Taylor River Fly Fishing Report
Gold Medal waterTwo independently gauged destinations: Lower Taylor / Almont and Taylor River (Below Taylor Park Dam). Use the reading for your destination; the Almont gauge includes tributary water downstream of the dam. The dam-side gauge has no current water-temperature feed. Fishing is prohibited in the first 325 yards below the dam; the legal catch-and-release reach begins downstream of that boundary.
Lower Taylor / Almont
Taylor River (Below Taylor Park Dam)
What's swimming in the Taylor River
- The 20-mile reach below Taylor Park Reservoir offers Brown, Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout (CPW fishery survey).
- Brown Trout make up 65-85% of angler catch (higher in the middle and lower sections, spawning mid-October through November); Rainbow Trout 15-35% (higher near the tailwater, spawning mid-April to mid-May) (CPW fishery survey).
- A 2021 tailwater estimate found about 2,351 Brown Trout and 789 Rainbow Trout per mile (CPW fishery survey).
- This section was designated Gold Medal water in January 2023, covering all 20 miles below Taylor Park Reservoir (CPW fishery survey).
Rivers and creeks that flow into the Taylor River
4 hold fish on Colorado Parks and Wildlife's records, listed from the headwaters down. Open one for where to fish and its rules.
-
Texas Creek Brown, cutthroat and brook trout
Where to fish
Gunnison National Forest
CPW access point · Medium access
About it
It joins the Taylor River about 16 miles N of Pitkin. It flows year-round.
-
Crystal Creek Brown and cutthroat trout
Where to fish
National forest stretch
About 5 miles up the creek · About 5 miles by the Van Tuyl Trail from Forest Road 7586.1C, high-clearance
About it
It joins the Taylor River about 10 miles NE of Almont. It flows year-round.
-
Spring Creek Brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout
Where to fish
Gunnison National Forest
CPW access point · Medium access
About it
It joins the Taylor River about 5 miles NE of Almont. It flows year-round.
-
Beaver Creek Brown trout
Where to fish
National forest stretch
About 3 miles up the creek · Forest Road 7586, high-clearance
About it
It joins the Taylor River about 5 miles NE of Almont. It flows year-round.
Show 16 more named tributaries (no CPW fish data)
These also flow straight into the Taylor River. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has no fish data for them; some may still hold fish.
- Eyre Creek
- Bowman Creek
- Pine Creek
- Tellurium Creek
- Italian Creek
- Trail Creek
- Red Mountain Creek
- Pieplant Creek
- Illinois Creek
- Willow Creek
- Lottis Creek
- Gooseberry Creek
- Summerville Creek
- Fivemile Creek
- Threemile Creek
- Onemile Creek
Species and special rules are Colorado Parks and Wildlife's. Statewide rules apply everywhere. Before you fish, check land ownership, CPW's current regulations and its temporary closures for drought and low water.
How we pick these
Species are CPW's records from its Fishing Atlas. A creek missing from this list may still hold fish; CPW simply has no record for it. The list runs in the order each one joins the Taylor River, from the headwaters down, and "joins" names the nearest town to where it does on the same side of the mountains: a Census place, or a town with its own post office. Flow is how USGS maps each channel, not a live reading.
Special rules are the ones CPW writes for each creek in its Fishing Atlas. Rules CPW writes for the river itself, such as closures around a creek's mouth, are not repeated on the creek, and no directions lead into water CPW closes all year.
A national forest stretch is one that both the Forest Service's and BLM's ownership maps show as national forest for at least half a mile of the creek, with a road on the Forest Service's motor vehicle map within 500 feet; directions go to that road. Where a line names a trail, the Forest Service trail comes within 500 feet of the creek instead, and directions go to its trailhead; from where the trail enters the forest, the whole way is national forest in both maps. Maps can be wrong and road seasons change. Away from CPW access points, check land ownership before you fish.
Getting to the Taylor River
Taylor River (Below Taylor Park Dam) and lower canyon/Almont are separate fishing destinations. Use the matching gauge above. Public access is not continuous between them.
- Taylor River (Below Taylor Park Dam): use designated parking at Taylor River State Wildlife Area. Public access is prohibited from Taylor Dam to 325 yards downstream. The legal fishing reach starts 325 yards below the dam and continues to the lower SWA boundary, approximately 0.4 mile. Follow posted boundaries, not a map pin at the dam.
- Tailwater fishing approach: start with a mysis shrimp #16-18 and a midge #18-24, using a careful dead drift and enough weight to reach the feeding lane. Slackwater describes this tandem setup and recommends avoiding unnecessarily fine tippet for large fish. During sparse hatches, use a small indicator and keep your presentation quiet (Willowfly Anglers). Avoid redds and actively spawning fish.
- Lodgepole to Lottis Creek Campground and Granite / North Bank / One Mile / Rosy Lane Campgrounds (USFS Gunnison National Forest) offer wade access; Almont to Five Mile Access has bank/wading access in three sections.
- Boating access at South Bank, Five Mile, and Almont (just below the East River/Taylor confluence). CPW warns that wading becomes much more difficult above 250 cfs, especially closer to Taylor Dam; this is not a safe-wading guarantee for any reach (CPW fishery survey).
- Catch-and-release rules: fishing is prohibited as posted from the top of the dam through the first 325 yards downstream. From that point to the lower Taylor River SWA boundary, only artificial flies and lures are allowed and all trout must be returned immediately (CPW fishing regulations, effective April 1, 2026, Taylor River #425).
- SWA access: everyone 16 or older needs a valid hunting or fishing license or SWA pass to enter. A pass by itself does not authorize fishing; anglers must meet Colorado fishing-license requirements. Park only in designated areas (CPW Taylor River SWA).
