Navajo Lake, NM: Fishing & the San Juan Tailwater

Navajo Lake in northwest New Mexico. Public domain.

Navajo Lake is one of New Mexico’s great lakes – a deep, blue, 15,000-acre reservoir on the San Juan River in the high desert of the state’s northwest corner, spilling north into Colorado. It’s a superb lake in its own right, with bass, pike and kokanee in clear water beneath piñon-juniper mesas. But Navajo’s true claim to fame lies just below its dam: the San Juan River, one of the finest trophy trout tailwaters on Earth.

This guide covers Navajo Lake top to bottom: the lake and its fishing, the world-class San Juan River trout water, the boating and state park, and how to plan a visit. It’s part of our growing New Mexico Lakes Database.

Table of Contents

Navajo Lake at a glance
The San Juan River – a world-class trout tailwater
Fishing Navajo Lake
Boating and the state park
Water, weather and the high-desert setting
Getting there and what’s nearby
Know before you go
Frequently asked questions
Why is the San Juan River below Navajo Lake so famous?
What fish are in Navajo Lake?
Is Navajo Lake in New Mexico or Colorado?
Where is Navajo Lake?

Navajo Lake at a glance

Surface area: ~15,000 acres on the San Juan River (extends into Colorado)
Location: San Juan & Rio Arriba counties, northwest New Mexico (near Aztec & Bloomfield)
Built: Navajo Dam, completed 1962 (U.S. Bureau of Reclamation)
State park: Navajo Lake State Park (Pine River, Sims Mesa & San Juan River districts)
Top fish: smallmouth & largemouth bass, northern pike, kokanee salmon, catfish, crappie (trophy trout below the dam)

The San Juan River – a world-class trout tailwater

What makes Navajo legendary is the river below it. The dam releases cold, clear, steady water from deep in the lake, creating the San Juan River “Quality Waters” – a tailwater so rich it grows enormous rainbow and brown trout in astonishing numbers. The first few miles below the dam, including the famous “Texas Hole,” draw fly anglers from around the world to sight-fish for trophy trout on tiny midges through catch-and-release, special-regulation water. It’s consistently ranked among the best trout rivers in North America, and for many visitors the San Juan is the reason to come.

Fishing Navajo Lake

The lake itself is an excellent and varied fishery:

Smallmouth bass – outstanding on the rocky shorelines and points, the lake’s signature gamefish.
Northern pike – big, toothy predators in the coves and weed lines.
Kokanee salmon – landlocked salmon prized by trollers and snaggers in season.
Largemouth bass, crappie and catfish round out the catch.

A New Mexico fishing license is required (Colorado rules apply on the lake’s northern, Colorado end). The clear, deep water rewards anglers who work structure and fish the right depths.

Boating and the state park

Navajo Lake State Park is split into districts: the main Pine River area and Sims Mesa on the lake (each with a marina, ramps, campgrounds and houseboat rentals), plus the San Juan River district below the dam for anglers. The big, deep lake is excellent for powerboating, houseboating, sailing, paddling and water sports, with dramatic mesa-and-sky scenery. Swimming and camping are popular through the warm months.

Water, weather and the high-desert setting

Navajo sits at around 6,000 feet in classic Four Corners high desert – piñon, juniper, red rock and big skies. As a Reclamation reservoir, the lake level varies with snowpack and downstream needs, so check current conditions and ramp access. Summers are warm and sunny; the San Juan tailwater stays cold and fishable year-round, even in winter.

Getting there and what’s nearby

Navajo Lake is northeast of Bloomfield and Aztec in northwest New Mexico, off US-64 and NM-511, about 45 minutes east of Farmington. The Four Corners region, the Aztec Ruins National Monument and the Colorado San Juans are all nearby.

Know before you go

Fishing license: a New Mexico license is required; note special regulations on the San Juan Quality Waters and Colorado rules on the lake’s north end.
The San Juan is special: the trophy-trout tailwater has its own catch-and-release and tackle rules – read them before fishing.
Check the lake level: a Reclamation reservoir – confirm ramp access before trailering a boat.
Best seasons: spring through fall for the lake; the San Juan trout fish year-round.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the San Juan River below Navajo Lake so famous?

The dam releases cold, clear, steady water that creates a tailwater rich enough to grow trophy rainbow and brown trout in huge numbers – the San Juan “Quality Waters,” including the Texas Hole, rank among the best trout rivers in the world.

What fish are in Navajo Lake?

Smallmouth and largemouth bass, northern pike, kokanee salmon, crappie and catfish in the lake; trophy rainbow and brown trout in the San Juan River below the dam.

Is Navajo Lake in New Mexico or Colorado?

Both – the reservoir straddles the state line, with most of it (and the dam and San Juan tailwater) in northwest New Mexico and the northern end in Colorado.