Sign inSign up freeRecent catches at San Juan River
Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.
Fishing San Juan River: what the data says
Navajo Dam quality water. 20,000 trout per mile in the flats below Texas Hole. The river tops out around 10 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Rainbow Trout fishing at San Juan River
Start shallow in spring: rainbow trout sit in 3 to 10 ft that time of year. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 2 to 10 ft. The spot to know is Navajo Dam tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 2 to 10 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Brown Trout fishing at San Juan River
In spring, brown trout run shallow here, mostly 1 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 10 ft. The spot to know is Navajo Dam tailrace, a dam tailrace in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for brown trout in spring. Best bite is after dark and early morning. A spoon at the thermocline or a deep stickbait (night) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Stickbait off planer boards (shallow), Small spoon along mud lines |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | night & dawn | Spoon at the thermocline, Deep stickbait (night) |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dusk & dawn | Jerkbait over gravel, Casting spoon |
| Winter | 1 to 10 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Small stickbait (slow) |
Notable structure
- Navajo Dam tailrace: dam tailrace, around 9 ft
- Lowhead weir tailrace: dam tailrace, around 9 ft
- Lowhead weir tailrace: dam tailrace, around 9 ft
- Texas Hole: creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 4.6): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 7.1): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 9.3): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 11.7): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 13.6): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 0.6): eddy pocket, around 6 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 18.8): eddy pocket, around 6 ft
- Tailout eddy (mile 16.4): eddy pocket, around 6 ft
- Riffle & run (mile 2.5): rock pile, around 4 ft
Common questions
How deep is San Juan River?
San Juan River is about 10 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in San Juan River?
Anglers target rainbow trout, brown trout on San Juan River.
Where is the best fishing spot on San Juan River?
Navajo Dam tailrace is the top-rated area: a dam tailrace in about 9 ft of water that rates prime for rainbow trout in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish San Juan River?
For rainbow trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.