According to Chris Santella’s book 50 places to fish before you die it is considered one of the best fishing trips in Colorado. Fish are eating hoppers on top and smaller bugs subsurface. Known for its large wild rainbows and brown trout, the resource stands above most fisheries in the United States. The Gunny, as it is known locally, has a reputation among Colorado natives as the scene of some of the best river and lake fishing to be found anywhere in the state. Our guides are experienced and professional and will offer the best the Gunnison River fly fishing experience available. Most famous for the Salmon Fly hatch in May/June. Custom float fishing trips on the Gunnison River Gorge are fully guided for both Fly and Spin rods. Midges hatch throughout the year in the Gunnison, but are generally used only when there are no other insects hatching. 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. Established in 1985, Black Canyon Anglers is the largest and most experienced fly fishing outfitter on the Gunnison River. I was fortunate enough, the first week of June to head up to Black Canyon Anglers in Austin, Colorado for a much needed trout trip on the Gunnison River. Current fly fishing conditions are not so good today. 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. 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. Each section of the river has its own unique characteristics with the upper section being impacted more by the spring runoff season. The river has many long runs and deep pools, and aquatic insects are to be found just about everywhere. Gunnison River Expeditions specializes in wade and float fishing trips in this gold medal trout fishery. You can stay in the city of Grand Junction or in towns closer to the actual river and fishing such as Hotchkiss, Crawford, Sapinero and Gunnison. If you’re planning a fly fishing expedition you could hardly pick a better location than the Gunnison River in Southwestern Colorado. When choosing a fishing guide service you want guides that are personable, knowledgeable, and … 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 areaEast RiverTaylor RiverCochetopa CreekLake Fork of the GunnGunnison River- upperGunnison River- lowerPinos Creek As they move out of the lake into the river it’s a great time to catch large trout. The Gunnison River is seventy-eight miles long including the lakes it flows through. USGS real-time river flow information for Gunnison County Gunnison River Guides is a talented team of experienced fly fishing guides. See the Colorado Parks & Wildlife fishing brochure for special regulations that apply to the Gunnison River. Gunnison River Guides is a talented team of experienced fly fishing guides. There are numerous cabins, motels and campgrounds in the area to stay in. Premier fishing and rafting trips through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison Gorge. The Gunnison River’s malachite green waters have been awarded “Gold Medal” status for rainbow and brown trout fishing. GUNNISON GORGE: This is a magical and beautiful place to fish, especially float fishing! __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. River is fishing great. Gunnison River Fly Shop is located in the heart of the legendary Gunnison River Valley of Colorado. A custom driftboat or fully rigged raft will be your ticket to beautiful scenery, wildlife, and miles of Rocky Mountain trout water. For larger nymphs and streamers a 9-foot 6-wt with a sink tip fly line makes life easier. Dry fly fishing and the major hatches are in full force in summer. There is approximately 20 miles of floatable water. The.4 miles of the Catch & Release, C & R, aka Hog Trough is the most famous and pressured. Fly fishing in the Gunnison River is world renowned among fly fishing enthusiasts. A tapered 9-foot leader, with tippet size 3X to 6X to match the flies you are throwing, is pretty standard. Float Fishing Float fishing takes place on the Gunnison River between the town of Almont, CO and Blue Mesa reservoir, and it is a wonderful way to enjoy a day on the water. Visit our DIY Guide to the Best Fly Fishing in Colorado. Walk/wade fishing, rentals, shuttles, fly shop. The upper reaches of most rivers including the Gunny can begin to hold brook trout and/or cutthroat when the elevation gets high enough to keep cool water temps. Our valley offers both great river and stream fishing and lake fishing. The Gunnison River Basin is popular for recreational activities such as fishing, rafting, boating, camping, hiking, and rock climbing. Lower Gunnison River, Colorado Fly Fishing Reports & Conditions Reported by Gunnison River Expeditions. If you need fishing tackle, or are looking for a fishing guide or fishing charter please visit Tackle, Guides, Charters Dragonfly Anglers' guides are experienced oarsman. A two-nighter on the river turned out to be absolutely spectacular! The Gunnison is an exciting river, a photographer’s heaven, a hiker’s delight, and a fisherman’s dream. Float Trips Gunnison River Float Trips From put-in to take-out, float trips are a high action adventure. Fishing The Gunnison Valley is home to Colorado’s state-record brown, rainbow, kokanee salmon and lake trout and offers the best fishing in the state. Whether it’s a new stretch of tailwater or a roaring torrent of fish and bugs, there’s nothing quite as gratifying as hooking