New Mexico
San Juan River below Navajo Dam
Location Snapshot
San Juan River below Navajo Dam is a nationally known northwest New Mexico tailwater with cold, regulated water below Navajo Reservoir. Rainbow and brown trout define the focused coldwater fishery.
Current River Rating
Fair · 70
Conditions are mixed. Review the details below before heading out.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Partial water evidence · Medium confidence
Should I Go?
Consider
Recommended Window
Tuesday, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM
Why
- Water temperature is within the preferred trout range.
- Light wind should make casting and boat control easier.
Favorable Factors
- Recent precipitation has been light.
Timing Evidence
Window confidence: High
Current Readings
- Flow
- 268 CFS
- Gage Height
- 3.86 ft
- Water Temperature
- 50.4 °F
- Observation Time
- Oct 20, 2026, 11:15 AM
Updated recently · USGS station 09355500 · Direct monitoring location
Readings from past 7 Days
Loading readings from the past 7 days…
Historical readings are provided for context. Readings outside the current freshness window are not used to rate current conditions.
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Preliminary guidance only. Always assess current weather, access, water depth, current speed, and your own ability before entering the river.
Changing Conditions Advisory
Loading advisory…
Weather Near Gauge
Current Weather
Partly cloudy
Temperature
50°F
Feels like
46°F
Wind
4 mph NE
Wind gust
7 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Oct 20, 2026, 4:00 AM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this gauge
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this river.
Next 24 Hours
Tue 6 AM
Overcast
Temp 49°F
Chance 4%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Tue 10 AM
Clear
Temp 59°F
Chance 2%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 6 mph
Tue 2 PM
Mostly clear
Temp 69°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Tue 6 PM
Clear
Temp 68°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Tue 10 PM
Overcast
Temp 55°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Wed 2 AM
Overcast
Temp 51°F
Chance 1%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 7 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Tue, Oct 20
Overcast
High 70°F / Low 47°F
Chance 11%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 12 mph
Wed, Oct 21
Rain
High 58°F / Low 50°F
Chance 80%
Precip 0.34 in
Max gust 23 mph
Thu, Oct 22
Showers
High 60°F / Low 55°F
Chance 95%
Precip 1.11 in
Max gust 25 mph
Fri, Oct 23
Drizzle
High 64°F / Low 52°F
Chance 95%
Precip 0.14 in
Max gust 12 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this river's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence river flow, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, upstream reservoirs, and dam releases.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Historical Flow
Loading historical flow…
Fishing Overview
The San Juan below Navajo Dam is special trout water for the 3.75 miles from the dam to Crusher Hole.
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at San Juan River.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Target species
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Brown Trout
Salmo trutta
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- introduced
- Confidence
- High confidence
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Wild
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Tailwater
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Dry flies
- Fly fishing
- Nymphing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Streamers
Official sources
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Parachute-style dryGeneral attractor dry family — not a claim that a named mayfly is hatching.
- Pheasant-tail-style nymphGeneral nymph family for trout rivers without destination hatch timing.
- Elk-hair-style dryGeneral dry/attractor family. Pattern choice only — not a report that caddis are hatching.
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral streamer family. Not a forage or insect Hatch event.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
USGS monitoring location
San Juan, New Mexico
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
River Details
County
San Juan
Management Category
Tailwater trout river
Regulation Scope
San Juan River below Navajo Dam / Quality Waters to Crusher Hole.
Regulation Summary
San Juan River below Navajo Dam: NMDOW Special Trout Water (Quality Waters) plus Navajo Lake State Park. Confirm current NMDOW Fishing Rules and Information.
Target Species
rainbow-trout, brown-trout
Access, Parking, and Regulations
Loading access and regulations…