The San Juan below Navajo Dam is a year-round fishery that is a blast to fish for anglers of all abilities. Mellow waters help make the float fishing on the Juan super easy for rookies but there is plenty of challenge for veteran anglers.
The River
The Juan is a larger river with a mix of riffles, pockets, runs and long pools. The Juan is a fun river to float fish from the comfort of a drift boat. This river flows through a sandstone canyon making it unique and pretty. Deer, muskrat, geese, ducks, bobcats and eagles call the river corridor home.
The Trout & River Sections
Quality Waters ( Texas Hole to Crusher )
The QW is flat out full of trout. An angler can expect to hook-up on a solid number of trout during a day on the water. Fish size range from 12 to 18 inches long. The average fish is around 15 to 16 inches long. There are certainly some very large trout that call this section of the Juan home. Rainbows and browns in the 5 to 12 pound class are possible.
Mid River ( Crusher to Village )
The mid river is a fun section, especially for kids, first-timers and rookies due to the high number of trout. Average fish size drops with the average being 12 inches and mostly rainbows.
Lower River ( Village to Turly )
The Lower Juan offers a shot at more browns compared to bows. The average size goes back up to around 14 inches. The Lower River is known for the quality of the fish, especially when the browns are "on the bite". There are also some serious brutes in this section as well. We call them "Unlanables".
Our Guide Program
We offer guided floats on all three sections of the San Juan. The Quality Waters float is four miles, the Mid River about 5 miles and the Lower River floats can be as short as 4 miles or up to 14 depending on the put-in and take-out.
Where to stay?
Many of our fishing guests will stay in or around Durango, Pagosa, Aztec, Farmington or down on the river at the community of Navajo Dam. Hotels, motels, B & Bs, VRBOs and cabins are all available.
The Day
Most guide days meet around 7:30 to 9 AM depending on meet location. Depending on when we launch we fish all day, finishing up around 4, 5 or 6 in the evening. 1/2 Day floats typically are 4 hours, give or take.
The Season
The float season on the Juan is year-round! The Quality Waters are a bit more consistent in the winter than the mid and lower river.
Getting There
The Juan is 50 minutes south of Durango with shorter drives from Bayfield, Aztec and Farmington. Bit longer from Pagosa, Dolores, South Fork and Creede.
Bookings
This is a great fishery and our guide trips do fill up quickly. However, outside of our busiest times we can accommodate most guests, even last minute bookings. Just drop us a line and we'll get you on the water!
