San Juan River Update — September 23, 2026 250CFS

(Guide Brian Cronin and Anne found a big one in the weed beds)

As of September 22, the San Juan is running at 250 CFS. That’s low water, but there’s no reason to panic.

We’ve finally been getting some much-needed rain, and with the Animas running high from all that moisture, releases from Navajo Reservoir have been reduced. Hopefully, some of that water stays where we need it—in the reservoir.

We were on the river yesterday, our guides are out today, and the fishing has been good.

The rain and overcast weather have produced some big baetis hatches, and the dry fly fishing has been excellent. Streamer fishing has also been very good, especially during those darker, cloudy windows.

At 250 CFS, the San Juan is an excellent wade flow. If you’ve wanted to see the river from a different perspective, this is a great time to consider a wade trip or even break out the Trout Spey.

Yes, the river is weedy right now, especially from the boat. But there is still plenty of fishable water if you’re willing to get creative. These lower flows also concentrate fish into specific areas, and once you find those zones, there can be a lot of trout packed into them.

That’s the latest from the San Juan. The water may be low, but the fishing is still very much happening.

Hope to see you out there.