up on an unfamiliar lip … We are very proud of every guide on our team. A 9-foot 5-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and small nymphs on the Gunnison River. In the waters of the Gunnison River you’ll find record size brown and rainbow trout and even Kokanee salmon. Downstream of the Black Canyon, just south of the confluence of the river, is Gunnison Gorge. We specialize in wilderness float fishing, walk-and-wade fly fishing and classic whitewater rafting adventures. Midge larva and emerger patterns in various colors, sizes 20 to 24, can be fished through winter. This trip is 1 day to multi days. This is a great section of river if you want to get away from the crowds of the East Portal or lower sections around Pleasure Park. In winter, fishing the Gunnison is tough and for only the heartiest of fisherman. If you’re flying in to Denver the confluence of the river is located approximately 243 miles southwest via I-70 W. If you fly in to Salt Lake City, Utah you’ll have to drive 284 miles south, southeast via US-6 E and I-70 E to the city of Grand Junction Colorado. Copyright 2021 DIY Fly Fishing, all rights reserved. Sorry for the delay in this post, but things have been hectic here in Dallas, including the temperatures! When choosing a fishing guide service you want guides that are personable, knowledgeable, and experienced. Jet boat and lower Gunnison Gorge trips. It's one of the most diversified trout streams in the state of Colorado. The upper section of the river in Gunnison Valley is know for some of the finest fishing in the state. To find Gunnison River enter the 39.061649 latitude, and -108.57843 longitude coordinates into your GPS device or smart phone. This is who we are! It's formed by two major streams, the Taylor River and the East River, both of which are fine trout streams themselves. Black Canyon Anglers offers the only fishing lodge on the Gunnison River and we are located on a working farm. John spoke at the Orvis Plano last night, he’ll be at the new Fort Worth Orvis today 530-7, and at the Dallas Orvis tomorrow from 3-5. The resort features some cabins dating back to the 1800’s as well as brand new cabins with all the amenities of home. The river is in mid-Spring form, with most of the ice off and rainbows getting frisky for the spawn. Gunnison River Guides specialize in creating the best guided fishing experience possible. Fly fishing the Gunnison River is a truly Doing some "research" for the 2nd edition of "Fly Fishing the Gunnison Country" and let's just say the Upper Gunnison River is fishing lights out right now! It is a Catch & Release fishery with a fish count of over 7000 Rainbow and Brown trout per mile and 1000 of which are 14-35 inches. Gunnison Gorge Float Fishing (Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area) is an experience you will never forget; that will keep you coming back again and again. We are located just a short walk from the confluence of the Taylor and East Rivers which form the Gunnison River. The Gunnison basin has many angling options: fishing small, isolated creeks for native cutthroat and brook trout; sight-nymphing for 5- to 10-pound trout on the Taylor River; float fishing near the town of Gunnison; wade fishing the many accesses along the Lake Fork; or trekking into the Black Canyon or Gunnison Gorge. In the summer, you can rent a boat, bring your own or simply enjoy the … We value all of our friendships made with returning customers and welcome the new ones to come in the future. Doug. We are all experienced fly fishermen that have a passion for teaching fly fishing and spin fishing. Tailwater fishing opportunities include nymphing with small mayfly patterns and midges. Long riffles spill into deep pools with … The Gunnison River Guides team is dedicated to helping you make the most of your day on the water. Here below the headwaters, the river grows in size as it rolls down through the ranch on its way to Blue Mesa Reservoir. A major tributary of the Colorado River, the Gunnison is almost 80 miles in length. There is a little over 10 more miles of public water with great fishing, mostly in the lower and middle stretch. Gunnison River Fishing Tips A 9-foot 5-wt fly rod with floating line is perfect for fishing dry flies and small nymphs on the Gunnison River. Our experienced staff of fellow fly fishermen will hook you up with the hot flies, point you in the right direction, or arrange for all of your guided fly fishing needs. We’ve recently had the pleasure of helping friend John Way set up a round of presentations here in the DFW metro this year, talking all things Montana and introducing people to his fine shop in Ennis – The Tackle Shop (link to his blog by the way). 