Need help! San Juan Planning

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I have been going to the San juan for a long time now, but this is a totally different year. I believe by May, it will be a lot more brown water, then green, up to the bend, and a lot of log's, and allmost like a saw dust, on the water. I hope I am wrong, but I am going early this year, and will let you all know, when I get back. I was surprised to see the lake is over 5 ft higher, then this time last year. and what surprises me, is only a month to a month and a half ago, not exactly how long, but it was the same water level as last year. And due to the earliest run off, since I've been fishing Powell, the lake has risen a lot more then normal, by this time. I will be going next week, and I'll report on the condition's, when I get back.
And for gas, I have a 150 Optimax, on lund, deep v, and it has a 25 gal tank, and I allway's take 8 five gal can's. for a 3 to 5 day trip, you can never have to much, but for sure, not enough. But with a four stroke, 6 can's will be plenty, if your only going for 2 to 3 day's. I'm pretty sure, if you wait until May, it will be Brown water, well into Neskahi. But as you know, you have a lot of country, to fish between Bullfrog, and Brown water, in the Juan. Hope this help's.
Have a good one.
KyKevin
 
I am really not sure where all these positive reports are coming from in regard to the San Juan. I would like for everyone to know that it is likely the most miserable place on the lake.

In reagards to fuel consumption, it will probably take you 200 gallons round trip. Maybe 300. As soon as you turn up river from MM58, the wind really blows. And the current comes up. I would estimate the current to be at least 40 MPH. In fact, many boats can't even overcome the current and wind to get up stream.

If your boat is powerful enough to do it, please beware of whales. Everywhere. In fact, last time I looked, there was a whale all the way across the opening of the canyon. Most boats can't get past it. Don't try.

If you do make it past it, you will find all sorts of floating debris. Trees, fence posts, Volkswagens, you name it. Just bad news.

And with as much snow as the San Juan basin has had this year, the water will be so dark, even the fish won't be able to see. In fact, they are probably leaving the canyon as I type this.

But if you get past that and try to camp, beware of the rabid wild donkeys. They like to come into your camp, and raid your cooler, and eat everything in it. Seriously. They are terrible.

If you get past the donkeys, then you have to worry about the river otters. They seek out Powell enthusiasts, and will purposely break your fishing line. I am not sure how they see through the muddy water, but they do. Don't say I didn't warn you.

And for weather, outside of the dreaded "w" word, the San Juan is much more prone to wild temperature swings. It will probably snow when you are there. And I mean big snow - like 10 feet at a time. Which leads to water temps. The water temps are ALWAYS low in the San Juan. Like right around freezing. So even if there were fish there, (which we already covered there won't be), the water temps make it much too cold for them to bite. They go into hibernation.

Did we talk about bugs? That is the only place I have been to on Powell that the bugs were atrocious. The south has nothing on the San Juan in regard to bugs. Mosquitos the size of pterodactyls. And they are blood thirsty. I have heard of a single one sucking almost all the blood out of a grown man. And if they don't get you, the ticks will.

Don't forget about the snakes. Rattlers galore. It is like it is their breeding ground. Not the normal desert rattle snakes, but a hybrid cross between green mambas and the Eastern rattle snake. Huge - I have seen some that were 15' in length. They will swim out to a boat, and chase everyone off. And they have fangs - huge ones. Like bigger than a Crocodile Dundee knife big.

Since we are on the subject of crocodiles, they are up there too. The fish that have avoided the brown water, and cold temperatures, are their favorite prey. But they aren't effected by the cold water. In fact, they can swim against the current, and faster than any boat. And they are attracted to boats for some reason. So if the snakes don't get you off the boat, the crocks will.

And that is only the tip of the iceberg. If you still think you should go, I will expand the story to change your mind.

No, my friends, the San Juan is BAD juju. Take it from me, stay away. You don't want any part of that section on the lake.......
 
There is plenty of area to fish in the Juan. All these bad comments are just because they don't wont you to be at the best part of the lake with them.

If every thing goes right we might see you there.
 
Thanks Dungee for starting this thread. It's making it easier for me to get my young boys out there (it's hard to convince me to sleep in a tent instead of my camp trailer). A couple more questions though. 1st, is there any pockets of cell service in there? It is usually good for me to be able check in on my staff and make sure all is well and no major issues have sprung up while I am gone. I usually prefer to contact them once a day, but every few days is okay if I have to. 2nd is dangling rope marina open in April? or just in the summer months? Thier info page says yes, but just wondering if that is consistent info.
 
I don't know about dangling rope. Sorry. But as far as cell service yes there is cell service there. If you can see the big blue mountain to the south (Navajo I think) then you can get 4g cell service. That's with Verizon.
 
