of events like this.
Tactics
244 CFS is on the low side for October — this stretch typically runs 416–651 CFS.
With flows lower than usual, wading is generally easier and more forgiving — but beds still shift and cold water saps strength fast, so read the water, stay within your limits, and check conditions on-site. You remain responsible for your own safety.
At 51°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
61°FMostly Cloudy
Wind E 5 mph
Sunrise 7:32 AM · Sunset 6:16 PM
Observed (1 hour ago)
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 15:01
Today
66°F
Partly Sunny
SE 5 mph · 3% precip
Tonight
45°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 0 to 5 mph · 88% precip
Tomorrow
60°F
Chance Rain Showers then Partly Sunny
S 0 to 5 mph · 32% precip
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Size #20-22
Size #14-16
Size #22-24
Size #20-22
Conditions are estimates from USGS data. Always assess on-site conditions and use your own judgment.
The gauge near Archuleta sits just below Navajo Dam at the head of the San Juan's Quality Waters — the cold tailwater with extraordinary trout density that anglers wade and float below the dam. It carries both flow and water temperature, so the conditions reflect that tailwater directly. The fly picture here comes from a single report source, so it's lighter than our better-covered tailwaters.
Location
© OpenStreetMap contributors · © Geoapify
Helpful Links
New Mexico fishing resources
The San Juan below Navajo Dam is one of the Southwest’s most productive tailwaters, supporting very high numbers of rainbow and brown trout in cold, nutrient-rich water. The Quality Waters near the dam are the principal destination, with well-known access around Texas Hole and additional downstream reaches suited to floating. Fishing is available year-round. Midges form the foundation of the food chain and commonly require size 20–26 imitations, fine tippet and careful presentation. Blue-winged olives are important, especially under clouds, while caddis and PMDs become more relevant farther downstream. Seasonal ant falls and other terrestrials can produce unusual dry-fly opportunities. Tandem nymph rigs are the standard approach, often combining an attractor such as an egg, worm or leech with a small midge or baetis pattern. Sight-fishing dries to sipping trout and streamer fishing in deeper water provide variety. Wading access is good in several Quality Water areas, while a drift boat helps anglers cover the broader lower river. Regulations vary by reach and should be checked carefully.
244 CFS−24Flow
51°FWater temp
66° / 45°WeatherSize #22-24
Size #22-24
