Fishing Reports
Fishing Conditions of Local Water Around Montrose Colorado!
GUNNISON RIVER (East Portal)
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09128000/#parameterCode=00060&period=P7D&showMedian=false
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: Water levels have stabilized for summer fishing conditions. Nymphing with pats rubber legs, purple perdigons, and rs2's are working well. Fishing the banks with hoppers, and chubbys with orange scuds, and perdigons dropped underneath are also working well.
Fly selection: Zebra midge Black or Olive #22-24, WD-40 Brown or Tan,Pats Rubber leg Coffee or Black #8-12, 20 Incher #10-12, Perdigons Purple, Black, or Natural #14-18, 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 NCA )
Just outside the National Park lies the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area. With This hard to get to stretch of river offers amazing canyon views, world class fishing, and permitted overnight trips for the adventure of a lifetime!
Current Conditions:
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09128000/#parameterCode=00060&period=P7D&showMedian=false
Fishing inside the gunnison gorge has been great! Stoneflies have receded and made way for yellow sallies and caddis hatches. Fishing with Chubbys in tan and purple, with pats rubber legs and rainbow warriors dropped underneath 24-36" have been producing great fish. Watch out for evening thunderstorms rolling through. These can cause muddy conditions on trails, and possible flash floods.
Recommended Gear: 9ft 5wt or 6wt rod.
GUNNISON RIVER
( Pleasure Park walk wade )
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:
Water levels are down to their summer levels coming out of the black canyon. Fishing has been great in the morning and evening. Hopper dropper fishing with chubbys, and grass hoppers, with yellow perdigons, and rainbow warriors have been working well. Also, dry fly fishing with yellow sallies, and yellow stimulators have been producing well tight against the banks.
Fly Selection:Chubby Chernoble Tan, purple, orange #4-#8, Pats rubber legs #6-#8, Red worms, eggs, 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)
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09136100/#parameterCode=00060&period=P7D&showMedian=false
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09128000/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D&showMedian=false
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.
Recommended Gear: 9ft 5wt or 6wt rod.
Current Condition:
Spring Conditions are starting to recede. Fishing is picking up on the lower. Water levels out of the Gorge, and the North Fork have dropped to reasonable levels. Fishing are rising on the banks with undercuts and grassy edges. Fishing with hopper droppers, single or double dries have been working the best. A few salmon flies are still around but yellow sallies are prevalent.
Fly Selection: Stimulator yellow #12-#16, Parachute adams pmd color #14-#16, Red worms #12-#16 Pats Rubber legs #6-#8, Chubbies #8-#10, Yellow perdigon, #16, Higa's SOS jig #16 black, trico #22, natural colored perdigons #16, McCannels Mighty Midge #18, Stalcups Baetis #18 Olive.
Uncompahgre River
Pacochupuck:
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09149500/#parameterCode=00065&period=P7D&showMedian=false
This Tailwater stretch of river is located between Montrose and Ridgway. This is our favorite portion of river to walk and wade all year round. With stable water levels and clear water fish thrive here ranging from small to extra large. Brown trout Rainbow trout, and Cutthroat trout all call these waters home. As most tailwaters, this part of the river requires a stealthy approach, small flies in the 22-24 range, and lighter tippets 5x-6x
Current Conditions:
We Now Have PERMITS! Book your Guided trips now! This stretch of river is a little more technical than most surrounding rivers. Keep and eye on the flows. High water is making wading difficult, pushing fish to the edges of the river. Move slowly and pick your spots. Nymphing with eggs, and small size 22-24 nymphs in red and black trailed behind have been working the best. With clear water look for fish closer to the edges, seams and tail outs. Watch for small BWOs hatching in the evening. Small dries with emergers trailed behind.
Recommended Gear:8 - 9ft 4wt or 5wt rod.
Flies: Pink worm #14-16, JuJu Baetis #18-22, Demon Midge #18-24, Cased Caddis #14-18
Uncompahgre River
Town Section:
This stretch 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:
Currently the Uncompahgre is starting to clear up and return to summer levels. Nymphing and euro nymphing has been successful, Along with dry dropper fishing with Mini Chubbys and baetis patterns underneath. Later in the evening look for blue wing olives to hatch in the tail outs and flats in between pools. Streamer fishing has been successful with small leeches, and wooly boogers.
Recommended Gear: 9ft 5wt rod.
Fly Selection: Black leach #12-#16 Gold Chubby#10, hare's ear #12-#14, rainbow warrior#16, Higa's SOS Black #16 jig, Pink/ Red worm #14-16 JuJu baetis # 18-22 TIE YOUR FLIES ON PINK BEADS!!
San Miguel River
The San Miguel free stone river between Placerville and Norwood hill. With rainbow and brown trout this river fishes great all summer. There are plentiful pullouts for each small stretch of river to fish. Look for signage showing public and private land.
Current Condition:
Water levels are receding, and clearing. Be careful wading, and crossing as waters are still pushy. Fishing is starting to pick up with hopper dropper rigs, and small streamers. Try fishing mini chubbys in all colors with a prince nymph or cased caddis dropped underneath 18-36".
Recommended Gear:8 - 9ft 4wt or 5wt rod.
Blue Mesa Lake
The largest lake in Colorado, Blue Mesa provides lots of fishing opportunities. From Kokanee salmon released from Roaring Judy hatchery farther up the Gunnison river, browns, rainbows, and even jumbo mackinaw trout ( Lake trout ). Fishing from shore, or boats works great most of the year, with ice covering the lake all winter providing ample opportunities to fish year round.
Current Conditions:
Local reports say the middle bridge could reopen by July 4! Check the CDOT website for more information
https://www.codot.gov/
Currently no travel is allowed across the middle bridge at Blue Mesa blocking off the Montrose to Gunnison corridor. County Road 26 is now open to alternating traffic. Check the CDOT website for more info. Boat ramps are still open and the lake is fishing great. Brown trout and rainbow trout are aggressively feeding around the edges of the lake in 10-100 feet of water mostly around structure and rocks. Tube Jigs, spinners, and marabou jigs are all catching fish ( White or Chartreuse are our go to colors) Lake trout are being caught all over the lake as the ice has now all melted away. Focus on shelves from 20-100 feet dropping off into deeper water. Trolling, and vertical gigging with larger tube jigs have been working well.
Updated 7/7/24 AP