Gunnison Country
The Gunnnison and its tributaries run through a basin between the Collegiate Range and the rugged San Juan Mountains. 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. It’s no wonder locals affectionately refer to it as Gunnison Country.
Upper River
The Gunnison begins at the resort community of Almont, where the East and Taylor rivers meet. The stretch from Almont to Blue Mesa Reservoir is called the upper Gunnison. It’s a classic freestone river for nearly 20 miles before it spills into Blue Mesa Reservoir.
The river carves its way through an assortment of cottonwood-lined resort properties, fishing clubs, and ranchland. The upper river has riffles, runs, deep pools, and pocketwater with abundant 9- to 17-inch rainbows and browns, and the occasional 20-inch fish.
In late August, Kokanee (landlocked sockeye) salmon migrate upstream from Blue Mesa Reservoir in waves, resting in the river’s deep runs and pools as they return to the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery on the East River. Through September, they hit a wide variety of brightly colored flies, streamers, and a standard assortment of small, flashy nymphs. This “poor man’s Alaska” offers some of the most exciting nymphing of the season.
Large prespawn brown trout follow the Kokanee upriver to feast on high-protein salmon eggs. Take the browns with egg patterns fished downstream of the Kokanee schools.
Between Almont and North Bridge, wade fishing is limited to 2 miles of public access just below the confluence of the Taylor and East rivers, with the exception of a 1/4-mile stretch on the east side of the river just below the confluence. [See Gunnison & Lake Fork of the Gunnison Rivers Fishing Map & Floater’s Guide ($9.95, flyfishguides.com) for details on public access points along the entire Gunnison River corridor.
The Editor.]
Wade access between Almont and North Bridge is so limited that most anglers float this section of river. Drift-boat conditions are moderate to easy when flows are above 800 cubic feet per second (cfs). Lower flows require fishing from inflatable rafts or pontoon boats.
Between North Bridge and Twin Bridges, wading anglers can access the river at two public easements: below North Bridge, the Redden Property provides public access 1/4 mile downstream on the south side of the river; the Van Tuyl Easement is 11/2 miles downstream. You can float from North Bridge to the Van Tuyl Easement or walk there from Palisades Park.
To get to Palisades Park from Gunnison, travel north on Colorado Highway 135, turn left on Spencer Avenue (just west of Wal-Mart), make a right on Quartz Street, then turn left on Tincup Drive. Park on the north side of Palisades Park. A well-defined, 1/2-mile trail leads to the river.
There is an excellent float between McCabe’s Lane and the Turkey Take-Out just above Blue Mesa Reservoir. As the Gunnison River flows west of Gunnison, it widens, with well-defined gravel bars and mid-channel shelves, braided sections, riffles, runs, and deep pools. This is classic drift-boat water as long as flows remain above 450 cfs. This stretch also offers some of the river’s best caddis and Blue-winged Olive hatches.
To reach this area, drive west on Colorado Highway 50, turn left on CR 32, drive south 1/3 mile, and turn left into the boat launch area. With the exception of a 1/2-mile stretch directly below CR 32, and the Neversink Resort, the river is public on both sides down to the reservoir.
Lake Fork
The Lake Fork of the Gunnison, which eventually flows into Blue Mesa Reservoir, rises on the northern slopes of the 14,000-foot San Juan Mountains, starting as small feeder creeks and growing rapidly before dumping into Lake San Cristobal near the small community of Lake City.
Between Lake San Cristobal and Gateview Campground there are 30 stream miles and nearly 14 miles of public access, with beautiful riffles, deep runs, and highly oxygenated pocketwater.
The Lake Fork freezes during winter. The ice melts enough to catch fish at the beginning of March and there is a small window of opportunity before spring runoff begins in April. Ideal flows on the Lake Fork are 150 to 300 cfs—anything over 400 cfs produces extremely difficult wading.
“Runoff typically peaks at 1,200 to 1,400 cfs and the river is unfishable for a four- to six-week period,” says Andy Bryant, manager of The Sportsman Outdoors and Fly Shop in Lake City. “The best fishing occurs between mid July and late October.”
Expect good hatches of midges, Blue-winged Olives, Pale Morning Duns, caddis, stoneflies, Green Drakes, and Red Quills. Fly selection and hatches are similar to the upper Gunnison. Dry/dropper rigs are especially effective.
Copyright © 2012 Intermedia Outdoors
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