Gunnison Gorge Fly Fishing Guide | Ed's Fly Shop Montrose
Colorado's marquee Gold Medal float trip, 14 miles of wilderness through some of the oldest exposed rock on earth.
Why the Gunnison Gorge
The Gunnison Gorge is widely considered the crown jewel of Colorado fly fishing. Carved through the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, this 14-mile stretch from Chukar Trail to Pleasure Park offers the kind of remote wilderness float experience that has earned it a place on every serious fly angler's bucket list. The river holds Gold Medal designation from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, meaning it produces 60 pounds of trout per acre with at least 12 fish per acre measuring 14 inches or larger. Translation: there are a lot of big fish here.
The Gorge is wild brown trout country, with a healthy population of rainbows mixed in. Twenty-inch fish are common. Larger fish are caught regularly. The combination of Gold Medal water, dramatic Precambrian canyon walls, abundant wildlife (bighorn sheep, river otters, golden eagles, wild chukar), and limited access creates an experience that simply cannot be matched on more crowded Colorado tailwaters.
The catch: the Gunnison Gorge is not easy to access. There are no roads to the river. The only way in is a 1-mile hike down the Chukar Trail with a 550-foot drop, and the only way out by boat is the 14-mile float to Pleasure Park. There is no take-out in between. This is a true wilderness commitment, which is exactly why the fishing is what it is.
The Float: Chukar to Pleasure Park
The standard Gunnison Gorge float trip launches from Chukar Beach, accessed by hiking down the Chukar Trail from the canyon rim. From there, the river runs 14 miles through the wilderness section of the Gunnison Gorge NCA before reaching the take-out at Pleasure Park. Depending on water flow, anglers will navigate 17 Class II to Class III/IV rapids over the course of the float, with countless prime fishing runs and pools in between.
This is float fishing for the most part, with stops for wade fishing at the productive runs and pools where it makes sense. Trips can be done in a single long day, but the river is best experienced over a multi-day float, which lets you fish the slower water carefully, camp in the canyon, and spend time on the water during the prime morning and evening hatches.
Best Times of Year: June through September
The prime fly fishing season on the Gunnison Gorge runs June through September. Each month brings its own conditions, hatches, and rhythms.
June: The Salmonfly Hatch
Late May into June brings the legendary Gunnison Gorge salmonfly hatch (Pteronarcys californica). This is one of the most celebrated dry fly events in the western United States. Trout that have spent the year keying on small bugs suddenly switch to chasing two-inch protein bombs on the surface, and dry fly fishing during the salmonfly hatch ranks among the most exciting freshwater experiences in fly fishing. Golden stones hatch right behind the salmonflies, extending the big-bug surface action through the month. Water flows can run higher in early June due to snowmelt, but the river is at its most dynamic and productive during this window.
July and August: Summer Variety
By midsummer the river settles into classic western trout fishing. Caddis hatches run consistent through July and August, with various mayflies (PMDs, yellow sallies) mixing in. Hopper fishing picks up in August and runs strong into September, with grasshoppers offering trout big bites of protein from the banks. Nymph rigs through riffles and shelves continue to produce all day, and dry fly fishing peaks in the evenings.
September: Fall Conditions
September is one of the most underrated months on the Gunnison Gorge. Cooler water temperatures wake the fish up, brown trout get aggressive in the pre-spawn period, and streamer fishing comes into its own. Hopper-dropper rigs continue to produce. Late September brings Blue-Winged Olive (BWO) hatches when cloud cover and weather cooperate, and the lower river often produces some of the best dry fly fishing of the year as the crowds thin and the canyon takes on its fall colors.
Recommended Gear
The Gunnison Gorge fishes well with a 4 to 6 weight fly rod and a quality reel with a smooth, reliable drag. A 9-foot 5-weight is the most versatile choice for the variety of techniques you'll use over a multi-day float. During the salmonfly hatch in June, a 6-weight is preferred for throwing the big bugs and managing wind in the canyon.
