San Juan River Report / May Update 2026

Let’s get into it. It’s May, in case you didn’t know, and the San Juan is fishing well. The river is scheduled to bump to 650 CFS on May 7th, 2026, which should open up some different options and spread fish around a bit.

Right now, we are catching fish a bunch of different ways: nymphs, streamers, and even dry flies when the window is right.

Streamer fishing has been solid, especially early in the morning, but we have also had some good afternoon windows. Bigger stuff has been moving fish, and if you’re into that program, let us know when you book.

Dry fly fishing has also been happening, especially later in the day. Kyle has been getting into some good ones on top. If you want to do the streamer thing in the morning and then hunt heads in the afternoon, this is exactly why we recommend booking one of our super full days. It gives you a real shot at getting the best of both worlds.

Nymphing

The nymphing has been a little trashy and junky first thing in the morning. Early on, we have been leaning on the usual suspects:

• Mop flies
• Worm patterns
• Leeches
• Eggs
• Red larva

Around 10 a.m., the midges start getting going, and by noon or 1 p.m. we have been seeing more baetis activity. That is usually when we start switching over to bugs.

For midges, we are still fishing a lot of the same staples:

• Big Macs in gray, olive, chocolate, and gray/olive
• Scintillas
• Bead wings in size 24, chocolate and gray
• Foam wings in size 24, chocolate and gray
• KF emergers in 24s and 26s

If you read enough of our river reports, you’ll notice we fish a lot of the same patterns. The big thing we are constantly changing is depth and weight. That has been more important than having some magic fly.

This time of year, baetis start becoming a bigger part of the equation. We have been doing well with:

• Flashback pheasant tails
• Natural pheasant tails
• Root beer baetis
• Fluff baetis in chocolate, gray, and natural pheasant tail colors

A baetis pattern paired with a midge pupa has been a really good combo.

Size, Depth, and Weight

If the fish get picky, especially in shallower water, don’t be afraid to fish smaller. One thing we like to do at About Trout is standardize our sizes instead of tying every single pattern from 20 to 26.

For example:

• Midge larva like Big Macs: 20s and 22s
• Foam wings and Scintillas: 24s
• KF emergers: 24s and 26s

That keeps things simple and efficient. After years of guiding on the San Juan, we’ve noticed these fish are often more willing to eat a smaller offering, especially when they start getting picky.

The biggest key right now is changing your depth and weight. The fish have not fully made up their mind on where they want to be every day. We are catching them anywhere from six feet down to 20 inches under the film. Don’t just stare at the bobber and hope. Adjust.

Final Word

The San Juan is in a really fun place right now. Streamers are playing, nymphing is consistent, and there have been some great dry fly windows later in the day. If you want to mix techniques and make a super full day of it, May is a great time to be here.