Tips and Tactics for Fly Fishing on the Gunnison River in Colorado

The Gunnison River is a remarkable fishery that flies under the radar of most anglers. Renowned for its surreal Green Drake hatch and immersive fall colors, the Lower Gunnison River also boasts some incredible spring fly-fishing opportunities. This is the perfect weekend fishing destination with the river running right through the town of Gunnison and into Blue Mesa Reservoir. You will know you are tuned into the fish of the Gunnison when your arms grow weak and your fish count exceeds fifty. Abundant Brown Trout provide frequent action while the famed Gunnison River Rainbows provide the size anglers crave. Whether you are familiar with the Gunnison River or you’ve never heard of her beauty before, fish her this Spring. You will not regret it. Nymphing will provide most of your action, with occasional dry-fly hatches adding to the excitement. Regardless of the intensity of runoff, here are some key aspects to your fishing that will guide you to success this spring on the Gunnison:

Location, Location, Location

You must have the perfect depth to catch fish here. Simply setting your rig up at 1.5 times the depth of the hole/riffle is not enough! You must check yourself multiple times and at every new hole to be sure your bugs are towards the bottom of the water column. You are at the right depth when your bugs hang up on the bottom roughly 1 in 15 casts. Depth always takes priority over fly selection.

Think BIG

The aquatic insects of the Gunnison are significantly larger than the bugs you may typically fish on water like the South Platte, Big Horn, or Provo. On the Gunni, upsize your attractor and trailer flies one to two sizes. This also means you can get away with that larger tippet (3X, 4X, 5X). Eggs, stoneflies, mayflies and midges are the mainstay in spring.

Hook Sets Are Free

We all know that fly-fishing can break your wallet in no time, but setting the hook doesn’t cost a penny- so SET THE HOOK! Try not to overdo it though- a swift, deliberate lift downstream with your fly-rod is usually enough.

Final Thoughts: Catch some extra zzz’s before your day on the water. Gunnison is a cold place- it takes the fish a while to warm up in the morning too. Look to arrive at the river an hour or two later than your normal fishing trips; there are ample amounts of public water to fish around here. No matter your skill, you’ll thoroughly enjoy your fishing trip to Gunnison. And yes, a river does run through it.

Get to Know Adam Beede

Born into this world human, turned fish, Adam grew up in Highlands Ranch calling Bear Creek and the South Platte his home waters. In pursuit of bigger fish, Adam attended college in Gunnison where he guided for 6 years and earned a degree in Biochemestry. Having recently returned to Denver, Adam started Home Waters Guide Service. You can reach Adam to book trips at: Email: adambeede@comcast.net Phone: (720) 955-7566 and Instagram: breaking_beede