Sit it outno rainbow trout window clears the bar in 36 hours
Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.
Right now
Rainbow trout range 45–68°
From the east
falling · -67% in 24 h
Sunset 6:20 pm
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Full
Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are New Mexico non-tidal regulations for these waters.
Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside rainbow trout's active range. Holds 3–20 ft down.
Catch and release only today. New Mexico: 5 trout and kokanee a day combined, 10 in possession; no more than 2 lake trout or 2 cutthroat.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal
Season here: Feb–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on rainbow trout
Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside brown trout's active range. Brown trout feeds less actively under bright moon. Holds 3–25 ft down.
Catch and release only today. New Mexico: 5 trout and kokanee a day combined, 10 in possession; no more than 2 lake trout or 2 cutthroat.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · New Mexico non-tidal
Season here: Feb–Dec, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on brown trout
Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works
We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. New Mexico Game & Fish publishes a report for the state.
Licenses and rules: New Mexico Dept. of Game & Fish · trout stocking · fish-consumption advisories
A world-class tailwater in New Mexico’s high desert below Navajo Dam, where stable, cold, nutrient-rich releases grow enormous numbers of trophy rainbow and brown trout. The first few miles — the Texas Hole and the Quality Water — fish year-round and rank among the most productive trout water in the Southwest.
Navajo Dam to the Crusher Hole (3.75 miles) is Red Chile Special Trout Water: catch-and-release only, single barbless fly or lure, no more than 2 per line, no bait or chumming. Below it the statewide 5-trout limit applies.
Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at San Juan River below Navajo Dam you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
San Juan River below Navajo Dam is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at San Juan River below Navajo Dam against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
San Juan River below Navajo Dam has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Navajo Dam to the Crusher Hole (3.75 miles) is Red Chile Special Trout Water: catch-and-release only, single barbless fly or lure, no more than 2 per line, no bait or chumming. Below it the statewide 5-trout limit applies.
state agency regulations apply at San Juan River below Navajo Dam. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
No. San Juan River below Navajo Dam is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
