Colorado · river
San Juan River
The San Juan River is a major tributary of the Colorado River in the Southwestern United States, providing the chief drainage for the Four Corners region of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. Originating as snowmelt in the San Juan Mountains (part of the Rocky Mountains) of Colorado, it flows 383 miles (616 km) through the deserts of northern New Mexico and southeastern Utah to join the Colorado River at Glen Canyon. From Wikipedia
- Length
- 383 mi
- Basin
- 24,600 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3,704 ft
- Rises at
- San Juan Mountains
- Flows into
- Colorado River
Flow now
San Juan River At Pagosa Springs, CO, 15 mi from the river.
367cfsat build, Nov 12, 12 PM MT
The typical week here, from 10 years of record: 57 cfs to 119 cfs, around 75 cfs.
Snowpack
4.8 in of water in the snow at Upper San Juan and 2 more stations, against a median 2.9 in for the date (166 % of normal).
The snowpack here usually builds from Nov 1, peaks Apr 9 and is gone by May 31; runoff follows the melt.
The season, November
Usually workable this week. Pick your window and fish it well.
- Midgessizes 18 to 22
- Small eggs and worms
- Pheasant tail and zebra midge nymphsunder an indicator
Typical for the week over 10 years: 57 to 119 cfs. Running 367 cfs today, above that range. Flows are not forecast; check the gauge the day before.
Brown Trout are spawning (October to December). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.
Brook Trout are spawning (September to November). Stay off clean, light-coloured gravel in riffle tails and pool tailouts, and leave paired fish alone.
Mountain Whitefish are spawning (October to December). The egg bite behind spawning whitefish is the best winter nymphing of the year: an egg pattern below the riffles.
- Flows swing a lot this week most years. Carry both a heavy nymph rig and a dry-dropper and let the gauge decide.
- Egg patterns in the runs below the spawning gravel, never on it.
Written by the app's rules engine from the calendar, the gauge record and the snowpack, not by hand, so it says only what the data says. The weather for the week comes with the app.
Fly shops on this water
- Duranglers DurangoWebsiteFishing report, updated Oct 28
Nearby waters
- Los Pinos River27 mi
Open San Juan River in FlyMaster for today's plan, the flies, and your own log here.
Flows from the U.S. Geological Survey, snowpack from the NRCS SNOTEL network, text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Built Nov 12.
