Fishing Reports and River Flows

The fishing reports and river flows are updated on a regular basis during the season (April through October). Weather and fishing conditions can change rapidly this high in the Rockies, so be sure to check for the latest updates or give us a call before planning your trip to the area. The latest flows and specific hatches for our rivers are listed below. Visit USGS on the web for real-time river flow data for Gunnison County. For a general hatch chart for our area, visit the Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association.

23-inch cutbow - East River

Updated 5/9/2008

The East and Gunnison rivers are in run-off. The Taylor River should be fishable for a while.

Taylor River Catch & Release (below the dam):
Release/Flow: 400 cfs
Egg patterns and small nymphs and midges, including Pheasant Tails 20-24, midges 20-24, mysis shrimp 20-24, and RS2s 20-22.

Taylor River:
Flow: 638 cfs at Almont
Egg patterns and small nymphs and midges, including Pheasant Tails and midges 20-24. Barr emergers or midges trailed behind an egg pattern or stonefly nymph (20-Inchers 8-12), and streamers. Dry fly action with small BWOs (18-22).

East River:
Flow: 1,010 cfs at Almont (run-off)
Egg patterns and small nymphs and midges, including Pheasant Tails and midges 20-24. Barr emergers or midges trailed behind an egg pattern or stonefly nymph (20-Inchers 8-12), and streamers. Dry fly action with small BWOs (18-22).

Gunnison River:
Flow: 2,150 cfs through town (run-off)
Egg patterns, San Juan Worms, and small nymphs and midges, including Pheasant Tails and midges 20-24. Barr emergers or midges trailed behind an egg pattern or stonefly nymph. Our 20-Incher stonefly patterns (8-12) are working well. Chucking streamers at the banks can be productive. Dry fly action with small BWOs (18-22).

Kokanee Salmon Run (August 1 - October 31):
Kokanee are a land-locked form of sockeye salmon. The run to the Roaring Judy Fish Hatchery is the only all natural run in Colorado that goes to a hatchery. Each April, 2-inch kokanee fry are released from Roaring Judy into the East River. Their overnight journey takes them down the East to the Gunnison River and onto Blue Mesa Reservoir, where they typically spend two or three summers. In late August, the salmon begin their trek back to the hatchery and the run usually lasts through October. Division of Wildlife personnel spawn the salmon at the hatchery, taking 3,000,000 to 10,000,000 eggs per year. Catch & release fishing for kokanee is allowed on the Gunnison River and East River from August 1st through the end of October. The run normally peaks around mid September.