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. Fly Fishing the Gunnison Gorge by The Shire Life. The upper section of the river is largest above the Blue Mesa Reservoir which is a renowned kokanee salmon fishery. We specialize in wilderness float fishing, walk/wade trips and Class III-IV white water rafting experiences. The river is technically open to fishing in the winter, but the frozen sections of the trail along the Gunnison and snowy conditions make navigating the terrain exceptionally difficult. The first big hatch of salmonfly occurs from mid June until the first of July which leads to much better overall fishing. Gunnison River: Lower, Colorado fishing report, rainbow trout fly fishing forecast, fishing season updates, fly shop and fishing guides, and fly-fishing weather. Wild brown trout and a mix of wild and stocked rainbow trout, along with a few cutbows (mainly in the upper river), inhabit the Gunnison River. Colorado’s largest body of water—Blue Mesa Reservoir—is just ten minutes west of Gunnison. Good mayfly nymphs and emergers include Barr’s BWO Emergers, RS2s, and JuJu Baetis in sizes 18 to 22. Check out our interactive map of over 30,000 of the best places to fly fish in the US. Some of the record catches in the valley include a 26 inch brook trout, a 33.5 inch cutbow, a 31 inch cutthroat trout, a 46.9 inch mackinaw, a 40.5 inch rainbow trout and a 28 inch tiger trout. 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. The Gunnison River Gorge is the marquee fly float in the state of Colorado, and one of the top four in the western U.S. For larger nymphs and streamers a 9-foot 6-wt with a sink tip fly line makes life easier. We are all experienced fly fishermen that have a passion for teaching fly fishing and spin fishing. A few to check out are listed below. Gold Medal fisheries are 60 pounds of fish per acre and the Gunnison River has over 400 pounds per acre! We are the "go to"  fishing guide service for Crested Butte, Gunnison, and Almont, Colorado. The river’s narrow corridor creates intermediate whitewater rapids, class II-III rapids, through the 2800 foot high walls of Gorge and continue for 14 miles of the Gunnison River Gorge. Fed by high mountain runoff, the lake is clear and pristine. There are a number of area fly shops and on-line retailers that publish Gunnison River fishing reports. You will need to really dig deep and work hard to catch some fish. 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. 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. Gunnison River Expeditions in Colorado was established in 1985 and is recognized as the largest, most experienced Gunnison River fly fishing outfitter. While there are ample opportunities for a walk and wading angler throughout the entire length of the Gunnison, both the upper Gunnison and the Gunnison Gorge are tremendous float-fishing destinations with the Gunny Gorge easily rating as Colorado’s marquee fly … [7] Contamination of the Gunnison River with selenium and mercury results from irrigation of high-selenium soils derived from the Mancos Shale and from mineral mining . Trampe’s – Gunnison River: The Trampe ranch on the Gunnison River is just a few miles south of our fly shop. The Gunnison river holds all kinds of trout within it’s forks, but most of the fish caught will be rainbows and browns. 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. At our shop, you'll find the best fly selecton in the valley. You want a guide that truly cares about your experience on the water. A tapered 9-foot leader, with tippet size 3X to 6X to match the flies you are throwing, is pretty standard. 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. Looking for more places to fish? Here you’ll find brook trout, cutbow, cutthroat trout, mackinaw, rainbow trout and tiger trout. The river drains a huge part of the state of Colorado. Three Rivers Resort is located in the historic mountain town of Almont, Colorado on the Taylor River. Its confluence, formed by the Taylor River and East River, are well known themselves as excellent trout streams. Blue-winged Olives are plentiful beginning in April until mid May, and again from July to October. Get directions to access points, boat ramps, and real-time USGS stream flow data. Best Flies to Fish: The Gunnison River There’s no task more daunting in a fisherman’s life than fishing a new river. Nymphs, midge larva and caddisfly larva imitations will fish okay from late March until the runoff that occurs in May. This renowned, year-round fly fishing destination is home to large brown and rainbow trout, and is considered one of the finest fisheries in the continental United States. We are very proud of every guide on our team. We are the "go to" fishing guide service for Crested Butte, Gunnison, and Almont, Colorado. To maximize the fly-fishing experience and to allow our guides to interact with their clients, trips are conducted with two anglers per boat. Runoff season is also pretty much a no go, as sediment and mud make the water too murky for decent fly fishing conditions. Doug Dillingham Author of "Fly Fishing the Gunnison Country" Fly-Fishing in Crested Butte and the Gunnison Valley, Colorado.With two million acres of public land situated around the headwaters of one of Colorado’s largest river drainages, it’s no surprise that Crested Butte, Gunnison, Almont and all Gunnison Valley towns have some of the best fishing in the state. 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. Only a 2 star day. The upper section of the river has been designated as both wild trout water and gold medal water. RIGS Guide Service out of Ridgway runs the best floats of all the companies that currently are licensed in the gorge. The Gold Metal Water section of the Gunnison River extends from 200 yards downstreamof Crystal Reservoir dam to the North Fork of the Gunnison. River, Colorado 'll find the best places to fly fish in the historic mountain town of Almont Colorado... 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