A reel with a sealed drag and large arbor will serve you best. The Gunnison's bigger fish make real runs, and you want stopping power and fast line retrieval. We carry the full Abel and Ross Reels lineup in Montrose, both literally machined right here in our hometown. Scott Fly Rods, the gold standard for serious fly anglers, are also built right here in Montrose and available at Ed's Fly Shop.
For our guided 3-day Gunnison Gorge float trip, anglers only need to bring a fly rod. Ed's Fly Shop provides reels, leaders, tippet, flies, and all terminal tackle. We supply the gear so you can focus on the fishing.
Hatches and Fly Patterns
The Gunnison Gorge has one of the most diverse and reliable hatch progressions of any river in Colorado:
- Salmonflies (late May to mid-June): Sizes 4–6, big foam patterns, Chubby Chernobyls, Rogue Stones
- Golden Stoneflies (June into July): Sizes 6–10, golden stone patterns, yellow Chubbies
- Caddis (July through August): Sizes 14–18, Elk Hair Caddis, X-Caddis, Crime Scene Caddis
- PMDs (July): Sizes 14–16, Sparkle Duns, Comparaduns, Pheasant Tails
- Yellow Sallies (July): Sizes 14–16, yellow stimulators
- Hoppers (August through September): Sizes 8–12, Morrish Hoppers, Chubby variants
- BWOs (September into October): Sizes 18–22, BWO Sparkle Duns, Brooks Sprout Baetis
- Streamers (year-round, especially fall): Sculpzillas, Dungeons, Sex Dungeons in olive, black, and white
For nymph rigs, standard western patterns produce: Pat's Rubber Legs, Pheasant Tails, Hare's Ears, Frenchies, San Juan Worms, and egg patterns in fall. A long, light nymph rig fished through riffles and shelves is consistently productive throughout the day.
Booking the Gunnison Gorge: Ed's Fly Shop 3-Day Float Trip
Ed's Fly Shop offers a fully guided 3-day float trip through the Gunnison Gorge, the deepest possible immersion in this iconic stretch of water. Our trip includes:
- Three days of guided float fishing from Chukar to Pleasure Park
- All meals from lunch on Day 1 through lunch on Day 3
- Rafts accommodating 2 anglers per boat
- Reels, leaders, tippet, flies, and terminal tackle
- Professional guide services for fishing, navigation, and camp setup
- Limited to 8 participants per trip for an exclusive experience
Our guides know the river and its rhythms intimately, and the trip is structured to put you on prime water during prime hatches each day. The Gunnison Gorge is a regulated river with strict BLM access rules, which keeps pressure low and the experience uncrowded. Booking early is recommended, especially for June salmonfly hatch dates.
Local Logistics
Most anglers fly into Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), served by United, American, Southwest, and Delta. Ed's Fly Shop is located at 432 E Main Street in Montrose, about 5 minutes from the airport. We can arrange shuttle pickup at your hotel or the airport on the morning of your trip.
For lodging, Montrose offers a full range of options from downtown historic hotels to standard chain hotels along the highway. Ridgway and Ouray (45 minutes south) are also within reach if you want a more scenic mountain town base. Stop by Ed's Fly Shop the day before your trip to pick up your Colorado fishing license, dial in any last-minute gear, and meet the team that will be guiding you.
About Ed's Fly Shop
Ed's Fly Shop has been the local fly shop for Montrose, Colorado since 2010. We are a full-service fly shop and guide service serving the Gunnison Gorge, Lower Gunnison, and Uncompahgre rivers, with a deep inventory across every major fly fishing brand and a guide team that knows our local waters intimately. We are also the local authorized dealer for Scott Fly Rods, Ross Reels, and Abel Reels, all three literally machined here in Montrose.
Stop by the shop at 432 E Main Street, give us a call at (970) 964-9991, or book your Gunnison Gorge float trip online.
Current Gunnison River Conditions
For the latest fishing conditions, hatches, and flows, see our current Gunnison River fishing reports, updated regularly throughout the season.