Before you head out, you’ll have to be very pragmatic when choosing which river you intend to fish, be well aware of its specific turbidity, and understand the runoff of the winter snow melt. That said, spring conditions can be volatile. With some help from our friends at Duranglers Flies and Supplies we put together a list of some of our favorite rivers and fishing spots for you to discover.Įach week on Thursday mornings we will be updating our blog with a new location and some advice to help you make the most out of your weekend fly fishing trip. The section below the dam (in New Mexico) is well-known for brown and rainbow trout in the world famous tailwater sections. Whether you’re baitcasting, fly fishing or spinning your chances of getting a bite here are good. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including northern pike, sockeye salmon, rainbow trout and smallmouth bass here. There are also good midge and blue winged olive hatches in the area.Ībove Navajo Dam, you’ll find medium-sized brown and rainbow trout (and the occasional carp). Navajo Reservoir is a reservoir located just 21.1 miles from Aztec, in San Juan County, in the state of New Mexico, United States, near Navajo Dam, NM. Below the Navajo Reservoir Dam is some of the best tailwater in the country, and the most popular (and crowded) section of river for fly fishing.Įxpedition Outside has private access to several high quality fishing spots on this stretch.Įarly in the season, the San Juan is a great place for salmon flies and stoneflies, since a lot of stonefly nymphs are swimming in the springtime. You can purchase permits to fish these waters at the SUIT website or in person at our partner fly shop Duranglers directly in downtown Durango. Expedition Outside has secured access to a lovely private stretch in this area called the Diamond Bar M Ranch. Further south and west, the San Juan flows through private and Southern Ute Tribal Land until it reaches Navajo Reservoir.

The float window for the Upper San Juan is only about a week and a half, so be sure to keep a close eye on the water flows. Through town, you’ll find easy river access at a number of public put-ins, which also serve as the gateway to floating the river south of town.

Fish heads navajo dam