Gunnison River Fly Fishing Report
Gold Medal waterTwo separately-gauged stretches: the upper river near the town of Gunnison, and the Black Canyon / Gunnison Gorge tailwater downstream of the Gunnison Tunnel diversion. Guides and local shops report ideal wade-fishing windows of roughly 300–500 cfs on the Near Gunnison (above the Tunnel) reach and 400–600 cfs on the Below Gunnison Tunnel (Black Canyon / Gunnison Gorge) reach (Dragonfly Anglers; RiverReports). Live gauge data below updates automatically.
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Near Gunnison (above the Tunnel)
Below Gunnison Tunnel (Black Canyon / Gunnison Gorge)
What's swimming in the Gunnison River
- Brown Trout make up 40-70% of angler catch (spawning October-November) and Rainbow Trout 15-50% (spawning mid-April to mid-May), with a Kokanee Salmon spawning run from early August to early November (CPW fishery survey, January 2026).
- This is a wild fishery: CPW discontinued stocking in 2016 because natural Rainbow Trout reproduction now sustains the population (CPW fishery survey).
- The Almont-to-US-50 reach (about 12.5 miles) earned Gold Medal status in 2023: flies and lures only, Brown Trout 2-fish/16-inch minimum, and Rainbow Trout must be released (CPW fishery survey; CPW news).
Getting to the Gunnison River
- CPW's survey names six miles of public access at seven bank/wading sites and five boating access points, with seasonal restrooms at USFS Almont Campground, Tomichi Riverway Park, Gunnison Whitewater Park and McCabes Lane: Almont to Almont Campground (1.7 mi), Redden Access (0.25 mi), VanTuyl Access (1.5 mi via a half-mile trail from Char-Mar Park), West Tomichi Riverway Park (0.25 mi) and Gunnison Whitewater Park (0.7 mi), plus NPS-managed Neversink and Cooper Ranch access (CPW fishery survey).
- Gunnison River SWA (Van Tuyl & Redden) requires foot access only from the Van Tuyl trailhead Y-gate, plus a license or SWA pass 16+ (CPW Gunnison River SWA).
- Gold MedalAlmont to US Highway 50 (12.5 miles from Twin Bridges up to Almont, designated 2023) -- artificial flies and lures only, brown trout 2 fish ≥16 inches, rainbow trout must be released, kokanee closed Aug. 1–Oct. 31 (CPW fishery survey; CPW news).
- From US 50 down to Blue Mesa Reservoir, trout bag is 4 and kokanee are catch-and-release (CPW fishery survey).
33 sourced hatch windows for the Gunnison River
Species, size, and season, each tied to the published fly-shop or guide-service chart it came from. See Hatch Charts for every Colorado river we track and a precision-level key.
| Species | Season Window | Size | Precision | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midges | Jan 1–Dec 31 | #18-24 | Seasonal estimate | FishFlyWater |
| Stonefly nymphs (various) | Jan 1–Dec 31 | #6-10 | Seasonal estimate | FishFlyWater |
| Blue-Winged Olive | Mar 1–May 31 | #18-22 | Month-level | FlyFishFinder |
| Blue Winged Olive (+ midges) | Mar 1–Apr 30 | #18-22 | Month-level | Gunnison Fly Fishing Outfitters |
| Midges (various) | Apr 1–Nov 30 | #14-18 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Streamers (various) | Apr 1–Nov 30 | #2-10 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Blue-Winged Olive (spring) | Apr 1 onward (no published end date) | #16-20 | Month-level | FishFlyWater |
| Caddis (various) — spring | Apr 15–May 14 | #10-18 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Caddis | May 1–Sep 30 | #14-18 | Month-level | FlyFishFinder |
| Stonefly nymphs / San Juan Worms (runoff) | May 1–Jun 15 | #8-14 | Month-level | Gunnison Fly Fishing Outfitters |
| Salmonfly | May 15–Jun 30 | #4-6 | Month-level | FlyFishFinder |
| Golden Stone | May 15–Jun 30 | #6-8 | Month-level | FlyFishFinder |
