Fishing Reports

Fishing Conditions of Local Water Around My Shop!

 
GUNNISON RIVER
 (East Portal)

East Portal can be accessed within the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose.  The road down to the river "East Portal Road" is closed during winter and it is challenging to find the opening dates every year but our shop is the closest to the resource so if you follow our fish report, you will find out in no time.  It is a tail water stretch of the Gunnison River below Crystal dam.  It is the last stop for the salmon fly hatch and provides consistent fishing during season.  Campgrounds are available throughout the season.  

 

Current Conditions:  Fishing has been great with many different patterns on nymph rigs and dry dropper.  We recommend fishing deeper runs and pools with heavy long nymph rigs.  Soft hackle variation and perdigons would do the trick.  Make sure you get to the fish with enough weight on your leader. 

Fly selection:  Lucent soft hackle pheasant tail #12- #16, spanish bullet #16 (natural color, purple), Frenchie #16, Rainbow warrior #16, hare's ear #16  

GUNNISON RIVER (Gunnison Gorge Upstream of Pleasure Park)

 

This particular section of Gunnison River consists of a tailwater fishery out of Crystal Dam, which is a part of Black Canyon National Park near Montrose, Colorado.  Base flows of recent years have been between 325 cfs up to 5000 cfs.  It is technically a tail water, however it fishes like a freestone river with prolific hatches of multiple aquatic insects.  Popular hatches include Salmon Fly (Pteronarcys), Yellow Sally, Caddis, Pale Morning Dun, and Blue Winged Olive along with terrestrials.  Since it is a tailwater, it is fishable year round. 

 

Current Condition: Flow is at 730cfs which is great for this time of the year.  Dry dropper and nymphing has been productive.  small perdigons to bigger hare's ear type of fly under a chubby has been working well especially on our float trips.  possible caddis dries in the evening.    

Fly Selection: Duracell #12-#14, pheasant tail jig #14-#18, Chubbies #8 - #10,  natural colored perdigons #14-#18, Outrigger Caddis #16

 

GUNNISON RIVER (downstream of Pleasure Park)

 

This section of the Gunnison River is downstream of the confluence between the main stem of the Gunnison and the North Fork of the Gunnison River.  It can be fished by walk-wading as well as on a comfortable drift boat/ raft.  This section can be a bit more touchy as far as the flow goes because of the North Fork.  When North Fork is in high water, usually caused by runoff or rain storms, it dumps dirty water to the Gunnison River and could cause fishing to slow down.  As far as hatches go, it is very similar to the Upstream section.  

 

Current Condition: Northfork has finely calmed down for the season at around 100 cfs which makes the total flow 830cfs.  Great banks to fish dry droppers!  Fish are spread out all over the river including shallow riffles, pockets, and banks.   

Fly Selection:  Chubbies #8-#10, black perdigon, #16, Higa's SOS jig #16 black, trico #22, natural colored perdigons #16, McCannels Mighty Midge #18, Stalcups Baetis #18 Olive.  

Uncompahgre River (Through Montrose)

 

The Uncompahgre River through the town of Montrose is fishable all year round except during runoff.  The runoff on this river is caused by the Cow Creek upstream.  Between April and October, it is the high water season, which is caused by the canal connecting the Gunnison River and the Uncompahgre River to provide enough water for the farmers downstream for their crops.  During the high water season, fish can be caught in slow eddies.  During the low water season, fish can be caught in slow riffles and cut banks.  The river holds a healthy population of brown trout and rainbow trout with chances of hooking into a fish of a lifetime.  

 

Current Condition:  The river is high but our float fishing on the Uncompahgre has been very productive including a chance to hook into a large rainbow!!  Fish are happy and hungry down here.  Chubbies to perdigons.  Dry dropper has been quite successful.   Find yourself a nice slow pocket water and they should be there.  We highly recommend taking our semi-full day float trips on the Uncompahgre with our head guide Kato.  

Recommended Gear:  9ft 5wt rod.

 

Fly Selection:  Gold Chubby#10, hare's ear #12-#14, rainbow warrior#16, Higa's SOS Black #16 jig.  TIE YOUR FLIES ON PINK BEADS!!

 

8/8/23 by Kato