Begining at the confluence of the North Fork of the Gunnison there are two sections. The North Fork to Smith Fork which goes up into the NCA, and the lower section, the confluence down to Austin.
December 16, 2024
The Gorge - Flows have been flucuating around 400-450 cfs. This is a great walk-wading flow, fishing a nymph rig in the slower water and alongside the runs has been extremely succesful. Nymphing has been the most productive way to fish. Fishing the soft riffles with worms, eggs, and leechs has produced some really nice fish. Baetis and midges deep have been the main source of food. Come by the shop and load up on all your fishing needs and check out our wide selection of flies!
Pleasure Park up the Gorge - Same as above. Focus your efforts on the deeper water using a nymph rig with smaller caddis, mayfly, and midge nymphs. Using a perdigon as your weight and as an attractor has beeen finding fish consistently. Leading your rig with a egg or worm has also beeen finding fish.
Pleasure Park Down Lower Gunnison - Same fishing conditions as above. Keep your eye on the flows on the North Fork before heading out to fish this stretch. Nymphing the deeper runs and riffles have been producing solid fish. Fishing midge and baetis jig nymphs have been the most productive bugs for us. Streamers are a solid choice especially on warmer overcast days. Look for fish to begin keying in on adult midges in the afterenoons. These fish are very selective and spooky, make sure to get a nice presentation and good down stream drift.
Rubberlegs #8-10, Sparkle Emerger #14-18, San Juan Worms #10, Perdigons #14-16, Frenchies #14-18, Peanut Envy, Sex Dungeon, and Mini Sex Dungeon, Raninbow Baby Gonga, Swim Coach
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The genesis of the famed Gunnison River is in Almont where the East and Taylor Rivers merge. Lazily snaking through cottonwood-lined ranchland for 20 miles, the upper "Gunny" is dammed to form Blue Mesa Reservoir, the Centennial State's largest body of water. After being dammed two more times forming Morrow Point and Crystal Reservoirs, the lower Gunnison River escapes Crystal Dam and carves through one of the most breathtaking and wild chasms on earth, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and its more mellow downstream neighbor the Gunnison Gorge, before slogging toward a rendezvous with the Colorado River in Grand Junction.
The Gunny is a big fish river in the truest sense of the words, as the entire upper Gunnison and the lower Gunnison downstream to the Smith Fork meets Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s criteria for Gold Medal status. 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. 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 float trip. Ample public access, robust aquatic insect hatches, excellent numbers of trout, and big fish potential all make the Gunnison one of the Centennial State’s best fisheries and a must-visit destination for your fly fishing trip to western Colorado.
