San Juan River · hatch chart
Fishable twelve months; spring and autumn are the busiest and the best
By month
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
| Month | Insect | Stage | Size | Time | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | Midges (Chironomidae) | Pupa and adult | #20-26 | 10:00-15:00 | |
| Mar | Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | Emerger | #20-24 | 11:00-15:00 | |
| Apr | Midges (Chironomidae) | Adult cluster | #22-26 | 10:00-16:00 | |
| May | Caddis (Hydropsyche) | Adult, evening | #16-18 | 18:00-21:00 | |
| Jul | Pale Morning Dun (Ephemerella) | Dun | #18-20 | 09:00-12:00 | |
| Sep | Trico (Tricorythodes) | Spinner fall | #24-26 | 08:00-11:00 | |
| Nov | Blue-Winged Olive (Baetis) | Dun | #22-24 | 12:00-15:30 |
Flow and visibility
Navajo Dam releases vary more than the fishing reports admit: the same stretch can be 300 cfs in the morning and 900 cfs after lunch. The quality water is wadeable up to about 1,000 cfs, and the crossing points at Texas Hole become waist-deep above 700 cfs. Water temperature holds near 8°C downstream of the dam, which is why midges hatch in January.
The insect plate
