Frequently Asked
Questions
Q. How far is the river from popular travel destinations?
A. From Albuquerque Airport to Navajo Dam is around 230 miles (3.5 hours), from Farmington
it is 39 miles (45 minutes), from Aztec it is 25 miles (30 minutes), and from Durango it
is 60 miles (1 hour).
Q. What roads do I take from Albuquerque to get to the San Juan River?
A. From Albuquerque. go north on I-25 and get off at Exit 242 and turn left (Bernalillo)
to Highway 550. Then continue north on Highway 550 (160 miles) to Bloomfield. Take a right
at the first light and head east on Highway 64. Follow 64 until you see the turn off at
the bottom of a small hill for Route 511. The turn off is well marked. Take a left and
head north on 511 until you reach the dam (13mi) or your favorite spot.
Q. How do I get to the San Juan by air?
A. The closest major airport is the Albuquerque International Airport (Southwest,
Continental, Delta). Rent a car to drive the rest of the way. Or, some choose to fly into
the smaller airports ( Farmington and Durango ) on commuter flights and then rent a car.
Accommodation FAQs
Q. What are the overnight camping options near the river?
A. Cottonwood Campground is located on the north side of the river. Accessible by dirt
road (stuck city after heavy rains!) most of the way (3mi) and then paved towards
campground. (Around 20 campsites) Has bathroom, water, & telephone (showers at main
camp 20 min away). Tent, campers, or RVs OK. A second site that is convenient is Pine
River Campground located at Navajo lake and is actually closer to the dam. Pine River
campground also has restrooms, water, and telephone (showers in main camp 3mi away).
Overnight camping is $7. Check out the Navajo Lake State Park Site for more
information and if you are web savvy try the NM State Parks Camping Page to reserve a spot
online (select either Cottonwood or Pine River on the site). If you just want a
place to hookup without the camping atmosphere, you can also park your RV at Abe's Motel
and Fly Shop or the Dam RV Site along 511 just before the Aztec Bridge on the right side
as you are heading towards the dam.
Q. What are the overnight lodging options near the river?
A. There are several lodges near the river: D's Bed & Breakfast, Octagon Inn,
Soaring Eagle Lodge, Enchanted Hideaway Lodge, Abe's, Rizuto's, and a few others. I
always recommend for my clients to stay at either D's Bed & Breakfast, or the Octagon
Inn. The Octagon Inn Owners, Dennis and Anna are great people, and their inn is one of the
nicest in the valley with a continental breakfast, satellite TV, and modern rooms. Please
let me know if you want me to book a room for you.
Fishing Regulation FAQs
Q. What are the special regulations on the San Juan River?
A. The first 3.75 miles below the dam is designated special trout water. Only flies and
artificial lures are allowed with a single barbless hook. The first quarter mile
downstream from the dam to the cable is catch and release only. In the remaining 3.5 miles
of the quality section only 1 fish may be kept if it is over 20 inches long. If you keep a
fish from the quality water and you want to continue fishing, you must either go to the
C&R section, or fish below the quality waters where the normal limit of 6 trout over 6
inches applies and bait fishing is allowed.
Q. What is the fishing season?
A. The river is open to fishing 365 days per year, 24 hours a day. In fact, the fishing
hardly diminishes in the winter, and catches of 10 nice sized fish a day can be pretty
consistent.
Q. What about a fishing license?
A. A New Mexico fishing license is required for everyone over 12 years old. Licenses can
be purchased in Albuquerque (Wal Mart, Target, Charlie’s Sporting Goods), or on the
river at (Float'N Fish, Soaring Eagle, Durangler's, or Abe's). You can also get them in
Farmington and Durango . You need a new one each year starting on April 1st.
Q. What does a fishing license cost?
A. A 2003 New Mexico fishing license for a non-resident costs $61 and depending on where
you fish, you may also need a $10 habitat improvement stamp (not for San Juan ). The
resident costs are $35.00 respectively. For both resident and non-resident, a one day
license costs $8 and a 5 day license costs $16. The vendor may also charge a nominal fee
(usually $1). NEW: Get your fishing license online. You can now go to the NM
Game and Fish site and purchase your license online (extra $5 fee).