Yes if you can see Navajo you can get service. I have Verizon to. The main bays are the best for service. At night we just walk up to the top of the hill we hide behind do to the W.

Last year we stopped by Dangling Rope on the way to the San Juan on April 30th and they we open.
 
Waterman, I'm not sure, just who your referring to as bad comment's, but I'm posting what I think is going to happen this year, in the San Juan up to the Neskahi. And because of low lake level's, I think the early run off, will have it messed up pretty good by the first week in May. So if you think these are all bad comment's, go in May, and find out.
 
I have verizon. Lower middle of cha I can get three bars..need to be in the right place. A few other places as well but that is where I tend to go to check messages, and there is almost always a striper school where the phone service is good there, perhaps Wayne can figure that one out ;) DR does not carry anything other than unleaded so if you are look for higher octane bring some octane boost...you do not want to buy it there.

TR
 
The San Juan is like Wal-Mart. You can pick up a spare tire and rim(mounted and aired up), get an extra propane tank, find a board to fix the boat trailer, get sporting goods(basket balls and soccer balls) and you might even find a WV in the parking lot(bay). But its all FREE.
 
I was thinking about going up in May but now I know I am cause I restore volkswagens and didn't know they were laying around up there. Might not even take my fishing gear to keep the boat light enough to get away from the crocodiles.
 
KYKevin, After reading your earlier post I realized I was mixing up spring and fall conditions last year. I believe that near the end of May last year there was a lot of runoff junk in the water (wood, cooler pieces, kid's balls, and small pieces and clumps of vegetation), more toward the west end of the bay and over the old river channel. Thanks for setting me straight. Didn't see in crocodiles but there were probably some croc shoes in the mess. My recollection, which we now have proven is sometimes faulty, is that fishing was better in April than in May, but either time was worth the trip.
 
I remember being up the san juan one year and our party had to stay up all night cause we thought the eyes we saw in the dark were wolves but that time we were lucky cause when the sun started to come up we discovered they were cows. Be careful up there. I didn't know so many people had close calls till this discussion.
 
Kokanee, I'm not trying to set any one straight, or trying to discourage any one from going to the Sn Juan, but it's a long way to go, to find out the best fishing area, is muddy, with a lot of junk floating all arround. You hit the right piece of junk, it wont matter how much gas you have, Bull frog charge's $1200 to pull you back, probably more now. Just trying to help, people that have never been there. And any place a river come's in, change's big time, from day to day, especially when the lake is over 100 ft down. I go the third week in April, every year, and have been, as long as I can remember, but I will go early this year, and see for myself. That's the good thing about beeing retired.
But this is to Dungee, I was certainly not trying to discourage you from the San Juan, just trying to help. It is an awesome place to go fishing, hope your taking that awesome little fisherman.
 
We are certainly familiar with heavy run off and crazy conditions, heck we even put in at Hite last year... The debri and changing conditions dont bother me, I just want to get an idea of just how dirty it will get or be and where around that time, questions and answers that unfortunately have a lot of variable. I guess my follow up question is if all of Neskahi is unfishable is the rest of the San Juan below it worth the trip? The Escalante is certainly not a horrible plan B.
 
The San Juan sounds like a scary place. Preston to help with your gas question. I have about the same set as you. 17.5' boat with the Mercury 115hp 4-stroke. My boat is fiberglass, but it is only my wife, 3yr old son and me, plus gear in the boat. Last fall I left Bullfrog and cruised to Red Canyon will call it 35 miles, running about 55oo RPM's, which is about 40Mph. When I got to the campsite, fuel gauge was just above 3/4 tank, 28 gal tank. I poured a five gallons of gas into the boat to see if it would fill it back up. No gas came out the breather tube, but the gauge did read full again. Don't know how much more gas I would have to pour into the tank to get it to spill out the breather tube. Say it was another gallon, 6 in total. That means I get about 5.8 miles per gallon cruising at 55oo RPM's. For one way to SJ, I would need about 11 gallons to be safe. Hope this helps you out.
 
Dungee, it's like the wind, you dont really know until you go. And there are so many place's in the San Juan, that I have allway's wanted to try, and did'nt, because it was so good further up, you will see what I am talking about, once you go. And for sure, you should go, like you said, the Escalante, is on your way back. It is 60 mile's to Neskahi, gps, and if it's not blowing hard, it's a great trip.

I am familar with run off allso, but this is the first time, I can ever remember so many green day's on the water board, in March and April, way early.
 
TYme2Fish said:
I don't know about dangling rope. Sorry. But as far as cell service yes there is cell service there. If you can see the big blue mountain to the south (Navajo I think) then you can get 4g cell service. That's with Verizon.
Click to expand...
I agree on the cell phone service as long as Navajo Mountain is visible.
 
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