| Salmonfly (Pteronarcys) | May 15 onward (no published end date) | #4-8 | Seasonal estimate | FishFlyWater |
| Salmon Fly | Jun 1–Jul 14 | #4-8 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Pale Morning Dun | Jun 1–Aug 31 | #16-18 | Month-level | FlyFishFinder |
| Caddis, PMD, Golden Stonefly | Jun 1–Jul 31 | #12-16 | Month-level | Gunnison Fly Fishing Outfitters |
| Caddis (various) — summer | Jun 15–Sep 14 | #10-18 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Little Yellow Stonefly | Jun 15–Aug 14 | #14-18 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Blue Winged Olive | Jul 1–Oct 31 | #14-18 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Green Drake | Jul 1–Aug 14 | #10-12 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Pale Morning Dun | Jul 1–Aug 14 | #14-18 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Red Quill | Jul 1–Aug 31 | #14-18 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Terrestrials (various) | Jul 1–Sep 30 | #8-16 | Week-level estimate | Fly Shack |
| Hoppers / Ants / Beetles (terrestrials) | Jul 1–Aug 31 | #10-16 | Month-level | Gunnison Fly Fishing Outfitters |
| Terrestrials (hoppers) | Jul 1–Aug 31 | #8-12 | Month-level | FishFlyWater |
| Blue-Winged Olive | Sep 1–Nov 30 | #18-22 | Month-level | FlyFishFinder |
| Late BWO (+ streamers) | Sep 1–Oct 31 | #6-20 | Month-level | Gunnison Fly Fishing Outfitters |
| Midges (Zebra Midge, RS2, Griffith's Gnat) | Dec 1–Feb 28 | #20-26 | Month-level | Gunnison Fly Fishing Outfitters |
| Yellow Sally | Seasonal (no specific dates published) | — | Seasonal estimate | FlyFishFinder |
| Golden Stonefly | Seasonal (no specific dates published) | #8-12 | Seasonal estimate | FishFlyWater |
| Blue-Winged Olive (fall) | Seasonal (no specific dates published) | #18-20 | Seasonal estimate | FishFlyWater |
| Pale Morning Dun | Seasonal (no specific dates published) | #14-18 | Seasonal estimate | FishFlyWater |
| Caddisflies (various) | Seasonal (no specific dates published) | #14-16 | Seasonal estimate | FishFlyWater |
14 fly pairings from real fishing reports
Up to 2 pairings for this river are always free to browse in full. Fly names, leader/tippet spec, and full source are unlocked by .
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Recent reports from anglers on the Gunnison River
Real ratings, notes, condition tags, and rig tags logged by signed-in anglers after fishing this water.
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Fly shops on the Gunnison River
Gunnison River fly fishing questions
What is a good flow (cfs) to fish the Gunnison River?
Guides and local shops report ideal wade-fishing windows of roughly 300–500 cfs on the Near Gunnison (above the Tunnel) reach and 400–600 cfs on the Below Gunnison Tunnel (Black Canyon / Gunnison Gorge) reach of the Gunnison River (Dragonfly Anglers; RiverReports). TroutTips shows the live current reading for each reach against its own range so you can check before you go.
Is the Gunnison River designated Gold Medal water?
Yes, the Gold Medal designation covers two separate stretches of the Gunnison River: Near Gunnison (above the Tunnel) and Below Gunnison Tunnel (Black Canyon / Gunnison Gorge).
What flies work on the Gunnison River?
TroutTips tracks 14 fly pairings reported specifically on the Gunnison River, each tied to a season and a real source. See the Fly Pairings section on this page for the full list.
Are there fly shops near the Gunnison River?
Yes, Gunnison River Fly Shop, High Mountain Drifters, Gunnison Fly Fishing Outfitters, Willowfly Anglers (Three Rivers Resort), Taylor River Anglers (Harmels), Dragonfly Anglers, Crested Butte Angler guide this river. See the Nearby Fly Shops section on this page for details.