Fisherman's access to the Cable Hole area is primarily through the parking area on the south side of the river just downstream from the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) office. This Navajo Lake State Park parking area is on the north side of Highway 511 and provides parking and a pay station, but no rest rooms or water. A trail to the river goes down several a steep embankment about 60 feet to river level. This is done through several switchbacks and then the trail goes north and east to the river covering a little under 1/4 mile. This is a "swampy" area so be prepared to wade through slack water and "tunnel" through foliage on several of the well worn main footpaths in the area. Near the river a trail goes downstream paralleling the Upper Flats area providing access to ESPN Hole, the Upper Flats and the Beaver Flats area.  

The north side of the river is best reached by crossing from the south side of the river. Crossing the river in this area should only be done by strong waders in shallow areas when the flow is low (600 cfs or less). The trail on the North side of the river in much of this area is difficult as steep cliffs close to the riverbank are common.  

There are a number of water types in this area including fast runs, smooth glides, deep pools, riffles and tailouts. This is the coldest water on the Quality Water section and supports a large but less diverse insect population than areas downstream. The cold water supports large populations of Midges, some Scuds, some Mayflies and various Aquatic Worms. Over the years this has been primarily a Rainbow fishery, but in recent years increasing numbers of Browns are showing up in addition to the Rainbows, especially late in the year.  

Once you get to the river near Cable Hole you can move upstream to fish the Quality Water below the dam (fishing area begins near the bottom of Andy's Island), fish the Cable Hole area, or move downstream and fish the various parts of the Upper Flats. This area ends at the top of Beaver Flats on the upper end of the Braids.