; Fishing prohibited within 100 ft. of either side of all inlet streams; Fishing prohibited within 100 ft. of either side of the outlet and downstream to the first falls; No limit on brook trout. A 9-foot 5-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and small nymphs on the Gunnison River. Where to Fish: Gunnison Region Move your mouse over the map to find fishing areas in the Gunnison area, or select from list Select a fishing area East River Taylor River Cochetopa Creek Lake Fork of the Gunn Gunnison River- upper Gunnison River- lower Pinos Creek Suited to Fishing - the Taylor River by Karen Christopherson. Fly fishing in the Gunnison River is world renowned among fly fishing enthusiasts. Fishing Conditions Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby: Gunnison River Expeditions: RIGS Adventure Co: … COVID-19 regulations apply Fishing Report Last Updated: 12 / 28 / 2020 Choose A Different River Here. Now you'll know where catches are being recorded in the general area, and you can plan your day on the water. Gunnison River Guides is a talented team of experienced fly fishing guides. Check in at the fly shop any time during the day or evening to get the latest reports on hatches and river conditions. Lake Fork also tends to stay pretty quiet throughout the season due to the technical difficulty of fishing the richer stretches of its waters. The lower section lies below the reservoir in the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park where trophy rainbow trout measuring over 20 inches can be found. The Gunnnison and its tributaries run through a basin between the Collegiate Range and the rugged San Juan Mountains. Watch for private property as you go, and always ask permission from property owners if you happen on private land or a posted sign in your travels. Gunnison River. If you're near Gunnison, and looking for a mountain river to flyfish in, look no further than the Taylor River. Several large rivers and many smaller creeks provide a variety of fishing opportunities on our forest. Gold Medal fisheries are 60 pounds of fish per acre and the Gunnison River has over 400 pounds per acre! Current fly fishing reports and conditions for Gunnison River, Central CO Rockies in Colorado! The section of the Gunnison River from Pleasure Park upriver about 4 miles to the confluence with the Smith Fork can really light up during the early season. Here you’ll find brook trout, cutbow, cutthroat trout, mackinaw, rainbow trout and tiger trout. We are a short walk to the Taylor River and also the headwaters of the Gunnison River. From 200 yards downstream of Crystal Reservoir Dam to the confluence with the North Fork of the Gunnison road access is minimal. Move your mouse over the map to find fishing areas in the Gunnison area, or select from list . Recommended fly patterns for Lake Fork include:- Micro Egg (pink/org #18)- RS2 (grey #20)- TH Zebra Midge (black #20)- TH Zebra Midge (cream #20)- Tunghead Soft Hackle Pheasant Tail (PT #16)- Tunghead Hare's Ear Flashback (HE #16)- Globug Egg (orange #16)- San Juan Worm (brown #14)- Parachute Adams (gray #18)- Two Bit Hooker (red #14). Similarly, there are many RV parks, regular hotels and motels, and even a lakeside resort nearby that offer varying levels of luxury and comfort depending on your budget. Enjoy! A lot of anglers find some of the best fishing near Cherry Creek or downriver over Argenta Falls. Lake Fork Gunnison River Fishing Regulations If you do decide Lake Fork is the right spot for you, some special regulations govern different stretches of the river. Blue-winged Olives are plentiful beginning in April until mid May, and again from July to October. Tweet. As they move out of the lake into the river it’s a great time to catch large trout. A valid Colorado fishing license is required for people 16 and older. Gunnison River - below Blue Mesa Reservoir Gold Medal water. Gold Medal fisheries are 60 pounds of fish per acre and the Gunnison River has over 400 pounds per acre! There are also many campgrounds, RV parks, and cabins you can rent nearby that make fishing the Lake Fork near Blue Mesa Reservoir more of a vacation and less of a wilderness hiking and fishing excursion. Only a 2 star day. Best of all, if you aren't finding any luck on Lake Fork (which is unlikely but possible), there are numerous other places along the Gunnison River that are every bit as promising if you don't mind a bit of a hike or a short drive. The state’s second largest river has a wide variation of widths that range from 100 to 1,000 feet, and the strong current and rapids found upstream make travel virtually impossible. The mayfly hatch in the springtime is your best bet for early prime season fishing, and caddis flies are the best summer hatch by far. View the DIY Fly Fishing Web Map to get turn-by-turn directions to the access points shown on the map above. Kokanee salmon begin their run upriver from Blue Mesa Reservoir to spawn in August through October, which is also the time when the big browns in the reservoir spawn. The waters here are so rich with trout at Lake Fork that the CDOW has stated that it has more than double the number of 14-inch and larger trout to qualify as a Gold Medal fishery. Join us as we discuss the Colorado Fishing License options, fishing rules and fishing regulations. The Colorado Division of Wildlife has stocked more than 24,000 fingerling and catchable trout in the Lake Fork in the last few years. See the Colorado Parks & Wildlife