- Lower canyon and designation: do not extend the dam-side catch-and-release rules to the whole river. The standard-regulation section from Lottis Creek Campground to Almont has a 4-trout bag and possession limit in the CPW fishery survey; check current regulations and signs. The full 20 miles below Taylor Park Reservoir were designated Gold Medal water in January 2023 (CPW news).
Create a free account to read angler reviews. No Pro subscription needed.
Fished the Taylor River lately?
Tell other anglers how it fished. Which stretch did you fish?
What’s hatching on the Taylor River
14 insects, from the published hatch charts of 3 fly shops, guides and fishing sites. Tap an insect to see where its dates come from. Every river, month by month →
Chart for
Blue-Winged Olives (BWO)Mar – May and Aug 15 – Nov · hook #16–226 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Blue Winged Olive (spring)”: Apr 1 – Apr 30 · #16-22
- Fly Shack “Blue Winged Olive (fall)”: Aug 15 – Oct 14 · #16-22
- FlyFishFinder “Blue-Winged Olive”: Mar – May (months only) · #18-22
- FlyFishFinder “Blue-Winged Olive”: Sep – Nov (months only) · #18-22
- Taylor River Anglers “BWO / Baetis”: Mar – May (months only) · BWO dry #18-22; Juju Baetis #18-20
- Taylor River Anglers “BWO / Baetis”: Sep – Nov (months only) · BWO dry #18-22; Juju Baetis #18-20
StonefliesMar – Jun1 source
Where these dates come from:
- Taylor River Anglers “Little Black Stone”: Mar – Jun (months only)
CaddisMay – Sep · hook #10–203 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Caddis (various)”: May 15 – Sep 14 · #10-20
- FlyFishFinder “Caddis”: Jun – Sep (months only) · #16-18
- Taylor River Anglers “Caddis”: May – Sep (months only) · Caddis Larva #16-18 (top-flies list)
Hoppers & terrestrialsMay – Sep · hook #8–202 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Terrestrials (various)”: Jul 1 – Sep 14 · #8-20
- Taylor River Anglers “Terrestrials”: May – Sep (months only)
Pale Morning Duns (PMD)May – Aug 31 · hook #16–203 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Pale Morning Dun”: Jul 1 – Aug 31 · #16-20
- FlyFishFinder “Pale Morning Dun”: May – Aug (months only) · #16-18
- Taylor River Anglers “PMD”: Jul – Aug (months only)
Golden StonefliesMay 15 – Jul 31 · hook #6–181 source
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Golden Stonefly”: May 15 – Jul 31 · #6-18
Green DrakesJun – Aug 31 · hook #10–122 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Green Drake”: Jul 15 – Aug 31 · #10-12
- Taylor River Anglers “Green Drake”: Jun – Jul (months only)
Yellow SalliesJun – Aug1 source
Where these dates come from:
- Taylor River Anglers “Golden/Yellow Stone”: Jun – Aug (months only) · not stated in chart
Red QuillsJul 1 – Aug 31 · hook #12–202 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Red Quill”: Jul 1 – Aug 31 · #12-20
- Taylor River Anglers “Red Quill”: Jul – Aug (months only)
TricosJul – Sep1 source
Where these dates come from:
- Taylor River Anglers “Tricos”: Jul – Sep (months only)
MidgesAll year · hook #16–263 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Midges (various)”: Apr 1 – Nov 30 · #16-24
- FlyFishFinder “Midge”: Jan – Dec (months only) · #22-26 (size 24 Zebra Midge cited)
- Taylor River Anglers “Midges”: Jan – Dec (months only)
Mysis shrimpAll year · hook #14–182 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Mysis Shrimp”: no dates given · #14-18
- Taylor River Anglers “Mysis Shrimp”: Jan – Dec (months only)
Worms & eggsFeb – Nov · hook #12–142 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Taylor River Anglers “Worms”: Feb – Nov (months only) · Pat's Rubberlegs #12-14 (lead-fly list)
- Taylor River Anglers “Eggs”: Feb – Nov (months only)
Streamers & baitfishAll year · hook #2–103 sources
Where these dates come from:
- Fly Shack “Streamers (various, spring)”: Apr 1 – May 14 · #2-10
- Fly Shack “Streamers (various, fall)”: Sep 1 – Nov 14 · #2-10
- Taylor River Anglers “Brown/Rainbow Fry”: Jan – Dec (months only)
Some sources list only months, not days, so treat the dates as a guide and check conditions before you go.
17 fly pairings from real fishing reports
Browse 50 public pairings across the library. A Free account unlocks 5 more of your choice.
Loading fly pairings…
Fly shops on the Taylor River
Taylor River fly fishing questions
What is a good flow (cfs) to fish the Taylor River?
Use USGS 09109000 for Taylor River (Below Taylor Park Dam) and USGS 09110000 for Almont. FlyGuysNLies lists an 80-250 cfs wading window for the dam-side catch-and-release water. This is fishing guidance, not a safe-wading guarantee or a legal limit. Lower releases can still fish: Willowfly Anglers reported technical fishing here at 70 cfs in September 2026. The lower Taylor retains its separate 300-400 cfs guidance from Riffle & Rise. Neither flow reading establishes water temperature at the other reach.
Is the Taylor River designated Gold Medal water?
Yes, the Gold Medal designation includes these tracked stretches of the Taylor River: Lower Taylor / Almont; Taylor River (Below Taylor Park Dam). Check the access and regulations section for the exact boundaries; the designation does not cover the entire river.
What flies work on the Taylor River?
TroutTips tracks 17 fly pairings reported specifically on the Taylor 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 Taylor River?
Yes, Gunnison River Fly Shop, 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.