The Montrose town run of the Uncompahgre is a very fun and productive section of river. This stretch of river holds nice healthy Browns and Rainbows.
February 14, 2025
Clarity has been up and down with this past warm streak. We expect it return to being gin clear as temps drop back below freezing. No need to hit the water early in the morning as this stretch has been fishing the best from 11-3PM. Nymphing has proven to be the most productive either under an indicator or tightline. Focus your time on the slower and deeper water with the recent drop in temperatures. Fish have been feeding on baetis, midge, and caddis nymphs in sizes 16-20. On the warmer blue bird days we have been seeing lots of midges hatching creating some fun dry fly fishing. Expect to see BWOs begin to hatch within the next few weeks. Leading your rig with an attractor pattern in sizes #14-16 such as a stonefly, leech, egg, worm, etc. has been finding fish. Jigging a streamer is also never a bad idea on this stretch this time of the year!
Be aware of new regulations on the Northern section of the river, flys and lures only, as well as catch and release.
FLY RECOMMENDATIONS: #18 Frenchie, #16 Walts Worm, #12 San Juan Worm, #14 Mayers Mini Leech, #18 Zebra Midge, #20 Mole Fly, #16 Two Bit Hooker - Black, #18 Drowned Spinner, #8 Baby Gonga - Black
The Uncompahgre River, or the “Unc” as it is locally known, births high in the windswept San Juan Mountains and slogs northward through the towns of Ouray, Ridgway, and Montrose as it makes its 75 mile voyage toward a marriage with the Gunnison River in Delta. The premiere stretch of the Unc is the tailwater below Ridgway Dam in Ridgway State Park known as Pa-Co-Chu-Puk or “Paco.” Paco is a tremendous year-round trout stream which boasts wild brown trout, a hodgepodge of wild and stocked rainbow trout, and Snake River cutthroat trout brood fish. This tailrace easily exceeds the qualifications for Gold Medal Water and excels in the winter when other fly waters are hibernating and during runoff when other trout streams are roiling with high, chocolaty water.
Further downstream, the Uncompahgre River runs through the town of Montrose and may be the best kept fly fishing secret on the western slope of Colorado. The town stretch of the Unc offers great fly angling for browns, rainbows, and cutbows, especially during fall, winter, and early spring. A couple of the best locales within Montrose are behind Home Depot and Riverbottom Park, but there is quality fly fishing throughout the town stretch. Although the average fish size is much smaller, 20-plus inch trout are not uncommon. Surprisingly, despite having high numbers of brown trout, and some hefty ones, the Unc is not regarded as an overly productive streamer fishery.