fishing brochure for special regulations that apply to the Gunnison River. … We are the "go to" fishing guide service for Crested Butte, Gunnison, and Almont, Colorado. The Gunnison River offers several public access points (see map above) for wading, though fishing from drift boats when the waters are high is preferable. Gunnison Fishing Lakes and Rivers : *: *: *: * : *: *:: * Thickbox test:::: Add Your Listing! Downstream of the Black Canyon, just south of the confluence of the river, is Gunnison Gorge. Join us as we discuss the Colorado Fishing License options, fishing rules and fishing regulations. It's also worth looking into local vacation rentals, as these can yield unexpected bargains regardless of the season as well. An advantage to visiting the section of Lake Fork here is that it provides easy access from many of the local resort's lakeside. Accessible only by foot, a 1 mile hike into Gorge and the day before your trip DVK will horse pack of boats and gear into the Gorge. Both types of fishing follow their own annual cycles and patterns. Colorado’s largest body of water—Blue Mesa Reservoir—is just ten minutes west of Gunnison. Gunnison River Guides is a talented team of experienced fly fishing guides. If you do decide Lake Fork is the right spot for you, some special regulations govern different stretches of the river. The .4 miles of the Catch & Release, C & R, aka Hog Trough is the most famous and pressured. Below the Reservoir is the Dolores River Canyon, averaging 1,110 feet in depth for over 40 miles with a northward flow. Winter fishing can be a bit treacherous along certain stretches, but the year-round supply of midges keeps the fish biting. Here, within the steep-walls of the gorge, the river offers one of the top fly fishing destinations to be found anywhere in the lower 48 states. Photo: Adam Sharron. Looking for more places to fish? As fishermen, we know there are times when our favorite spots are just not active so we built our Hot Spots feature to show you where the fish are biting in the area of Gunnison River. Other flies used for fishing the river include: caddisflies, Western March Browns, Pale Morning Duns, Green Drakes, Red Quills, Stoneflies, Yellow Sallies, Great Gray Spotted Wing Sedges, and Streamers. Colorado Springs Central Colorado. River and Stream Fishing Several large rivers and many smaller creeks provide a variety of fishing opportunities on our forest. The Gunnison Gorge is a wilderness canyon for those who are willing to literally go the extra mile. Ranger Districts. __CONFIG_colors_palette__{"active_palette":0,"config":{"colors":{"62516":{"name":"Main Accent","parent":-1}},"gradients":[]},"palettes":[{"name":"Default Palette","value":{"colors":{"62516":{"val":"var(--tcb-skin-color-0)"}},"gradients":[]}}]}__CONFIG_colors_palette__, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Gunnison River in Colorado, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing Cochetopa Creek in Colorado, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Florida River in Colorado, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Crystal River in Colorado, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing South Boulder Creek in Colorado, DIY Guide to Fly Fishing the Elk River in Colorado, Colorado Parks & Wildlife fishing brochure. In winter, fishing the Gunnison is tough and for only the heartiest of fisherman. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. Book a guided fishing trip with our guide service, Willowfly Anglers, or … Our valley offers both great river and stream fishing and lake fishing. We are very proud of every guide on our team. There is a little over 10 more miles of public water with great fishing, mostly in the lower and middle stretch. Click here to add your listing to Go-Colorado.com:: ... fly-fishing, scenery and river festivals. ... Gunnison River Fishing Tip: The Kokanee Salmon fry release sparks a lot of activity from other species, making streamers extremely effective at the right times. This video shows some footage of a great day fly fishing for trout on the Gunnison River. Get the latest up to date fly fishing report for Trout fishing in Gunnison River with the top producing flies and recommended equipment to get you into fish. There are 21 miles of the Taylor River between the Reservoir and our shop where the Taylor joins the East river to form the Gunnison River. The Gunnison, Taylor, Uncompahgre, and San Miguel Rivers, and their many tributaries are just a few of the water ways that host rainbows, browns, cutthroats and brookies. Taylor River. Colorado has established fishing regulations, which are noted in each river section below: For larger nymphs and streamers a 9-foot 6-wt with a sink tip fly line makes life easier. Current fly fishing conditions are not so good today. Gunnison River Expeditions specializes in wade and float/camp fishing trips in this gold medal trout fishery. Known for its large wild rainbows and brown trout, the resource stands above most fisheries in the United States. While there, you’re likely to see herds of mule deer and North American elk in the surrounding forest, and the sights of walls of ebony schist towering at more than 2,000 feet tall in the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park is a sight that can only be described as majestic. Anglers in search of trophy rainbows, cutthroats, and browns in large numbers will not be disappointed should they decide to visit