Rethink The San Juan

We love the San Juan River. That statement should come as no surprise for anyone has fished with About Trout. With the season in full swing, we can’t get out and “fun fish” as much as we’d like, the above video shows what we do when we’re not sharing a boat with our guests. The San Juan suffers from an idenity crisis, one that we are no strangers to. The Juan has been categorized as ultra crowded, lazy fish, small flies, and primarily a nymph fishery. We disagree.

The San Juan is a popular tailwater and it will be crowded, IF you fish when the crowds do. If you’re willing to fish outside of when everyone else does, you can find solitude. Everyday. The San Juan is also an exceptional streamer and dry fly fishery. If you’re willing to wake up early, you can truly exprience something unique.

The dry fly fishing can be very technical and demanding, it is worth practicing your casts and aerial mends, as down stream presentaions are the key to making these trout eat. The San Juan River will meet you where your skill level is. We want to share with everyone the river we love so much. The streamer and the dry fly fishery is what makes this place magic. We love nymphing as much as the next, but if you’ve never fished streamers and or dry flies on this river, you’re truly missing out.

We often get asked if we ever grow sick of fishing this here. The answer is no. We will never grow weary of watching a trout come out and inhale a streamer or eat a dry fly. Next time you come and see us, rethink the Juan.

rethink the san juan
June 5, 2025
James Garrettson

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James Garrettson

James Garrettson

James Garrettson was quickly consumed by fly fishing after receiving a copy of the Curtis Creek Manifesto at age 10. At 14 years old James was the youngest employee at Orvis. About Trout is focused on creating positive experiences for all anglers. James wholeheartedly represents this philosophy.

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