The Gunnison River

The Gunnison River is formed at the confluence of the East River and the Taylor River in Almont Co. It flows south for just over ten miles before crossing under Hwy 50 at the town of Gunnison. The river then heads west and follows hwy 50 west of town where it flows into Blue Mesa Reservoir. The river is a major tributary of the Colorado River.

The Gunnison has trout in it form it’s confluence downstream through the Black canyon national park and Gunnison gorge national recreation area down to Austin Colorado where the river warms up to make trout fishing unproductive. The river has rainbow and brown trout along with some cutthroat and also boasts a large kokanee salmon run that occurs in September and October.

This run is a hoot to fish as some very large trout also make their way up the river from the reservoir (which happens to be the largest lake in Colorado). There are lots of places to fish and miles of public water for the wading or floating angler to enjoy.

05/21/23

BLOWN OUT!! WELL, AT AT LEAST THE GUNNISON IS RIGHT NOW. THE SHERIFF HAS ALSO POSTED A CLOSURE/WARNING FOR THE STRETCH BETWEEN ALMONT RESORT AND GARLIC MIKE’S RESTAURANT LOCATED AT NORTH BRIDGE. ANYTHING OVER 2000CFS AND YOU RISK LOSING YOUR HEAD ON A COUPLE OF BRIDGES. THERE ARE ALSO REPORTS OF LARGE TREES FLOATING DOWN THE GUNNY, THAT’S NO BUENO! SO, NOW WHAT? THE GUNNISON RIVER VALLEY HAS SEVERAL OPTIONS TO KEEP A LINE WET DURING RUN-OFF. THE TAYLOR IS UP DUE TO INCREASED FLOWS SO THE RESERVOIR DOESN’T OVERFLOW, HOWEVER, IT IS STILL FISHING VERY WELL! EVERYTHING FROM EGG…

Taylor Reservoir releases

FYIReleases from Taylor Park Reservoir will be increased tomorrow and Saturday 04 Releases will be increased to 160 cfs tomorrow, over the course of 2 adjustments during the day. Releases will be increased to 200 cfs Saturday morning. The 200 cfs release rate will continue until further notice. Keep an eye on flows by clicking on a river link, here on our web page.

10/16/22

What a beautiful fall it’s been!! There’s nothing prettier then standing in the middle of a river, surrounded by beautiful red and golden trees, such an amazing time to be on the Gunnison and surrounding rivers and creeks in the Gunnison valley. The browns will be spawning and the traffic has subsided, leaving you the solitude we all love. The salmon run is not as good as we have seen in past years, but the Almont hole still has folks finding those hard fighters. Lake levels and gill lice are making life rough for these fish, hopefully enough of them…

08/23/22

THE SALMON ARE COMING, THE SALMON ARE COMING!! As fall starts stalking us (it was 45 degrees when I got up this morning) the first signs of salmon are in the Gunnison and it won’t be long before the brown’s start to spawn. Hopper droppers with rainbow warriors or flashy purple perdigons have been the ticket on the lower Gunnison, two-bit hookers in red are more productive near Almont. Red San Juan worms will work for the Kokanee, make sure you get them all the way to the bottom as that’s where they will be hanging out. Swing by for…

Fishing is hot!

Drakes and Caddis are running amuck, pale morning duns and red quills trying to steal the stage and the fish are tearing them all up!! The green drakes, which precede the greys are up to the Taylor as are the caddis, PMD’s and red quills are showing up with the warmer weather and the Pescados are loving it! Hoppers are also present and hopper/dropper season has officially begun! The Gunnison is fishing well with size 10-12 hopper imitations with dark perdigons in black or PT underneath, olive is a good option as well. Speaking of hot, there is a voluntary…

06/04/22 Fishing report

Rivers are slightly up but fishing has been great! Taylor: Rising from Taylor damn scheduled releases. I was on it yesterday, it was fast and clear, but the fish were easy to find holding on the edges and pocket water. Bouncing anything heavy with pheasant tail did the trick. BWO’s came off as it clouded up but no real surface action. Gunnison: Still high but some clarity. Our clients landed fish yesterday on black streamers and big stoneflies. Cochetopa, Spring Creek and the Tomichi: Running great and clear! Pretty much any attractor on top, Adams, Amy’s ant’s…… with a small…

05/17/22

The Gunnison is currently cranking at 2200cfs through town and fishing is restricted “safely anyway” to the edges. We’ve had good success sinking large Rubber Legs and stone flies, along with SJ worms. I like big jigged stones with a tungsten bead as they sink like a rock. If you are floating then break out the double Pat’s rigs and streamers and pound those banks! Floating the east during high water is also a favorite, it is currently running 1420cfs at Almont. Same fare as the Gunny, big stones and streamers. Stay river right and avoid low bridges. The Taylor…

05/03/22

Things are looking up, well, coming up. Currently the Gunnison in town is running between 867 at the whitewater park and 882 just west of there at county road 32. Fish can still be found though. Dredge the bottom with streamers and bigger bugs. Large black or darker colored stoneflies along with egg and worm patterns bounced on the bottom along the edges and in pocket water will produce fish. If you are floating, slap those big ugly streamers along the banks and pocket water as well, the fish are going to doing their best to stay out of the…

04/11/2022

Welcome to spring in the valley!! Folks have been hitting the rivers as the shelf ice is no longer a factor on our major rivers and the fish are hungry!! Guide Gibby spent some time on the lower section of the upper Gunny and had good luck with several different patterns, including a grey soft hackle behind a SJ worm and a peacock thin mint. On the Cochetopa he caught fish on red SJ worms and purple perdigons. The browns were also actively chasing Galloups Dungeons in olive. The Coch was “Like chocolate milk with a surface temp of 40”!…

11/11/21

11/11/21: Happy Veterans Day!!! The warmer weather has made for comfortable fishing and the fishing is good!! Guide “Gibby” is having good luck using red or olive Zebra midges, 2-bit hookers and Thin Mint streamers in olive, natural, peacock, orange or black. Enjoy the warm weather and the great fishing! “Tight lines, wade safe and leave no trace”