the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. The secret behind the Taylor’s success is the reservoir upstream which controls flows all year long and the consistent gradient of the river downstream. Midge larva and emerger patterns in various colors, sizes 20 to 24, can be fished through winter. It's formed by two major streams, the Taylor River and the East River, both of which are fine trout streams themselves. Fly Fishing Information for Gunnison River & Tributaries in Colorado by Pat Dorsey. Custom float fishing trips on the Gunnison River Gorge are fully guided for both Fly and Spin rods. As for what rod to bring, a 9-foot, 5-wt is pretty standard. Per BLM regulations, Gunnison River Expeditions is allowed a maximum of 12 people per day on single launch dates and 24 people per day on double launch dates. North Fork Gunnison River is a stream located just 6.4 miles from Hotchkiss, in Delta County, in the state of Colorado, United States, near Rogers Mesa, CO. Fishermen will find a variety of fish including brook trout and others here. The Gunnison River gets its start in Almont at the confluence of two other decent flyfishing rivers, the East and the Taylor. But doing so will reward you with the opportunity to fish Gold Medal designated waters in one of the most captivating and surreal landscapes in the world. GUNNISON RIVER FISHING TRIPS THE GOLD MEDAL WATERS OF THE FAMOUS “GUNNY GORGE” below the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Most sections of the Gunnison River are excellent for wade and float fishing (Class I and II at most flows). Gunnison River is a stream located just 1.5 miles from Grand Junction, in Mesa County, in the state of Colorado, United States. A trip to the canyon floor requires a hike of one mile down a steep trail. Copyright 2021 DIY Fly Fishing, all rights reserved. Cochetopa and Los Pinos Creeks. Gunnison River above the town of Gunnison (The minimum Gold Medal standard is 60 pounds and 12 trout over fourteen inches in length per acre). Good mayfly nymphs and emergers include Barr’s BWO Emergers, RS2s, and JuJu Baetis in sizes 18 to 22. See the Colorado Parks & Wildlife fishing brochure for special regulations that apply to the Gunnison River. Get the latest up to date fly fishing report for Trout fishing in Gunnison River with the top producing flies and recommended equipment to get you into fish. A major tributary of the Colorado River, the Gunnison is almost 80 miles in length. Request a few more Visitor Guides, or complete the form below to receive your guides by mail. Check to see what their "offseason" time of year is, and book accordingly. You will need to really dig deep and work hard to catch some fish. Download the best map ever created of the Gunnison River located in central Colorado. Right after the runoff in the spring until early fall provides excellent fishing opportunities all along the Lake Fork. Description: Download the best map ever created of the Gunnison River located in central Colorado. The Gunnison - from Almont to Blue Mesa by Karen Christopherson. Copyright 2021 DIY Fly Fishing, all rights reserved. Current fly fishing reports and conditions for Gunnison River, Central CO Rockies in Colorado! There are a number of area fly shops and on-line retailers that publish Gunnison River fishing reports. Check out our interactive map of over 30,000 of the best places to fly fish in the US. Good technique and local knowledge may be your ticket to catching trout. Flights into Denver can be connected to the Gunnison/Crested Butte Regional Airport in Gunnison, so getting to Lake Fork generally isn't all that difficult or expensive. Top Gunnison Fishing Charters & Tours: See reviews and photos of fishing charters & tours in Gunnison, Colorado on Tripadvisor. The Gunnison River is located in western Colorado and it is one of the largest tributaries of the Colorado river.The 180 mile (289 km) long river flows east to west and has a drainage area of 7,923 square miles (20,520 km 2) according to the USGS. 2021 Stonefly Hatch Dates are Booking NOW! You can fly directly to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport where you’ll be able to access the river’s upper section at the town of Gunnison just two miles away. Request this Free Visitor GuideRequested! In the summer, you can rent a boat, bring your own or simply enjoy the gentle lapping of … 'Be patient and calm - for no one can catch fish in anger.' Fly Fishing On The Gunnison River In Colorado The Gunnison River is seventy-eight miles long including the lakes it flows through. Rocky Mountain National Park At the edge of Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Lake is the deepest natural lake in Colorado, dipping to 265 feet. Rocky Mountain Region. Fed by high mountain runoff, the lake is clear and pristine. It's a perfect fit between good mountain fishing and a Colorado experience. The major fishing areas are the feeder streams, the river above the Town of Dolores, and the stretch below McPhee Reservoir. RULES AND REGULATIONS. A few to check out are listed below. A great three day float, camp trip down the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, Colorado, fishing salmon flies. NO BAIT. The Taylor starts up in the high country, traveling south past several 14'ers. Midges hatch throughout the year in the Gunnison, but are generally used only when there are no other insects hatching. So you're interested in fishing Gunnison River. 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