Fishing Equipment FAQs
Q. What rod/line should I use on the San Juan?
A. I've seen fly fishers using everything from a 7wt to a 1wt on the San Juan . However, I
think in order to face the challenges of windy days, long casts, and big fish, a 9 ft.,
5wt rod with a weight forward floating line is the rig of choice. A rod with a softer
action is a plus because it allows you to play the fish with less chance of breaking your
6x tippet. I prefer 8’6” foot, or longer rods for easier casting and mending. A
floating line is almost always what you’ll use on the river.
Q. Do I need waders for the river?
A. Yes!!! Chest waders are necessity for full river access. Canvas, 3mm or 4mm pair of
neoprene waders are OK, but I HIGHLY recommend a good pair of breathable waders that will
keep you cool in New Mexico’s sweltering summers, and warm in the cold winters.
Contrary to what most fly fishers believe, neoprene waders aren’t warmer than
breathable waders because they keep your sweat inside the waders, and leave you clammy and
cold. A good pair of waders/boots can run from $100-$300. I have guided in my Simms
Guide Weight Waders for three hard seasons, and they have yet to leak once. Hodgeman,
Cabelas, or Orvis also make good breathable waders. I also highly recommend a good pair of
studded felt sole wading boots. They are very important in keeping your balance on
the moss-covered flat rocks around the river. The Simms Aquastealh Guide Boots with the
tungsten cleats are the best you can buy.
Q. Do I need a landing net?
A. With the size of the fish, and the fact that you are almost always in the middle of the
river, a landing net is a good idea. Some prefer very small light weight nets. I have a
large mouth carbon-fiber net with a long handle, so if you’d like, I can net all your
fish. If you bring your own net, please consider a soft net weave, or rubber net to
minimize the chance for damaging the fish.
Q. How should I rig up for fishing?
A. I will rig everything but your leader, so be sure to have a couple of 7.5ft 5x tapered
leaders with you. On the end of your leader I use a blood knot, or double surgeon’s
knot to attach a 15” piece of 5x fluorocarbon tippet to the end of your leader. Above
the knot, I attach a small split shot weight. Then, I attach your first fly (I call it the
point fly) to the end of the tippet, and then tie a 16" 6x piece of tippet to the
bend of the point fly to attach a dropper fly. I prefer to use a short piece of macramé
yarn attached to your leader with a slip knot for most of my nymphing. The depth of the
indicator will really depend on the water’s flow, and the depth of the water.
Miscellaneous FAQs
Q. What is the best time of year to fish the river?
A. It depends on your priorities. Fishing is generally good all year round with some key
caveats: 1) Spring, from April thru June, the flows can be high from runoff releases and
fishing access tough unless you fish from a guided boat. Monitor the flows closely during
this period (However, for the past two years, and for the next couple, there will be NO
high flows until the lake fills back up, so don’t worry about that) 2) Summer months
are hot and there are daily hatches with lots of fish activity (many claim the best
fishing of the year), but the crowds can be very VERY large (especially on weekends), 3)
Fall is the most beautiful time with great weather and fishing and the crowds start to die
out during the middle of the week, and 4) Winter, the crowds are smaller except for
holiday weekends and weekends where the weather is predicted to be nice (I like fishing
during winter best because of reduced crowds and I have caught bigger, but not necessarily
more, fish).
List of things to bring with you on your trip:
A. A hat to block out the sun and protect your face from getting sun burnt.
B. A GOOD pair of wool socks, (the water is a consistent 42 degrees and you’re
your feet WILL get cold), but having a good pair of socks helps.
C. Layer your clothes with an under layer of fleece, silk, or polyester to help pull
the moisture away from your skin. Then, invest in a good wool or fleece pullover,
sweatshirt, sweater, or light jacket to go over your waterproof wading jacket.
D. I provide water, and some snacks for on the river.
E. Also, don't forget to have some $1 bills handy to pay the $5 day use fee at the
parking lots.
F. Polarized sunglasses are a must because I’ll teach you to sight fish to trout
when the water is clear enough
G. Sunscreen is VERY important because of New Mexico ’s scorching sun, and high
elevation. Bring it even in the winter.
H. In the summer, bring your bug repellant for the mosquitoes
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